Nursing Assistant-Float Pool

Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; Johnson City (TN); On-site; USD 36,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration, James H. Quillen VA Medical Center in Johnson City seeks a Nursing Assistant in the Float Pool. This role performs a range of patient care tasks across settings including inpatient, outpatient, and home care, under licensed supervision.

Duties emphasize safety, rehabilitation, and contributing to the Veteran's treatment plan. The NA advances nursing care through observation, documentation, and collaboration with the care team, including precepting new assistants

Qualifications

• Must meet Basic Requirements: US citizenship, English proficiency
• Education: One year above high school with Nursing Assistant-related courses
• May qualify under Grandfathering provision for current VA employees
• GS-3 to GS-5 levels with progression and required competencies
• Demonstrates ability to provide patient/resident care and to observe and communicate effectively
• Preceptor duties for new nursing assistants and emergencies awareness
• Preferred experience: one year as Nursing Assistant

Responsibilities

• Maintain therapeutic relationships with patients and families
• Document observations and participate in care planning
• Perform nursing care tasks including hygiene, nutrition, elimination and rehab support
• Assist with education of patients/families and orient lower-level staff
• Monitor for safety, respond to emergencies, and coordinate with RN/LPN for patient care

Skills

Range of patient care

Observation skills

Communication with patients and team

Precepting junior nurses

Education

One year above high school nursing Assistant related

2 years above high school related to nursing care

Completion of intensive Nursing Assistant course (<1 year)

Tools

Glucose monitoring machine

Oxygen delivery systems

Portable/wall suction devices

Hypothermia machines

Job description

Summary

The NA in the Float Pool successfully completes duties - and in this position performs activities of daily living and provides a range of care that contributes to the Veteran's treatment plan - recovery - and wellness under the direction of a licensed health care provider. The NA in the Float Pool may perform these duties in a variety of health care settings such as outpatient - inpatient - home or Community Living Center (CLC) - acute - sub-acute..

Qualifications

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.

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
• Education or Training
• One year above high school with courses related to the Nursing Assistant occupation
• Completion of an intensive - specialized - occupation-related course of study of less than one year as a Nursing Assistant may also meet in full the experience requirements for GS-3. English Language Proficiency: must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - Section A - Paragraph 3j
• 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)
• Grade Determinations: GS-3 No specialized experience beyond the basic requirements
• GS-4 One year of specialized experience as a Nursing Assistant or experience in another medical field - 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 -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
• In addition to the above - applicant must demonstrate the following
• Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: 1 Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to the completion of the nurse care plan and recovery of patient/residents
• 2 Ability to observe patients/residents 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 patient / residents - their families and other health professionals
• GS- 5 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 assignments-OR-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
• In addition the above - applicant must demonstrate the following
• Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: 1 Ability to assist in the full range of nursing care to patient/resident 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 nursing assistants 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: One year experience as working as a Nursing Assistant Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• 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: Heavy lifting (45 lbs
• and over)
• Heavy carrying (45 lbs
• and over)
• Straight pulling (up to 8 hours)
• Pushing (up to 8 hours)
• Reaching above shoulders
• Use of fingers
• both hands required
• walking (up to 8 hours)
• standing (up to 8 hours)
• kneeling (2 to 3 hours)
• repeated bending (up to 8 hours)
• both legs required
• hearing (aid permitted).The population of male and female veterans served ranges from the adult - age 18 - to the elderly adult - age 65 and over
• James H Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center (JHQVAMC) is a major inter disciplinary teaching facility - serving medical - surgical - and neurological inpatients and outpatients
• There is a large outpatient psychiatric population - with admissions for medical comorbidities
• 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 - lifting more than 10 pounds - 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 a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on patient needs
• The employee may on occasion - be assigned to other Veteran care areas throughout the medical center where certain healthcare services are available 24/7.

Duties

• The NA in the Float Pool becomes proficient with maintaining positive therapeutic relationships by displaying respect for human dignity with patient - families and/or significant others utilizing communication skills
• Utilizing observation skills for data collection - reporting and recording
• Participates in patient centered conferences/shift reports and contributes information for the development and review of the nursing care plan
• Maintaining a therapeutic environment for patients according to established procedures and policies by reporting actual or potential accidents - fire hazards and faulty equipment
• Competent at performing aspects of nursing care to meet patient'/resident needs for: - Personal Hygiene - Physical Comfort - Activity - Exercise - Rest - Nutrition - Elimination - Prevention of Skin Breakdown - Rehabilitative Aspects of Care Performs and documents prescribed medical treatment and interventions for patients - such as diabetic urine testing and blood testing - and simple dressing changes
• Learning to be proficient utilizing rehabilitative principles to promote patient independence and recovery - encouraging and guiding patient/residents in bowel and bladder training
• Engages in-group activities such as off-station trips - reality orientation - current events and other therapeutic groups with direction and close supervision
• Monitoring patients according to levels of observations i.e
• (one to one suicide - continuous observation - q 15 minute checks - and hourly rounding
• Monitoring Veterans who may be at risk for harming themselves and or others according to established policies and procedures and appropriately refers issues to the charge nurse or other health care professional
• Utilizing principles of proper body mechanics while caring for patients
• Reporting patient status to the RN and documents pertinent observations in the medical record according to established procedures
• Sets up patient care related equipment - such as hypothermia machines - oxygen delivery systems - portable and wall suction and assisting in monitoring proper functioning of equipment
• Utilizes glucose monitoring machine to collect glucose values on veterans when needed and refer deviations to appropriate nursing staff or other health care provider
• Organizing and obtaining routine supplies and equipment
• Assisting with patient education including orienting patient/family to unit routines and policies
• Works as a cooperative - courteous member of the interdisciplinary team
• Safeguarding the patient's right to privacy by judiciously protecting information of a confidential nature
• Utilizes principles of proper body mechanics and follows procedures for use of patient care equipment to prevent injury
• Beginning to orient lower-level nursing assistance
• Completes all mandatory training within appropriate timelines
• Actively participates in annual competency assessment and validation
• Supervisory Controls: The incumbent is responsible to the Nurse Manager and is accountable to the Associate Director of Patient Care Services (ADPCS)
• Customer Service Requirements: Meets the needs of all customers while supporting the Medical Center and Service missions
• Consistently communicates and treats customers {patients - visitors - volunteers - and all Medical Center staff) in a courteous - tactful - and respectful manner
• Provides the customers with consistent information according to established policies and procedures
• Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately
• Work Schedule: Night Shift (7:30 p.m.-8:00 a.m.) (Rotational) Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Pay Schedule: V0SO and 001M Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 61719-F - 61720-F - 61721-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized