Nursing Assistant (Acute Care)

The Nursing Assistant (Acute Care) provides assistance in the full range of nursing care to patients/Veterans 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. Assists the Registered Nurse and/or Licensed Practical Nurse in the provision of patient care by meeting the patients nursing all patient interactions the nursing assistant respects the integrity and dignity of the individual patient. Responsibilities and duties include but not limited to the following:

• Completes basic technical nursing procedures (in accordance with classroom instruction and correct clinical technical) for providing and monitoring direct patient care typical of the assigned unit. Also participates in therapeutic individual and group activities; observes for changes in mental and/or physical status; and demonstrates correct interventions to restore or maintain patient welfare and safety.
• Measures and documents patient intake and output takes vital signs measures height and weight reports deviations timely and accurately.
• Provides nursing care to veterans requiring a 1:1 attendant.
• Provides a range of Veteran care and contributes to the completion of the nursing care plan.
• Performs direct care for complex Veterans; assists with ADLs (bathing; toileting; ambulation; feeding; positioning; oral hygiene care).
• Assists in transporting/escorting Veterans to appointments tests etc.
• Makes observations of subtle changes in residents condition i.e. behavior shifts mood skin coloring appetite etc. and takes action accordingly within the NAs assigned role.
• Provide the proper hand-off communication to the appropriate staff (CNAs licensed staff etc.). Answer and respond to call bells and phone calls to unit.
• Utilizes equipment to promote the veteran self-care such as lift equipment transfer equipment AvaSure Telesitter monitoring and Veteran Wandering System.
• Provides assistance in Acute Care (Medical-Surgical Float Pool Emergency Department etc)

Perform other related duties as assigned in Functional Statement.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Work Schedule: Full time 12-hour tours day shift (7:45 am- 8:15pm) and night shift (7:45pm - 8:15 am)/rotating weekends/holidays.
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
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 $144000 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)
Telework: No
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

• 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.
• 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 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment employee occupation health evaluation.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public determining if your employment advances the public interest we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.
• English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Experience Education or Training. You must meet one of the following to meet the basic requirements for a Nursing Assistant (NA):
  1. Six (6) months of general experience. Experience must demonstrate the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills to perform the work of a NA; OR
  2. One year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation; OR
  3. Completion of an intensive specialized occupation-related training course of study or program of less than one year as a NA may also meet in full the experience requirements for GS-3.

• 1-3 years of nursing assistant experience in Acute Care Medical/Surgical Ambulatory Care/Outpatient specialties.
• 1 year of nursing assistant experience in telemetry.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidates qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade.

GS-03 - None beyond the basic requirements. NAs at this grade NAs are considered entry-level and are closely supervised.

GS-04 - To qualify at the GS-4 level you must meet the following:

• EXPERIENCE: One (1) year of experience as a Nursing Assistant or 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 two (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.

AND in addition you must demonstrate the following Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs):

1. Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to the completion of the nurse care plan and recovery of patients/residents.
2. Ability to observe patients/residents or residents physical or emotional status and refer deviations and/or problems to supervisor in a timely manner.
3. 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.
4. Ability to communicate effectively with patients/residents their families and other health professionals.

GS-05 - To qualify at the GS-5 level you must meet the following:

• EXPERIENCE: One (1) year of progressively responsible assignments and experience equivalent to the GS-4 level which demonstrates knowledge skills and abilities (KSAs) that are directly related to the specific assignment. Specialized experience includes but is not limited to functioning as a member of the nursing care team and assisting licensed nursing staff and other members of the care team in the full range of nursing care of patients/residents receiving outpatient care home or community living care or other patients/residents who are receiving preventative acute sub-acute chronic maintenance and hospice care. OR
• EDUCATION: Successful completion of 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelors degree that included 24 semester hours of courses related to health care or possession of a bachelors degree.

AND in addition you must demonstrate the following Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs):

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.

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).

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit 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 visual acuity keen hearing clear distinctive speech and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking standing stooping sitting bending pulling and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium dementia or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature flexible sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations able to shift priorities based on patient needs. The NA must complete any annual Employee Health requirements as a condition of employment. These physical requirements will be consistent with VA Directive Handbook 5019