Nursing Assistant

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Maywood (IL); On-site; USD 35,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

The Nursing Assistant at Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL delivers patient care under the supervision of a Registered Nurse, Advanced Practice Nurse / Physician Assistant, or Physician.

This is an open continuous announcement; applications are accepted on an ongoing basis as vacancies become available. The role requires meeting basic qualifications including US citizenship, English proficiency, and either experience or education in nursing care.

Qualifications

• Six months of general experience or one year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation.
• Completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related training course of study for NA of less than one year.

Responsibilities

• Provide patient care under supervision of a Registered Nurse, Advanced Practice Nurse/PA, or Physician.
• Observe patients' physical or emotional status and report deviations to supervisor.
• Properly use equipment and supplies in simple diagnostic and treatment procedures.
• Communicate effectively with patients, families and other health professionals.

Skills

Patient care

Observation

Equipment use

Communication

Education

High school+1 year education in nursing care

Nursing assistant training <1 year

GS-4 education: 2 years above high school in related field

Job description

The Nursing Assistant is an integral part of the care team, providing care to the veterans served by the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL. The Nursing Assistant is responsible for the delivery of patient care under the direction of a Registered Nurse, Advanced Practice Nurse / Physician Assistant, or Physician.

This is an open continuous announcement. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis. Qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available.

Basic Requirements

• Citizenship: Citizen of the United States
• English Language Proficiency: NAs must be proficient in spoken and written English
• Experience or 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.

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE, YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING GRADE REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION.

GS-3 GRADE REQUIREMENTS

None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-4 GRADE REQUIREMENTS

• 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; AND
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) - In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following 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' or resident's 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.

GS-5 GRADE REQUIREMENTS

• 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 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: 1 - 2 years of Inpatient Mental Health Unit 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. 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

This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear, distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The NA may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. The NA may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The NA must be mature, flexible, and sensible. An individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. The NA must complete annual employee health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment. These physical requirements will be consistent with VA Directive Handbook 5019.