Nursing Assistant

Summary

This position is located at the Kansas City VA Medical Center. The Nursing Assistant at this grade level functions as a member of the nursing care team and assists licensed nursing staff in the care of patients receiving outpatient - inpatient - or emergency care who are in acute - sub-acute - chronic - or end of life states of illness.

Qualifications

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
• 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: GS-5 Experience
• One (1) year of progressively responsible assignments and experience equivalent to the GS-04 level which demonstrates knowledge - skills - and abilities that are directly related to the specific assignment
• OR Education
• Successful completion of a four (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
• In addition - the candidate must demonstrate the following 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
• Preferred Experience: 12 Lead EKG experience - bedside cares - obtaining vital signs - phlebotomy - BLS In addition - the candidate must demonstrate the following 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
• Preferred Experience: 12 Lead EKG experience - bedside care - obtaining vital signs - phlebotomy - BLS Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-5. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Duties

• The NA will perform the following duties - functions - and responsibilities: - Utilizes glucose monitoring machine to receive glucose readings for veterans refers deviation to appropriate health care staff - Provides direct care for complex veterans - Makes observations of subtle changes in resident's condition - i.e
• behavior shifts - mood - skin coloring - appetite - etc
• and takes action accordingly within the NA's assigned role
• - Documents care given - observations and responses on appropriate tools or forms
• - Responds appropriately to subtle patient changes by contacting the appropriate nursing personal - Administers complete tracheostomy care - including suctioning
• - Monitor and documents patient intake and output reports deviations timely and accurately - Performs nursing procedures within scope of practice and according to policies and standard procedures to care for the veteran for such procedures but not limited to: enemas - catheterization - colostomy care - skin care simple dressing - application of braces and prosthetic devices - monitoring of vital signs
• - Will learn to utilize the appropriate glucose monitoring machine to collect and document appropriate glucose readings for assigned Veterans
• - Will learn to appropriately utilize glucose monitoring machine to collect and document appropriate urine HCG for assigned Veterans
• -Will learn to appropriately obtain and instruct assigned Veterans on how to obtain a urine drug analysis and send to the laboratory department.-Will learn to appropriately conduct a 12 lead EKG for assigned Veterans
• - Will learn how to appropriately conduct phlebotomy for assigned Veterans to obtain doctor ordered blood lab specimens
• - Works on small group activities with veterans/residents according to the patients/resident treatment plan
• - Recognizes the residents' autonomy and promotes independence by means of respect - limit setting and individualized treatment
• - Actively participates in Treatment Planning Meetings.- Utilizes equipment to promote veteran self-care - such as
• lift equipment - Hydro sound Tubs - and Veteran/Resident Wandering System
• - Verbally provides patient information to the treatment team for inclusion in the veteran/residents' plan of care - participates in treatment team meetings for resident care planning
• - Enters information about the residents' condition in the chart - utilizing appropriate formats
• - Participates in maintaining a clean - safe environment for the patient/resident - Removes defective equipment - reports hazards - observes safety regulations - contributes to infection control - and utilizes proper aseptic technique in performance of duties
• - Serves as the unit safe patient handling liaison- Serves as preceptor and mentor to other NAs - - Orients members of the health care team to the units as appropriate - Functions as a member of the unit base counsel - Manages distributed patient behavior and appropriately intervenes and requests assistant from other health care members
• - Appropriately initiates basic life support - takes appropriate action.- Completes all mandatory training within appropriate timelines
• Actively participates in annual competency assessment and validation
• - Follows the departmental SOPs - SOWs - facility and organizational guidelines and protocols Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: M-F 0730-1600 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.

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.