Nursing Assistant

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

The Baltimore VA Medical Center, part of the Veterans Health Administration, Baltimore VA Maryland Health Care System, is seeking a Nursing Assistant to support patient care in inpatient and outpatient settings. The role involves assisting licensed staff, observing patient status, and contributing to care plans in a fast-paced hospital environment.

Ideal candidates will have basic nursing-related education or experience, strong English proficiency, and a willingness to work under supervision

Qualifications

• Meet basic requirements for Nursing Assistant per VA standards.
• Proficient in spoken and written English.
• Eligible under VA grandfathering provisions if applicable.
• Grade levels GS-3 to GS-5 have increasing responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Assist licensed nurses in patient care and care plans.
• Monitor patients and report deviations to supervisor.
• Use basic nursing equipment and supplies correctly.
• Provide effective communication with patients and family.

Skills

General patient care

Patient assessment

Therapeutic communication

Documentation

Education

2 years of college coursework

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Nursing tools

Job description

The Baltimore VA Medical Center is a major VA hospital providing comprehensive inpatient, outpatient, and primary care services to Veterans in Maryland and beyond. The Nursing Assistant position is located at The Veterans Health Administration, Baltimore VA Maryland Health Care System (VAMHCS) in Nursing Services.

Basic Requirements

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.

United States Citizenship

Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

Experience or Education or Training:

1. (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. (2) One year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation;
3. OR,
4. (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‑3

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).

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 3.

Grandfathering Provisions

All NAs 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 re‑entry to the occupation.

Grade Determinations

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

GS-3 NA (Entry Level)

• Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements.
• Assignments. Individuals assigned as GS-3 NAs are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised.

GS-4 NA

• 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;
• 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;

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 NA (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;
• 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;
• Assignment. This is the full performance level for NAs. NAs 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. NAs at this level also assume more of a peer education/mentorship role.

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.

Preferred Experience

Three years recent experience in a acute care setting or outpatient clinic setting.

Reference

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/

The full performance level of this vacancy is 05. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 03 to 05.

Physical Requirements

USE THIS STATEMENT FOR YOUR PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements