Clarification from the agency

This announcement is opened to all U.S. Citizens. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Duties included, but not limited to:

• Performs assignments required of a NA and will uphold the standards of care as outlined by the Medical Center and the Service Policies and Procedures and I-CARE values.
• Functions as a member of the nursing care team and assist higher graded NAs, licensed nursing staff, and other members of the care team.
• Assumes more of a peer education/mentorship role.
• The position requires the ability to work alternate schedules during evenings, nights, weekends, weekdays, holidays, and may alternate schedules to ensure adequate coverage of support functions.
• Employee performs assigned duties in a manner that promotes quality health care, outstanding customer service, and the maintenance of a safe environment committed to serving the Veterans, their families, and internal and external stakeholders.
• Performs a wide variety of nursing duties aimed at increasing the safety, comfort, and spirit of the patient while following established policy and procedures.
• Provide acute and close observation of patients with medical or mental health conditions requiring such observation. This includes intervening to prevent an act of self or other harm by patients, assisting with prevention and management of disruptive behavior, and reporting to the charge nurse any deviation from baseline behavior or condition.
• Identifies and reports data relative to more complex patient situations including subtle changes in patients' behavior or condition or variances related to neurological signs, vital signs and other parameters.
• Observes and reports to the Supervisor or charge nurse changes in patient's behavior, attitude, bodily complaints, and appearance.
• Escorts non-critical and involuntary patients to appointments in a safe and cautious manner. Assists in getting patients out of bed and returning to bed after escorting.
• He/she provides 1: 1 observation for suicidal, wander, or high fall risk patients as directed by the Supervisor or Charge Nurse.
• He/she may provide nursing care to patients experiencing extremes of behavior, including the severely depressed, suicidal, or homicidal patient, and the drug or alcohol abuse patient.
• Considers all characteristics of the individual, including age and life stages, state of health, race and culture, values, and previous experiences.
• Uses personal protection equipment (PPE) and lifting devices and operates patient care equipment according to standards and reports unsafe conditions/equipment.
• Exercise careful work habits and caution to assure a safe environment for patients, visitors, and other staff members as well as self.
• Maintains patient confidentiality (i.e., records, hospital course, treatments, etc.).
• Recognizes age related needs of the veterans.
• Accepts and carries out instructions from Supervisor.
• Treats all patients. families. co-workers and all customers with dignity, respect, and civility.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Work Schedule: 7:00am -3:30pm & 3:00pm-11:30pm; 11:00pm-7:30am
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
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)
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 #: 544-58168F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

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.
• 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• 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.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• 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.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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 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).

Nursing Assistant, GS-05 (Full Performance Level). To qualify at the GS-05 level you must meet the experience or education requirements and the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs).

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). 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 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: Experience and trained as a Nursing Assistant/Health Technician; experience with Electronic Health Records.

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. 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 position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, pushing, twisting, reaching above shoulders, lifting up to 45lbs. 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 and/or during care of patients. The incumbent will be pushing gurneys/wheelchairs. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders.

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

Preferred Experience: Mental health experience is preferred.

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-5.

Physical Requirements: This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, pushing, twisting, reaching above shoulders, lifting up to 45lbs. 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 and/or during care of patients. The incumbent will be pushing gurneys/wheelchairs. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders.

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, resume, 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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.