Nursing Assistant

Summary

The Nursing Assistant position is located within the Atlanta VA Health Care System.

This recruitment covers many areas such as Primary Care, Mental Health and other specialty clinics.

Learn more about this agency

Help Duties

Duties include but 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.

• Leads a team of employees who perform work at the GS 4 level. Provides guidance and technical direction for accomplishing the work of the team, ensuring work assignments of employees on the team is carried out.
• Provides guidance and technical direction for accomplishing the work of the team, ensuring work assignments of employees on the team is carried out.
• Performs a wide variety of duties aimed at increasing the comfort and spirit of the patient.
• Maintains accountability for the patient until others assume responsibility.
• Maintains a safe, secure environment by reporting potential hazards and by implementing safe patient handling and movement practices.
• Effective practices such as utilizing body mechanics, initiating protective measures, employing infection control principles, and cleaning / disposing of contaminated equipment.
• Assists in emergency responses and medical center disasters with the understanding of being able to transport patients to desire destinations quickly.
• Picks up and delivers specimens to laboratory hourly and when requested by the nursing units and all other medical diagnostic areas within the medical center.
• Retrieves hospital equipment, i.e., wheelchairs and stretchers from hospital grounds and parking lots and delivers to proper location in the hospital.
• Participates in unit and nursing in-service education, including mandatory reviews.
• Performs other appropriate duties as designated by Nurse Manager and / or Nursing Supervisor.
• Establishes priorities and organizes work in accordance with patients' needs. Interacts and communicates appropriately with patient's families and friends.

Demonstrates interest, consideration and understanding with patients.

Work Schedule

Shift will be determined by the applicable supervisor.

Telework

Not Available

Virtual : This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #

Multiple

Relocation / Recruitment Incentives

Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not Authorized

Help 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.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background / security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• 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).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements

Citizenship. Citizen of the United States.

b. 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
• One year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation;
• Completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related training course of study or program of less than one year as a NA may also meeting full the experience requirements for GS-3.

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 Determinations

GS-3 : None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-4 : One year of specialized experience as a nursing assistant or experience in another medical field (LPN, 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

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;

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 resident's physical or emotional status of 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-5 : 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.

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;

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following 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 Vocation 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 nursing assistants by assisting with 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.

Preferred Experience : One year of experience which has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position as a Nurse Assistant.

References : Nursing Assistant Qualification Standard GS-621 Veterans Health Administration, VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G46.

The 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 : Heavy Lifting (45 lbs and over); Heavy Carrying (45 lbs and over); Straight Pulling (6 hours); Pushing (6-10 hours);
• Reaching above shoulder; Use fingers; Both hands required; Walking (6-10 hours); Standing (6-10 hours); Kneeling (1 hour);
• Repeated bending (4 hours); Both legs required; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16";

Far vision correctable in one eye to 20 / 20 and to 20 / 40 in the other; Ability to distinguish shades of color; Hearing (aid permitted)

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 : 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 : https : / / sites.ed.gov / international / recognition-of-foreign-qualifications /

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.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.

e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date.

The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

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

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Help 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.

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Review our benefitsEligibility 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.

Atlanta VA Medical Center

1670 Clairmont Road

Decatur, GA 30033