Nursing Assistant - Mental Health

Nursing Assistant - Mental Health

Duties of the Nursing Assistant - Mental Health position include, but are not limited to:

• Assist with ADLs including bathing, grooming, dressing, toileting, and promoting dignity and independence.
• Support safe ambulation, transfers, and use of mobility devices using safe-handling practices.
• Maintain a safe milieu through safety checks, 1:1 observation, environmental rounds, and monitoring for suicide, fall, and elopement risks.
• Observe and report changes in mental status, mood, behavior, sleep, appetite, agitation, or confusion.
• Use therapeutic communication, redirection, validation, and trauma-informed approaches.
• Assist with de-escalation and Code Green response.
• Obtain and document vital signs, pain scores, weight, oxygen saturation, and collect non-invasive specimens.
• Assist with therapeutic programming, structured activities, coping-skills practice, and community meetings.

Work Schedule: Sunday-Saturday with varied shifts, 7:30AM-4:00PM, 7:30AM-8:00PM, 3:30PM-12:00AM, 7:30PM-8:00AM, 12:00AM-8:00AM, with rotating holidays

Compressed/Flexible: Available

Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

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

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. The Iowa City VA Health Care System is part of the VA Midwest Health Care Network (VISN 23). The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.