Nursing Assistant - Primary Care Lab

Full Job Description

The Primary Care Lab Nursing Assistant (NA) reports to the Nurse Manager or his/her designee in the CBOC.

The NA is responsible for initiating and carrying out a variety of laboratory responsibilities to include being proficient in venipuncture, immunizations, echocardiogram, Holter/event monitor, Ankle-Brachia!

Index test (ABI) and administrative duties with close supervision or oversight.

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

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 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-03.

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.

Nursing Assistant, GS-03 (Entry Level) Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements. Nursing Assistant, GS-04 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 resident's 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. Nursing Assistant GS-05 (Full Performance Level) Experience.

One year of progressively responsible assignments and experience equivalent to the GS-04 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.

Preferred Experience: 2 - 3 years phlebotomy experience; 1 - 3 years outpatient/specialty clinic experience; EKG experience; experience in Point of Care (POC) testing.

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-03.

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 work requires some physical exertion such as prolonged periods of standing, bending, reaching, crouching, stooping, stretching, and lifting moderately heavy items such as manuals, record boxes, equipment or assisting patients.

See https://dvagov.sharepoint.com/sites/OCHCO/SitePages/D5019.aspx VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. Major Duties:

The Nursing Assistant works as a member of a team of other nursing personnel to provide direct care to outpatients in the Primary Care clinic setting.

The NA is assigned to specific patients and duties but not limited to vital signs including weights and pulse oximetry with documentation, venipuncture/phlebotomy, acquisition of 12 Lead ECG's, finger stick blood sugar measurements helping the patient to transfer from the wheelchair or assistive device to a chair and back, toileting, hygiene, ambulation, changes in position, comfort care, and other direct care related responsibilities.

She/he may work in clinics screening patients (i.e. EKG, phlebotomy, demographic, etc.) under the direction of a physician or midlevel provider in outpatient clinic.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include, but not limited to: The Primary Care Lab Nursing Assistant (NA) reports to the Nurse Manager or his/her designee in the CBOC.

The NA is responsible for initiating and carrying out a variety of laboratory responsibilities to include being proficient in venipuncture, immunizations, echocardiogram, Holter/event monitor, Ankle-Brachia!

Index test (ABI) and administrative duties with close supervision or oversight.

The NA may be required to serve as the Telehealth Technician or complete other duties as needed and within their scope of practice.

The NA demonstrates active collaboration and communication between lab personnel, the PACT team, which includes the Patient, Primary Care Provider, RN Care Coordinator and Clinical Support Technician and the Larger Team consisting of family/caregiver, internal and community-based services and disciplines involved in providing care to the patient.

The individual must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to collect objective measurements reflective of a patient's health status and bring those measurements/indicators that fall outside expected parameters to physicians and other medical providers.

The NA must adhere to Medical Center and Service level policies and procedures to provide the care needed and to identify each patient's requirements relative to his or her population-specific needs.

The NA demonstrates active collaboration and communication as a member of a larger healthcare team which includes the Patient, Provider, RN and Clinical Support Technician and the Larger Team consisting of family/caregiver, internal and community-based services and disciplines involved in providing care to the patient.

The NA implements the PACT principles and is pro-active at instituting care for a wide variety of patients of varying ages and states of health that will be examined and treated in the CBOC Clinic setting.

Work Schedule: 7:00am - 3:30pm, Monday - Friday. Work Schedule is subject to change based on agency need. 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 #: 57928F, 58025F, 58029F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.