Nursing Assistant-Mental Health

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Chelsea (ME); On-site; USD 44,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

Join the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a Nursing Assistant in the Mental Health unit, where you will provide essential care to veterans in a rewarding environment. This role involves assisting with daily activities, monitoring patient health, and working as part of a dedicated team to ensure the well-being of patients. With competitive pay and comprehensive benefits, this position is ideal for those passionate about healthcare and supporting veterans.

Benefits

37-50 days of annual paid time off

Child Care Subsidy

Retirement benefits

Federal health/vision/dental insurance

Qualifications

• Six months of general experience or education above high school.
• Ability to observe and report patients' conditions.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

Responsibilities

• Assist in nursing care for patients with physical and/or behavioral problems.
• Provide personal hygiene care and promote patient independence.
• Observe and report patients' physical and emotional status.

Skills

Patient Care

Communication

Teamwork

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Completion of training course for Nursing Assistants

Job description

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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provided pay range

This range is provided by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

$44,103.00/yr - $71,998.00/yr

Summary

These Nursing Assistant positions are are in the SUD RRTP (Substance Use Disorder, Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program) with the opportunity to cross cover in mental health services within the VA Maine Healthcare System in Togus, ME.

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Duties

The purpose of this position is to serve as a Nursing Assistant and 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 (RN) and/or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). The Togus VA is an interdisciplinary facility providing care for a large Veteran inpatient and outpatient population with multiple medical and/or mental health co-morbidities. Depending on grade and assignment duties may include but are not limited to:

• Perform with skill and effectiveness, any and all duties associated with nursing assistant work.
• Observes and reports physical, emotional, behavioral and psychosocial aspects of the patient's condition.
• Provides complete personal hygiene care needs, turns and positions patients to maintain proper body alignment, lifts, ambulates, and transfers patients.
• Promotes the physical independence of the patient by encouraging and teaching individual patients and groups of patients in self-care activities, such as progressive steps in personal hygiene, bathing, and oral care, also assists in teaching and encouraging other care activities such as eating, dressing, undressing, and other training as needed.
• Provides structures and maintains a therapeutic environment in collaboration with the patient and other healthcare clinicians.
• Assists with treatments, prepares equipment, performs selected procedures after appropriate instruction, observes infection control practices, and implements bowel and bladder programs.
• Serve as members of the treatment team in motivating patients and directing their behavior toward achieving treatment plan goals.
• Participates in the admission of patients by providing secure, reassuring milieu, orienting patients to the unit, checking them for contraband when indicated and assisting the registered nurse in implementing the nursing admission procedure.
  
  

Work Schedule: May be scheduled days, evenings, 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

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)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.

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

Functional Statement #: F02358, F02359, F02360

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Nursing Assistant - vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Nursing-Assistant-Career-Flyer.pd

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
  
  

Qualifications

Additional information from Duties:

Notifications:

• This position is in the Excepted Service.
• Current and former Federal employees must 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 a AFGE Bargaining Unit position.
• Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.
• This position is covered by a special rate.
• The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's.
• Due to a critical staffing shortage, 38 U.S.C.
• 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement.
  
  

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 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.
• 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.

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

GS-3: Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-4: 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: Experience. (Full Performance Level). 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 KSA 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).

• 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.
  
  

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 GS-03 to GS-05.



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 GS-03 to GS-05.



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. Mechanical inpatient lifts are provided. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations, operative/invasive procedures, or home settings. 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. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment.

Education


IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.



Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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• Help A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Health Care Provider

• Industries

  Hospitals and Health Care

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