Nursing Assistant - Medical/Surgical

Veterans Health Administration; Iowa; On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Marion VA Health Care System seeks three full-time Nursing Assistants for the Medical/Surgical Unit in Marion, IL.

Nursing Assistants provide essential patient care to acutely ill Veterans and work under supervision within a dedicated nursing team. Applicants may be referred while still meeting certification/licensure requirements; grandfathering provisions may apply for current VA employees.

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 or program of less than one year may meet the experience requirement.
• Grandfathering Provision may apply for current VA employees in this occupation.

Responsibilities

• Provide a full range of patient/resident care under supervision.
• Observe and report changes in patients’ physical or emotional status to supervisors.
• Use basic diagnostic and treatment equipment safely and correctly.
• Communicate effectively with patients, families, and other health professionals.

Skills

Patient care

Observation of patient status

Medical equipment use

Team communication

Education

2 years nursing-related college

Bachelor’s degree with 24 health-care semester hours

Job description

The Marion VA Health Care System is seeking three (3) full-time Nursing Assistants within our Medical/Surgical Unit in Nursing Service located in Marion, IL.

The Nursing Assistant works as an important part of a nursing team caring for acutely ill Veterans with complex, critical health issues requiring constant monitoring and intervention.

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: Nursing Assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.
• Experience, Education or Training:

1. Six months of general experience. Experience must demonstrate the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills to perform the work of a NA; OR
2. One year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation; OR,
3. Completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related training course of study or program of less than one year as a Nursing Assistant may also meet in full the experience requirements for GS-3.

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

In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

GS-3 Nursing Assistant (Entry Level)

Experience and Education.

None beyond the basic requirements.

Assignments.

Individuals assigned as GS-3 NAs are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised.

GS-4 Nursing Assistant

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).

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.

Individuals assigned as GS-4 Nursing Assistants are considered to be at the intermediate or developmental level and are closely supervised. Nursing Assistants at this grade level function as a member of the nursing care team and assist higher graded Nursing Assistants, 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 Nursing Assistants or other health care professionals. In this role, the Nursing Assistant functions as a member of the nursing care team and assists higher graded Nursing Assistants, 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 Nursing Assistants, or other health care professionals.

GS-5 Nursing Assistant (Full Performance Level)

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 KSAs.

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 NAs 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. 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. Nursing Assistants at this level also assume more of a peer education/mentorship role.

Preferred Experience:

Two (2 years) of Nursing Assistant experience, One year of acute care Nursing Assistant experience, telemetry trained and BLS certification preferred.

Reference:

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

Physical Requirements:

This position includes a level of physicality normally associated with duties performed by nurses such as direct patient care, and potentially long periods of walking, standing, sitting, moderate lifting, repeated bending, or kneeling.

Examples may include but are not limited to:

• Significant amounts of time standing assisting assigned patients
• Utilization of safe patient handling and mobility protocols