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Nursing Assistant - Palliative/Hospice

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Recruitment/Relocation incentive maybe authorized up to $10,000 for highly qualified candidates.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
08/05/2022 to 08/24/2022
Salary
$32,570 to - $49,022 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 3 - 5
Location
Milwaukee, WI
8 vacancies
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Multiple Schedules
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
5
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
ML-11600403-22-CAE
Control number
669636800

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

AREA OF CONSIDERATION: 1. CURRENT PERMANENT EMPLOYEES OF THE AGENCY FOR WHICH THE POSITION IS BEING ADVERTISED 2. ALL OTHER CANDIDATES

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Duties

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This position is located in the RECC (Rehabilitation Extended and Community Care) Division, on the 9CN Unit. Heroes' Corner (9CN) is an 18-bed Palliative Care/Hospice Unit. The Nursing Staff provides high quality patient-centered care to our Veterans and their families.

Collaborative care is provided and supported at end-of-life as well as supportive care while Veterans are receiving Palliative chemotherapy and/or radiation.

Our Nursing staff focuses on management of symptoms including pain, provision of psychosocial and spiritual support, and the application of comfort measures as an alternative to aggressive treatments.

Major Duties - Nursing Assistant - 9CN

  • Personal patient care including bathing, feeding, grooming, laundry and mobilizing with demonstration of skills which reflect the needs of the older adult
  • Appropriate support duties i.e., patient centered care, proper implementation of policies and procedures, use of good body mechanics, and assist in application and operation of specialized functional equipment
  • Support and participates in patient improvement/safety efforts
  • Support duties for treatment services such as specimen collection and facilitating attendance at scheduled therapies
  • Treatment duties such as finger sticks, bladder scan, mobility devices and restorative care
  • Integrates professional communication and excellent customer service when dealing with all internal and external customers.

Work Schedule:
  • Full Time and Part Time
  • All Shifts (Days/PMs/NOC)
  • 8 Hour Shifts (4 and 12 hour shifts may be available)
  • Weekend and Holiday Rotations - Required
  • Preference of Shift and FTE will be discussed during interviews

Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #:
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Pre-employment physical required
  • 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
  • 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
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
  • Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Personnel

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement 08/24/2022.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS
Citizenship: Must be a Citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.
Education or Training: Must possess one year above high school with courses related to the Nursing Assistant occupation, OR completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related course of study of less than one year as a nursing assistant. (TRANSCRIPTS or CERTIFICATION REQUIRED)

In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you must meet the following GRADE REQUIREMENTS:

GS-3 Level:
None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-4 Level:
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 (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED);
AND
In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (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.

GS-5 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;
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
In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):
1. 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 [NAs] 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.

References: VA Handbook 5005/81, Part II, Appendix G46.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-5.

Physical Requirements: Walking, bending, stooping, and lifting in the direct care of patients; some extended periods of sitting and/or standing.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

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.

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.

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