Nursing Assistant

Full Job Description

The Nursing Assistant (NA) Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (MHRRTP) Domiciliary (DOM) (NA-MHRRTP DOM) performs a very wide range of Veteran personal care, diagnostic services, treatment, and charting activities on a regular and continuous basis in a psychiatric setting.

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.

Nursing Assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.

EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION & TRAINING: 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, One year of education above high school with courses related to the Nursing Assistant occupation; OR, 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.

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: 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 assignment.

In 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 bachelor's degree that included 24 semester hours of courses related to health care or possession of a bachelor's degree; AND 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.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is 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 annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment.

These physical requirements will be consistent with VA Directive Handbook 5019. Major Duties:

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Major duties include, but are not limited to: - Serves as a member of the nursing team in MHRRTP service with an assigned selected group of Veterans.

- Employee has considerable knowledge, experience and skill for concentrated effort and self-motivation to carry out assignments and use communication skills to assist the Veteran with concerns.

- Provides customer focused nursing care for all Veterans requiring assistance, demonstrating gender sensitivity.

- Contributes to the multidisciplinary team in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the treatment plan.

- Promotes participation in the therapeutic community by fostering self-reliance and independence.

- Participates in group meetings to help Veterans share feelings and in accordance with the Veteran's treatment plan.

- Performs a range of personal nursing care which recognizing significant change and initiates appropriate action.

- Helps with admissions including contraband checks, transfers, discharges, and nursing care procedures specific lo the unit.

Initiates reception and orientation of the new admissions lo include initial instruction in unit routines and procedures and introduction to other Veterans.

- Recognize the need for and institutes emergency measures when indicated, calls the nurse, and assist in emergencies.

- Knowledgeable of the Veteran's individual care plan, attends and participates in Veteran care conferences. - Performs and assists with tests and procedures, including follow-up care and observation.

- Knowledgeable as to procedures and purposes and gives meaningful instructions and explanations to Veterans.

- Takes vital signs, weights, and performs fingerstick blood glucose checks as assigned and documents the results in CPRS.

- Attends in-services and continuing education programs related to job requirements and to upgrade skills. - Participates in quality assurance monitoring process.

- Assists in orientation of new staff members (NA-MHRRTP DOM) to unit routine procedures. - Supports department during staffing emergencies; shows flexibility.

- Contributes to development and/or implementation of process improvement initiatives.

Work Schedule: 7pm-7:30am 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 $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) Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 58775F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized