Nursing Assistant-Float Pool (Per Diem)

Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; Augusta (ME); On-site; USD 36,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration, part of the Department of Veterans Affairs, seeks Nursing Assistants at the VA Maine Healthcare System - Togus, ME. These intermittent per diem positions do not exceed 1 year and involve assisting nursing staff in outpatient/home/community care contexts under supervision.

Responsibilities include ADLs support, vital signs, basic procedures, and ensuring patient safety while maintaining confidentiality.

Qualifications

• Basic nursing assistant knowledge and ability to assist licensed staff
• Ability to observe and report changes in patient condition
• Strong communication with patients and team members
• Willingness to comply with safety and infection control procedures

Responsibilities

• Assist RN with patient care tasks and ADLs
• Support patient transfer and mobility under supervision
• Maintain patient confidentiality and safety during care
• Perform basic clinical procedures as directed by RN
• Prepare care rooms and assist with admissions/transfers
• Observe and report changing patient conditions to supervisors
• Demonstrate safety monitoring and emergency response readiness

Skills

Nursing care basics

Patient safety

Communication with patients

Observation skills

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

General medical equipment

Job description

Summary

These Nursing Assistant positions are in the nursing services at the VA Maine Healthcare System - located at the Togus - ME location. These positions are intermittent per diem positions not to exceed 1 year.

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
• English Language Proficiency
• In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English
• Experience - Education or Training
• You must meet one of the following to meet the basic requirements for a Nursing Assistant (NA): Six (6) 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. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above - the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade
• The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade
• GS-03: None beyond the basic requirements
• NAs at this grade NAs are considered entry-level and are closely supervised
• GS-04: To qualify at the GS-4 level you must meet the following: EXPERIENCE: One (1) year of experience as a Nursing Assistant or 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 two (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 - in addition you must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (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 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
• GS-05: To qualify at the GS-5 level you must meet the following: EXPERIENCE: One (1) year of progressively responsible assignments and experience equivalent to the GS-4 level which demonstrates knowledge - skills - and abilities (KSAs) that are directly related to the specific assignment
• Specialized experience includes but is not limited to functioning as a member of the nursing care team and assisting licensed nursing staff and other members of the care team in the full range of nursing care of patients/residents receiving outpatient care - home - or community living care or other patients/residents who are receiving preventative - acute - sub-acute - chronic - maintenance - and hospice care
• OR - EDUCATION: Successful completion of 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 you must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (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
• 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-05
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of G-03 to GS-05
• Physical Requirements: Work involves varying periods of sitting - standing and walking
• Working with Veterans/residents requires bending - stooping - teaching - lifting - balancing - kneeling - pushing - i.e. - wheelchairs - geri-chairs - litters and similar activities
• Also - it may be necessary to perform such activities as CPR and psychiatric intervention at a unit-specific level.

Duties

• Nursing Assistants function as a member of the nursing care team and assist higher graded NAs - licensed nursing staff - and other members of the care team 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 significant factor is that they provide care under close supervision and refer issues/questions to supervisors or other healthcare professionals
• Depending on grade and assignment duties may include but are not limited to: Under the direction of the RN the NA provides care to acutely ill patients including baths - personal hygiene - nutrition/feeding - elimination - intake and output
• Including assisting with all activities of daily living (ADL)
• Under the direction of the RN the NA may initiate and assist with CPR per hospital policy
• Practices under the model of Patient Centered Care while exhibiting the ICARE values
• Maintains full patient confidentiality
• Participates in the admission - transfer and discharge of patients
• Prepares patient care rooms for admissions or transfers
• Assists with removing patient specific items from the room at discharge
• Performs active and passive range of motion exercises
• Supports and assists patient with turning - moving - or transferring from bed to chair - commode etc
• The NA will maintain competency and utilize lift equipment to practice safe patient handling
• Assists with postmortem care of the body after death and transport of the body to the morgue
• Performs assigned clinical procedures - such as
• application of External Urinary Device's (EUD) and colostomy bags - unsterile soaks and compresses - hot and cold applications - elastic hose - binders - bladder scanning - and oral suctioning
• Performs assigned technical procedures - such as blood glucose monitoring and quality controls - EKG's - taking and recording blood pressure - temperature - pulse - respiration - height - weight - incentive spirometer - collecting specimens - such as expectorated sputum - feces - urine-voided midstream and drainage collection bag
• Documents vital signs - nursing care and belongings inventory list in the electronic medical record and on appropriate flow sheet
• Practices techniques and principles of medical asepsis and infection control - (e.g. - hand hygiene) - care of linen - transmission precautions - etc
• Must be aware of and actively practice principles of universal precautions
• Assists the physician or nurse with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures
• Provides care for behavioral ill or restrained patients - to include but not limited to - those who are: suicidal - homicidal - interfere with medical devices - confused - have poor judgment or require 1:1 monitoring
• Assignments may include restraint monitoring - safety monitoring and/or require physical checks every 15 minutes
• Performs duties required of video monitoring patients
• including management of the call system and role of the rounding NA
• Observes patient receiving I.V
• fluids and reports swelling - pain and or wetness at the needle site
• Functions as a "Safety Monitor" for patients who need close observation
• Safety Monitor assignment includes providing care (baths - personal hygiene - feeding - elimination and intake and output) for patient and preventing patient from injury or interfering with the treatment by pulling out lines/IVs
• Maintains constant supervision
• Work Schedule: May be schedules to days - evening - nights - weekends - holidays - and off-tours to support facility needs Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: F2386 - F2387 - F2388 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Notifications: Current and former Federal employees may submit copies of their most recent SF-50 - (Notice of Personnel Action)
• The SF-50 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
• This position is an AFGE Bargaining Unit position
• The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's
• Narrative responses to the knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.