Clarification from the agency

Priority consideration will be given to current permanent employees of the VA Northern Indiana Health Care System. To be eligible for this first area of consideration, current permanent employees must submit a 2025 sf 50.

Videos

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

The Nursing Assistant (NA) functions as a member of the nursing care team and assist licensed nursing staff, and other members of the care team in the care of Veterans receiving outpatient care, home or community living care or other Veterans who are in acute, sub-acute, or chronic states of illness. The significant factor is that they provide care under supervision and refer issues/questions to supervisors, or other healthcare professionals.

The Nursing Assistant is a member of the nursing team and is responsible for, but not limited to, psychosocial rehabilitation nursing care and therapy modalities associated with treatment plans for Veterans in the mental health units, residential rehabilitation units and the Community Living Center (CLC). The incumbent may will have established working hours and will be an active participating
member of the interdisciplinary treatment team.

1. Maintains a safe and therapeutic environment.
2. Utilizes proper body mechanics, equipment, and supplies in order to prevent injury.
3. Identifies potential risks and takes necessary precautions to insure the safety of
Veterans,( i.e., Fall prevention interventions).
4. Identifies and reports environmental hazards in a timely manner. (i.e. computer
work orders) and to supervisor or designee.
5. Assumes responsibility to follow infection control guidelines and reports infection
control issues.
6. Completes safety rounds and reports any identified safety hazards.
7. Complies with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for cleaning Reusable Medical
Equipment (RME) as defined Class 3 Non-Critical. RME cleaning will be done in
accordance to the schedule on the unit.
8. Demonstrates toleration of mildly disruptive behavior and limits the use of prevention and
management of disruptive behavior (PMDB) as trained. When PMDB interventions have
failed the NA may call a code orange and notify the charge nurse per policy.
9. Ability to recognize and react to emergent Veteran care situations and intervene while
waiting for assistance. For example, recognizing need for basic life support, controlling
bleeding, and assisting with behavior crisis, etc. and reports this information to the Registered
Nurse


Work Schedule: Full time multiple shifts; requires flexibility in schedule and assignments, as this is a 24/7 hospital.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
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.
• 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. 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 dentification 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).

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:
U.S. Citizenship. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

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; OR, One year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation; OR, 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-3.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
English Language Proficiency. NAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.

Grandfathering Provisions: All Nursing Assistants employed in VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the series and grade held that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

1. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.2. If an employee who was retained (grandfathered) under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status of the grandfathering provision and must meet the full VA qualification standard basic requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. 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. GRADE REQUIREMENTS 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, NA 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 NA is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a NA 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. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.GS-5 (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 in subparagraph (c) 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 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.
References: Nursing Assistant Qualification Standard GS-621 Veterans Health Administration, VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G46.Preferred Experience: CNA training preferred. Long term care experience 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.

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.