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Nursing Assistant (HospiceShort-Term CLC)


Job Location:

Syracuse, NY - USA

Yearly Salary: USD 33895 - 33895
Posted: 6 October 2026 (Yesterday)
Application Deadline: 3 January 2027
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Summary

The VA Syracuse Healthcare System is recruiting for Nursing Assistants for CLC Hospice/Short Term Care (5A). The Nursing Assistant function as a member of the nursing care team and assist licensed nursing staff in the care of patients/residents receiving preventive acute sub-acute chronic maintenance and hospice care.

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until December 31 2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be 9/22/2026.


Duties

The Nursing Assistant may perform these duties in a variety of health care settings such as outpatient inpatient home or Community Living Center (CLC) acute sub-acute. The NA will care for patients/residents with acute to chronic conditions. The Nursing Assistant must demonstrate the following knowledge skills and abilities:

Duties include but are not limited to:

  • 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.
  • Utilizes glucose monitoring machine to receive glucose readings for Veterans and refers deviation to appropriate health care staff.
  • Provides direct care for complex Veterans. Make 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.
  • Documents care given observations and responses on appropriate tools or forms. Responds appropriately to subtle patient changes by contacting the appropriate nursing personal.
  • Administers complete tracheostomy care including suctioning. Monitors and documents patient intake and output reports deviations timely and accurately.
  • Performs nursing procedures within scope of practice and according to policies and standard procedures to care for the veteran for such procedures but not limited to enemas catheterization colostomy care skin care simple dressing application of braces and prosthetic devices.
  • Works on small group activities with patients/residents according to the patients/resident treatment plan.
  • Recognizes the residents autonomy and promotes independence by means of respect limit setting and individualized treatment.
  • Actively participates in Treatment Planning Meetings.
  • Utilizes equipment to promote self-care.
  • Verbally provides patient information to the treatment team for inclusion in the veteran/residents plan of care participates in treatment team meetings for resident care planning.
  • Enters information about the residents condition in the chart utilizing appropriate formats.
  • Participates in maintaining a clean safe environment for the patient/resident.
  • Removes defective equipment reports hazards observes safety regulations contributes to infection control and utilizes proper aseptic technique in performance of duties. Serves as preceptor and mentor to other NAs.
  • Orients members of the health care team to the units as appropriate.
  • Manages distributed patient behavior and intervenes and requests assistant from other health care members. Appropriately initiates basic life support takes appropriate action.
  • Completes all mandatory training within appropriate timelines. Actively participates in annual competency assessment and validation.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional


Work Schedule: Varies: work hours days shift times will change from day to day.
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 14730F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements
Conditions of employment

    • 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 physical evaluation/examination.
    • 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.
    Qualifications

    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.
    • Experience or Education or Training.
    • Six months of general experience. Experience must demonstrate the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills to perform the work of a NA; OR
    • One year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation; OR
    • 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.
    • Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
    • English Language Proficiency. NAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 part II chapter 3 section A paragraph 3j.
    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).


    Grade Requirements: Creditable Experience.
    1. Knowledge of Current Practice. To be creditable the experience must have required the use of knowledge skills and abilities associated with the current practice.
    2. Quality of Experience. To be creditable NA experience must be documented on the application or resume and verified in an employment reference or through other independent means.
    3. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a NA is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example a NA employed 20 hours a week or on a 1/2-time basis would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service.
    Grade Determinations. In addition to the basic requirements for employment the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

    GS-3 Nursing Assistant (Entry Level)
    • Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements.
    Assignments. Individuals assigned as GS-3 NAs are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised.

    GS-4 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; AND
    Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
    • 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 residents 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.
    Assignment. Individuals assigned as GS-4 NAs are considered to be at the intermediate or developmental level and are closely supervised. NAs at this grade level function as a member of the nursing care team and assist higher graded NAs licensed nursing staff and other members of the care team in the care of patients/residents receiving outpatient care home or community living care or other patients/residents who are in acute sub-acute or chronic states of illness. The significant factor is that they provide care under close supervision and refer issues/questions to supervisors higher graded NAs or other health care this role the NA functions as a member of the nursing care team and assists higher graded NAs licensed nursing staff and other members of the care team in the care of patients/residents receiving outpatient care home or community living care or other patients who are in acute sub-acute or chronic states of illness. The NA in this role provides care under close supervision and refers issues/questions to supervisors higher graded NAs or other health care professionals.

    GS-5 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 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 bachelors degree that included 24 semester hours of courses related to health care or possession of a bachelors degree; AND
    Demonstrated KSAs.
    • 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.
    Assignment. This is the full performance level for NAs. NAs at this grade level function as a member of the nursing care team and assist licensed nursing staff in the care of patients/residents receiving outpatient care home or community living care or other patients/residents who are in acute sub acute or chronic states of illness. The distinguishing factor is that patient/resident assignments typically involve more complex nursing needs which can vary within a range of predictable to unpredictable requirements. NAs at this level also assume more of a peer education/mentorship role.


    Preferred Experience: Hospice and/or short-term care preferred.

    Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-5.

    Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

    Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit
    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:
    Additional information

    This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until December 31 2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be September 22 2026 . After this date applicants will be reviewed every two weeks to ensure a timely and consistent process.

    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 applicants 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.

    NURSING ASSISTANT 0621- FY2026 VHA SHORTAGE OCCUPATIONS APPROVED FOR WAIVER OF VETERANS PREFERENCE.

    Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

    A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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    Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.