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The Psychiatric Acute Care Center (PARC) is a 28 bed inpatient adult male/female psychiatric unit that provides patient care to patients with a variety of psychiatric diagnoses. The major diagnosis reasons for admission include the following: psychoses, substance abuse and dependence disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), organic disorders and neuroses. Patients are provided therapeutic modalities, to include electro-convulsive (ECT) therapy and rehabilitative services that include group therapy or education, one-to-one education and/or counseling and medication management. The interdisciplinary team meets each week to discuss care planning and discharge needs of patients. Allied health team providers provide psychological testing and counseling, social services, vocational counseling, and recreational therapy. The nursing needs of patients are evaluated using the nursing process and care is individualized through interdisciplinary approaches of care. Care is focused on providing a protective environment for those requiring protection from self-injury and/or injury to others resulting from identified diagnoses and psychiatric illnesses. Registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and nursing assistants provide nursing care.

Major responsibilities and duties may include but are not limited to the following:

- Providing patient care such as feeding, bathing, dressing, positioning, and transferring.
- Obtaining vital signs and capillary blood glucose results.
- Applying creams, lotions, and administering other approved medications under the supervision of the nurse.
- Maintaining a safe and therapeutic milieu through engaging patients in meaningful activities, monitoring and intervening in behaviors, de-escalating patient behaviors, and intervening with patients experiencing extremes of behavior, including the severely depressed, suicidal or homicidal patients and the drug or alcohol abuse patients.

Work Schedule: 8 Hour Tours, Nights, Rotating Weekends
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

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, Nursing Assistant 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 Nursing Assistant is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a Nursing Assistant 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.

(1) GS-3 Nursing Assistant (Entry Level)

(a) Experience [and] Education. None beyond the basic requirements.
(b) Assignments. Individuals assigned as GS-3 Nursing Assistants are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised.

(2) GS-4 Nursing Assistant(a) Experience. One year of specialized experience as a Nursing Assistant 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,
(b) 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
(c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
1. Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to the completion of the nurse care plan and recovery of patients/residents.
2. Ability to observe patients/residents' or resident's physical or emotional status and refer deviations and/or problems to supervisor in a timely manner.
3. 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.4. Ability to communicate effectively with patients/residents, their families and other health professionals.

(d) Assignment
1. Individuals assigned as GS-4 Nursing Assistants are considered to be at the intermediate or developmental level and are closely supervised. Nursing Assistants at this grade level function as a member of the nursing care team and assist higher graded Nursing Assistants, 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 Nursing Assistants or other healthcare professionals.
2. In this role, the Nursing Assistant functions as a member of the nursing care team and assists higher graded Nursing Assistants, 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 Nursing Assistant in this role provides care under close supervision and refers issues/questions to supervisors, higher graded Nursing Assistants, or other healthcare professionals.

(3) GS-5 Nursing Assistant (Full Performance Level)
(a) 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 in subparagraph (c) below;

OR,
(b) 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(c) Demonstrated KSAs1. 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.2. 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 the coordination of their orientation and overseeing/assessing their practical experience while in a clinical setting.3. 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.

(d) Assignment. This is the full performance level for Nursing Assistants. Nursing Assistants 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. Nursing Assistants at this level also assume more of a peer education/mentorship role.

Physical Requirements: Duties require regular and recurring periods of standing and walking. Duties require providing manual assistance in positioning patients. Employee regularly transports patients on stretcher and pushes loaded carts. Employee must be able to maintain alertness and vigilant attention to assigned patients.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Your application, résumé, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.