Nursing Assistant - Adult Psychiatric Unit

Summary
This Nursing Assistant (NA) position will promote recovery, provide a safe and supported environment for healing, and assist with daily living activities such as oral care, hair grooming, bathing, and assist with meals as needed while meeting the safety requirements of the Acute Psychiatric Unit (APU). The NA assists with safe, individualized, recovery-oriented quality care nursing to patients with varying medical/emotional needs while observing and reporting changes in their conditions.
This job is open to

• Internal to an agency
  Current federal employees of this agency.
• Federal employees - Competitive service
  Current or former competitive service federal employees.
• Federal employees - Excepted service
  Current excepted service federal employees.

Clarification from the agency
This announcement is open to current permanent Department of Veterans Affairs employees and current permanent Federal employees of other agencies.
Applicants will be referred in the following order:
1. Current permanent Facility employees.
2. Current permanent Agency (Department of Veterans Affairs) employees.
3. Current permanent employees of other Federal agencies.
Videos
Duties
The role of the NA is to protect, sustain, and nurture the Veteran and assist with activities of daily living and other needs as required, in accordance with established policies and procedures, to assure the highest degree of Veteran care and safety. The APU Veteran assignment typically involves complex nursing needs which can vary within a range of predictable to unpredictable requirements. The APU NA must be able to plan, organize, and complete patient care assignments in a timely manner, with minimal assistance, but seek assistance from the charge nurse as needed. This position is also required to float to other areas of the hospital.
Some of the NA functions and duties include:

• Assist in the full range of nursing care for Veterans with behavioral and/or physical problems under the direction of a Registered Nurse and/or Licensed Practical Nurse.
• Provide daily living activities such as assist residents with daily oral care (dentures, tooth brush), hair grooming, bathing, nail, and related hygiene care.
• Set up, serve, and monitor Veteran meals, lift, turn, and transfer residents with appropriate technique and lifting assistance devices.
• Prepare and transport patients as needed for tests, procedures, or discharge.
• Notify nursing of any physical or behavior changes. Document these changes using proper documentation forums.
• Assist with a complete range of treatment and procedures that include lead or assist group therapy; environmental safety checks, management of hazardous items, patient belonging inventory, administer hot and cold packs; accucheks; insert Foley catheters; care for patients in isolation; BVI; colostomy care; application of EKG leads, and monitor patients with altered mental status, suicidal/homicidal ideation, or identified as high risk and in need of constant supervision.
• Perform a range of diagnostic support duties which includes take, record, and report deviations in vital signs, collect and label specimens for the laboratory, and assist the provider in a variety of diagnostic exams.
• Consistently make accurate observations of the Veteran's condition and report and document findings.
• Identify and report the Veteran's physical and emotional reactions to treatment and nursing care. Verbally provide Veteran information to the licensed staff for inclusion in the nursing care plan.
• Document the Veteran's condition in written and/or electronic records following Patient Care Services (PCS) policies.
• Communicate effectively with Veterans, families, interdisciplinary team members, and other staff personnel.
• Act in a professional manner as a role model for peers.
• Serve as a preceptor to new NAs by assisting with employee orientation and overseeing/assessing their practical experience while in a clinical setting.
• Maintain appropriate and professional boundaries with patients and their families.
• Communicate tactfully and effectively, both orally and in writing, to meet APU objectives. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to the supervisor.
• Utilize population, cultural, age-specific communication techniques to provide effective communication with APU Veterans and visitors.
• Utilize Veteran teaching opportunities with awareness of psychiatric treatment goals.
• Identify teaching needs and institute approaches to meet these.
• Provide restorative care and therapeutic activities based on the APU goals. Restorative Care refers to nursing interventions that promote the Veterans ability to adapt and adjust to living as independently and safely as is possible. This concept actively focuses on achieving and maintaining optimal physical, mental, and psychosocial functioning.
• Recognize and react to emergent Veteran care situations and intervene while waiting for assistance. For example, recognize the need for basic life support, control bleeding, and assist with behavior crisis, etc.
• Participate in mandatory education classes.
• Display courteous verbal and non-verbal communication to Veterans, staff, and visitors.
• Always utilize proper telephone etiquette. Be dependable; report on and off duty on-time. Report to charge nurse when leaving ward for any reason. Maintain a clean, neat appearance, and follow PCS policies.

Work Schedule: 12 hour nightshift. Variable nights that may include weekends and holidays, 7:00pm - 7:30am.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
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.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.
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 NA 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.

• Note: A copy of college transcripts showing completion of one year of education above high school related to the NA occupation, or documentation showing completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related course of study of less than one year as a Nursing Assistant (e.g., Nurse Aid Certificate) is required.

English Language Proficiency. NAs 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:
(1) Knowledge of Current Practice. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the current practice.
(2) 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.
(3) 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: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the qualification criteria outlined below must be met for each grade.
GS-3 NA (Entry Level)
Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements.
GS-4 NA (Developmental Level)
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:
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 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 patients/residents, their families and other health professionals.
GS-5 NA (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 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.

• Note:To receive full consideration at the GS-4 and 5 levels, you must clearly describe how you meet these KSAs in your resume; we cannot make assumptions regarding your experience.

References: VA Handbook 5005/81, Part II, Appendix G46, March 12, 2015.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-5. 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: The work requires heavy lifting and carrying (over 45 pounds); straight pulling (up to 3 hours); pulling hand over hand (up to 3 hours); pushing (up to 3 hours); reaching above the shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking (up to 12 hours); standing (up to 12 hours); crawling (up to 3 hours); kneeling (up to 3 hours); repeated bending (up to 3 hours); climbing, legs only (up to 3 hours); both legs required; the ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; both eyes required; depth perception; the ability to distinguish basic colors; the ability to distinguish shades of colors; and hearing (aid may be permitted).
Environmental Factors: Work may be outside and inside; there may be exposure to intermittent, excessive noise; slippery or uneven walking surfaces; protracted or irregular hours of work; and you must be able to work alone and closely with others.
Education
IMPORTANT: This position has a positive education or training requirement. An unofficial copy of college transcripts showing completion of one year of education above high school related to the Nursing Assistant occupation or documentation showing completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related course of study of less than one year as a Nursing Assistant is required.
If basing your qualifications on education at the GS-4 or-5 levels, you must submit a copy of all relevant transcripts with your ...