Nursing Assistant

About the role

The Nursing Assistant will develop skills in order to participate in assessing, implementing, and evaluating nursing care by the following listed below, however, the responsibilities will be completed under close supervision at all times as well as with appropriate training.

The Nursing Assistant in this role provides care under close supervision and refers issues/questions to supervisors, higher graded NAs, or other healthcare professionals. This position is in unit 4A Med/Surg.

What you will do

• The nursing assistant will develop skills in order to participate in assessing, implementing, and evaluating nursing care.
• Responsibilities will be completed under close supervision at all times as well as with appropriate training.
• Identifies the needs of patients and performs a range of personal nursing care duties which include feeding, bathing, oral hygiene, nail care, hair care, and related personal hygiene duties.
• Application and care of external catheter.
• Provides post-mortem care.
• Utilizes proper body mechanics to move, lift and transfer patients.
• Maintains clean and neat environment for patients including cleaning of patient's room after bed bath and after discharge when necessary, keeping utility rooms, supply rooms, nurse servers, coffee rooms, bathrooms, and nutrition kitchens in order.
• Answers patient's calls expediently.
• Assists and/or escorts selected patients by minibus, car, and ambulance to and from hospital, Community Living Centers, etc. Assists patients in use of ADL devices.
• Provides indwelling catheter care according to procedure.
• Assists with orientation of new patients to the unit and inspects their personal belonging in accordance with Medical Center Memorandum as directed by the professional nurse.
• Performs enteral tube feedings (gastrostomy tube and naso-gastric tube feedings.) Gives individual care and attention to critically ill, emotionally unstable, and patients with multiple complex problems.
• Demonstrates support of individual patient choices, dignity, autonomy, and preferred routines.
• (for example, allows patient to choose preferred bathing time, bedtime) Encourages patients to increase their physical and emotional independence by giving, directing, instructing, and supervising them in their care.
• Participates in developing the plan of care for individual patients during team conferences.
• Offers emotional support to the dying patient and/or family members.
• Performs a variety of supporting diagnostic duties which includes taking, recording, and reporting to the team leader deviation in vital signs, collecting, labeling, and taking specimens to the Laboratory.
• Initiates CPR and/or Heimlich maneuver when such life-saving techniques are indicated.
• Observes patients receiving IV solutions for obvious infiltration of solution and/or low solution level in bottle and discontinues IVs at the direction of the professional nurse.
• Assembles oxygen equipment, identifies amount of oxygen in cylinders when appropriate, and provides continuity of oxygen therapy as directed by the professional nurse.
• Uses principles of aseptic techniques to apply and remove sterile dressings as directed by the professional nurse.
• Assists with orientation of new patients and staff to the unit.
• Demonstrates and maintains patient privacy, courteous, prompt, and helpful interactions in personal and telephone encounters with patients, visitors, and staff.
• Upon certification, performs 12-lead EKGs.
• Work Schedule: Day shift with weekend and holiday rotation.
• Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
• Functional Statement #: 613-25056-F, 613-25057-F, 613-25058-F Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their life to the fullest.
• The VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and wellbeing.
• As a VA employee, you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care.
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year).
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.
• Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a trial period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (***).
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Education

IMPORTANT: 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: *** 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: ***

How you will be evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC.

WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Your resume must include the following information for each job listed: Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible) Month & Year start/end dates (e.g. June 2019 to April 2020) Full-time or part-time status (required to include hours worked per week) Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume.

Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail. Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications.

To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy.

In addition, please be sure to include your Education, Residency program to include Month and year start/end dates, and license, certification, or registration information to include the state, territory, or Commonwealth, license, certification, and/or registration number, and Month, Day, and Year of expiration. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

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.

Documents you must provide

• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV) The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position.
• Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc. Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (Schedule A) Disability Letter (VA) License Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV) Other (1) PCS Orders Performance Appraisal Professional Certification Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript

What to expect next

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met.

After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center. NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service.

HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities.

HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities.

HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience.

This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions.

Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.