Nursing Assistant

SummaryCurrent permanent VA employees and Federal employees from other federal agency should apply under CBST-10918769-DL. The incumbent serves as a Nursing Assistant in the Central Arkansas Veterans Health Care System. Duties will be performed at 4300 W. 7th Street, Little Rock, AR or 2200 Fort Roots Drive, North Little Rock, AR. Incumbent may be assigned to work on either campus as needed.ResponsibilitiesThe Nursing Assistant provides care to patients/residents receiving outpatient care, home or community living care or other patients/residents who are in acute, subacute or chronic states of illness. Services provided include dementia care, geriatric evaluation & management, wound care, CARF accredited acute rehabilitation, long-term antibiotic care, respite care, restorative care, skilled nursing & rehabilitation, mental health recovery & long term care.Duties include, but are not limited to: Performs basic nursing care for patients in their activities of daily living, such as but not limited to: bathing, shaving, skin/hair/eye care, oral hygiene, dressing, ambulation, range of motion, incontinence care, assisting with meals and feeding, providing focused caregiver needs and transfer assistance; Performs diagnostic support duties such as taking vital signs and height and weight, blood and urine glucose testing, and collecting various specimens; Monitors intravenous fluids by informing the nurse of the need to add fluids, any alarms or any patient care. Participates in activities that promote safety for the Veteran and others in the work area, including, but not limited to, performing monitoring of the patient safety monitoring system after completion of orientation and completion of competency demonstration; Recognizes emergent situations such as patient need for CPR/choking procedure and initiates immediate action based upon the medical center policy; Utilizes ability to use clean and aseptic technique to perform various non-medication treatments, i.e, treating wounds by cleansing, applying dressings, applying external catheters, and performing catheter care. Provides adequate nutrition and hydration; Recognizes and takes action to meet identified patient/family needs for information. Work Schedule: Evening tours, rotating weekends, holidays and other tours of duty in time of needFinancial Disclosure Report: Not requiredRequirementsConditions of EmploymentQualificationsApplicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education or Training. One year above high school with courses related to the NA occupation. Completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related course of study of less than one year as a nursing assistant may also meet in full the experience requirements for GS-3. English Language Proficiency. Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA policy. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Preferred Experience: Performing monitoring of the patient safety monitoring system and monitoring intravenous fluids for action by nursing staff. Grade Determinations:GS-03 Nursing Assistant (Entry Level) Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements.Individuals assigned as GS-3 NAs are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised. GS-04 Nursing Assistant Experience. One year of specialized experience as a NA or experience in another medical field (licensed practical nurse, health technician, hospital corpsman, etc.), performing technical and nursing skills requiring knowledge of the human physical and emotional states, therapeutic communication, and technical skills required for basic and intermediate treatments;OR,Education. Successful completion of 2 years above high school in an accredited institution with courses related to nursing care, health care or in a field of study appropriate to the specialization of the position, such as education in a program for psychology, psychiatric, or operating room technicians. ANDIn addition, candidates must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's): Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to the completion of the nurse care plan and recovery of patients/residents. Ability to observe patients/residents' or resident's physical or emotional status and refer deviations and/or problems to supervisor in a timely manner. Ability to properly use equipment, materials and supplies in simple diagnostic and treatment procedures such as bladder scan, continuous passive motion device, blood glucose monitoring machine, specimen collection, etc. Ability to communicate effectively with patients/residents, their families and other health professionals. GS-05 Nursing Assistant (Full Performance Level)Experience. One year of progressively responsible assignments and experience equivalent to the GS-4 level which demonstrates knowledge, skills, and abilities that are directly related to the specific assignment. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSAs in subparagraph (c) below;OR,Education. Successful completion of a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree that included 24 semester hours of courses related to health care or possession of a bachelor's degree; ANDIn addition, candidates must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's): Ability to assist in the full range of nursing care to patients/residents with physical and/or behavioral problems in a hospital, long term care or outpatient setting under the direction of a Registered Nurse and/or Licensed Vocational Nurse/Licensed Practical Nurse. Ability to communicate orally with patients/residents, families, interdisciplinary team and other personnel. This includes serving as a preceptor to new NAs by assisting with the coordination of their orientation and overseeing/assessing their practical experience while in a clinical setting. Ability to recognize and react to emergent patient/resident care situations and intervene while waiting for assistance. For example, recognizing need for basic life support, controlling bleeding and assisting with behavior crisis, etc. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G46, Nursing Assistant Qualification Standards The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-05, the actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-03 to GS-05. Physical Requirements: This position requires heavy lifting and carrying (45 pounds and over), pulling hand over hand (2 - 4 hours), pushing (2 - 4 hours), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, walking (up to 8 hours), standing (up to 8 hours), repeated bending (2.4 hours), both legs required, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, ability to distinguish basic colors, hearing (aid permitted), emotional stability, mental stability. Environmental Factors: Exposure to dust, fumes, electrical energy, working with hands in water, working closely with others and protracted or irregular hours of work.EducationIMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.Additional InformationThis job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.