Nursing Assistant (Mental Health)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Bedford (MA); On-site; USD 37,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ Bedford VA Healthcare Medical Center in Bedford, MA, seeks a Nursing Assistant to join the Nursing Service (Mental Health).

This full-time position (40 hours per week) provides direct patient care to veterans in a psychiatric/medical setting. The NA will perform basic nursing tasks under supervision, monitor patient status, document care, assist with activities of daily living, and participate in treatment planning.

Qualifications

• Requires high school education with related nursing care courses.
• Two years above high school with health care related courses may satisfy requirements for GS-4.
• Bachelor’s degree in health care or related field meets higher grade requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct care for veterans under supervision.
• Observe patients’ condition and report changes to nursing staff.
• Document care and observations in patient records.
• Assist with activities of daily living and treatment planning.
• Ensure a clean and safe environment per procedures.
• Use equipment safely and observe infection-control standards.

Skills

Basic life support

Therapeutic communication

Observation skills

Infection control

Education

One year of education above high school related to nursing care

Two years above high school with nursing-related courses (GS-4)

Bachelor’s degree in health care or related field (GS-5)

Job description

Summary

This Nursing Assistant position is located in the Nursing Service (Mental Health) at the Bedford VA Healthcare Medical Center in Bedford, Massachusetts. The position is full‑time (40 hours per week).

Qualifications

Applicants who have not yet completed the required education or certification 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: NAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d).
• Experience: Six months of general experience.
• Experience must demonstrate the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills to perform the work of a NA.
• Education: One year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation.
• Training: Completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation‑related training course of study or program of less than one year as a NA may also meet full experience requirements for GS‑3. May qualify under the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who meet the criteria).
• Grade Determinations: In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements, applicants must meet the grade level requirements and the Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs).
• Requirements for GS‑3 Grade: None beyond the basic requirements (Experience and Education).
• Requirements for GS‑4 Grade: 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, healthcare, or a field of study appropriate to the specialization of the position.
• Demonstrated KSAs: Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to the completion of the nurse care plan and recovery of patients/residents.
• Ability to observe patients/residents’ physical or emotional status and refer deviations and/or problems to supervisor in a timely manner.
• 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.
• Ability to communicate effectively with patients/residents, their families and other health professionals.
• Requirements for GS‑5 Grade: 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Ability to recognize and react to emergent patient/resident care situations and intervene while waiting for assistance (e.g., basic life support, controlling bleeding, assisting with behavior crisis).
• Physical Requirements: Visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. Ability to perform long periods of walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing; transfer patients and objects; and, as needed, don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. Must be able to handle potentially combative patients secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. Must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations and able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual employee health requirements (e.g., TB screening). These physical requirements will be consistent with VA Directive Handbook 5019.

Duties

• Utilize glucose monitoring machine to receive glucose readings for veterans and refer deviations to appropriate health care staff.
• Provide direct care for complex veterans.
• Make observations of subtle changes in resident’s condition—behaviour shifts, mood, skin colour, appetite—and take action accordingly within the NA’s assigned role.
• Document care given, observations and responses on appropriate tools or forms.
• Respond appropriately to subtle patient changes by contacting appropriate nursing personnel.
• Administer complete tracheostomy care, including suctioning.
• Monitor and document patient intake and output, report deviations timely and accurately.
• Perform nursing procedures within scope of practice and according to policies and standard procedures, including enemas, catheterisation, colostomy care, skin care, simple dressing, application of braces and prosthetic devices.
• Engage in small group activities with veterans/residents according to the treatment plan.
• Recognise residents’ autonomy and promote independence through respect, limit setting and individualized treatment.
• Actively participate in treatment planning meetings.
• Utilise equipment to promote veteran self‑care (e.g., lift equipment, hydrotherapy tubs, and the Veteran/Resident Wandering System).
• Verbally provide patient information to the treatment team for inclusion in the veteran/resident plan of care; participate in treatment team meetings for resident care planning.
• Enter information about residents’ condition in the chart using appropriate formats.
• Participate in maintaining a clean, safe environment for the patient/resident.
• Remove defective equipment, report hazards, observe safety regulations, contribute to infection control and use proper aseptic technique in duty performance.
• Serve as the unit safe patient handling liaison.
• Serve as preceptor and mentor to other NAs.
• Orient members of the health care team to the unit as appropriate.
• Function as a member of the unit base council.
• Manage distributed patient behaviour and, when appropriate, intervene and request assistance from other health care members.
• Appropriately initiate basic life support and take actions accordingly.
• Work schedule: multiple tours available; week‑day, evening, night, weekend and holiday shifts as needed to cover shortages or high patient volume. Shift changes considered based on patient and facility needs.
• Functional Statement: F01837 – F01838 – F01839.
• Recruitment Incentive: Not authorized.
• Promotion Potential: Promotion to full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification and performance requirements are met.
• References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G46; qualification standard details at https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
• IA details: This position is in the Excepted Service, not a bargaining unit position and is covered by a special rate. Veterans’ preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
• Apply using SF‑50 requirement: current and former Federal employees must submit the most recent SF‑50 (Notice of Personnel Action). Must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases more than one SF‑50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.
• Open continuous announcement until September 30 2026; qualified applicants considered as vacancies become available.
• Critical staffing shortage; 38 U.S.C. 7412 waives veterans’ preference for this announcement.