Nursing Assistant (Intermittent)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Manchester (NH); On-site; USD 34,000 - 54,000; Part time

Job summary

These Nursing Assistant positions are located at the Manchester VA Medical Center in Manchester, NH, in Geriatrics and Extended Care/Community Living Center. Positions are intermittent with rotating shifts, weekends and holidays.

Applicants may be referred before all educational/certification requirements are met. GS experience levels vary from entry GS-3 to GS-5 with responsibilities to assist in nursing care under supervision and to support a care team in outpatient or community living

Qualifications

• Six months of general experience or education/training meeting NA requirements.
• English language proficiency as per VA standards.
• Grandfathering provision applicable to current VHA employees in this occupation.

Responsibilities

• Assist nursing staff in providing patient/resident care as part of the care team.
• Deliver care under close supervision and refer issues to supervisors or higher-graded staff.
• Support outpatient, home or community living care for patients across settings.

Skills

Communication

Observation

Patient care

Education

High school + nursing coursework

Post-secondary nursing assistant course (<1 year)

Job description

These Nursing Assistant positions are in Geriatrics and Extended Care/Community Living Center at the Manchester VA Medical Center, located in Manchester, NH. These positions are Intermittent with Rotating Shifts, Weekends, Holidays. 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.
• 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 above high school with courses related to the Nursing Assistant occupation; OR
  • 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: Nursing Assistants 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 Requirements.

• Creditable Experience.
  • Knowledge of Current Practice. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the current practice.
  • Quality of Experience. To be creditable, NA experience must be documented on the application or resume and verified in an employment reference, or through other independent means.
  • Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a NA is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a NA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive 1 full time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service.

Grade Determinations

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

GS-4 Experience

• One year of specialized experience as a Nursing Assistant 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;
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).
  • 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.

Assignment 1. Individuals assigned as GS-4 are considered to be at the intermediate or developmental level and are closely supervised. At this grade level function as a member of the nursing care team and assist higher graded, 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, higher graded or other healthcare professionals.

Assignment 2. In this role, the Nursing Assistant functions as a member of the nursing care team and assists higher graded, 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 who are in acute, sub-acute, or chronic states of illness. The Nursing Assistant in this role provides care under close supervision and refers issues/questions to supervisors, higher graded, or other healthcare professionals.

GS-5 Experience

GS-5 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 below;

• 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 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.

Assignment. This is the full performance level for Nursing Assistants. 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. At this level also assume more of a peer education/mentorship role.

Preferred Experience: Long-term Care

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS3 to GS5.

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 with assistance and transferring of objects may be required. The incumbent 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 incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. The incumbent must be able to navigate all areas of the facility. This position potentially requires flexibility in schedule and assignments, as this is a 24/7 Medical Center.