Nursing Assistant

Current permanent VA employees and Federal employees from other federal agencies should apply under CBST--26-TH.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

The Nursing Assistant at this grade level is to provide complex nursing care independently as a member of the nursing care team by assisting lower graded Nursing Assistants licensed nursing staff and other members of the care team. The significant factor is that they provide care under minimal supervision and are performing complex nursing skills and will refer issues/questions to supervisors licensed nursing staff or other healthcare professionals.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Reports patient observations to the LVN/RN and or other members of the treatment team.
• Organizes and obtains routine supplies and equipment.
• Assist with orienting patient/family to unit routines and policies.
• Work as a cooperative courteous member of the interdisciplinary team
• Engaging in-group activities such as off-station trips reality orientation current events and other therapeutic groups with direction and close supervision.
• Monitors patients according to levels of observations i.e. (one to one suicide continuous observation every 15 minute checks and hourly rounding.
• Monitors Veterans who may be at risk for harming themselves and or others according to established policies and procedures and appropriately refers issues to the charge nurse or other health care professional.
• Utilizes principles of proper body mechanics while caring for patients.
• Utilizes glucose monitoring machine to collect glucose values on veterans when needed and refer deviations to appropriate nursing staff or other health care provider.
• Monitor and documents patient intake and output reports deviations timely and accurately
• Works on small group activities with veterans/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 the veteran self-care such as; lift equipment Hydro sound Tubs and Veteran/Resident Wandering System.

• 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 dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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.

• 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.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS.

a. Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified
citizens in accordance with chapter 3 section A paragraph 3g this part.)

b. Experience or Education or Training.

(1) Six months of general experience. Experience must demonstrate the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills to perform
the work of a Nursing Assistant; OR
(2) One year of education above high school with courses related to the Nursing Assistant occupation; OR
(3). Completion of an intensive specialized occupation-related training course of study or program of less than one year as a
Nursing Assistant may also meet in full the experience requirements for GS-3.

d. English Language Proficiency. Nursing Assistants 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.
a. 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.

b. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

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 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;

Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities (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.