Nursing Assistant

Summary The Home Health Aide/Homemaker (HHA/HMKR) provides direct patient care to patients in the home setting who require assistance such as bathing, dressing, grooming, light housekeeping duties, and meal preparation. The HHA/HMKR is accountable for adhering to the standards of care, standards of practice and maintaining competencies with role and responsibility, while adhering to Overton Brooks VA Medical Center policies and procedures. Responsibilities If you are not a current, permanent VA employee or Federal employee from another agency, you should apply CBST-12957956-26-TM Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include, but are not limited to: Bathing (or showering) and dressing Oral Care/Denture care Nail Care, shaving and hair care General grooming, including skin care, maintain skin integrity/dressing application and changes as appropriate Bed-making (unoccupied and occupied) Maintain body alignment of patients Position and turn patients (proper use of assistive devices) Walking patients (proper use of all assistive devices) Range of motion (ROM) with patients Transfer techniques (lifting, moving, transferring use of all devices) Provides meal preparation assistance Runs errands, if needed, to get groceries for patients Report to RN any nutritional concerns seen in the home Observing, reporting and recording patient bowel and bladder function Assisting patients with bedpans and urinals Dispose of the patient body wastes appropriately Applies external urinary draining devices (condom catheters). Performs standard urinary catheter insertion (foley or straight) and related care as applicable by competency. Interacts with patients and families, helping them feel comfortable Uses communication skill such as observing, listening, reflection, and identification of non-verbal messages to interact with patients; recognizes communication barriers Washes hands appropriately before and after patient care Uses personal protective equipment as required (gowns, gloves, goggles, masks, etc.) Follow isolation procedures Recognizes emergency situations, calls for help, initiates emergency procedures until help arrives and continues to be available to the response team until the emergency is resolved Adheres to safety measures related to patients at risk for falling Maintains a safe and clean workspace when providing personal cares Adheres to safety guidelines for community-based workers Maintains privacy and dignity of patients and safeguards confidential patient information Records and reports blood glucose testing done on patient's home accucheck monitor Collects and delivers specimens, as directed Takes & records temperature, pulse, blood pressure, respirations, pulses oximetry, height & weight Asks each patient to rate his/her pain using approved rating scales, records the response and reports ratings to the RN Reports changes in vital signs and patient condition to the RN Is self-directed in completion of assignments/adjusts to changes in assignment Verbal and written reports are accurate and clearly communicated Supports patient education Documents cares provided in the patient record Recognizes and respects patients' cultural, spiritual, religious backgrounds and beliefs and the right to choose Attends staff meetings and other required trainings or conferences Participates in performance improvement activities Consistently completes all annual review educational modules/classes and competency reviews Provides assistance of simple/light housekeeping tasks and simple/light meal preparation. May be asked to dust, vacuum, sweep, straighten up, wash dishes, clean the bathroom and kitchen, do laundry, dispose of trash, and change linens Uses cleaning materials and methods that are acceptable to and approved by the Veteran and/or caregiver Returns cleaning materials and equipment to closets or storage and does not leave them around the home Work Schedule: 7:30am - 4:00pm, Monday - Friday, subject to change based on the needs of the facility. Relocation Incentive: 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) 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. Functional Statement #: 00347F, 00348F, 00349F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized 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. 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 ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. Must be able to independently operate Government Vehicle. Must provide clean driving record report from the DMV during the pre-employment process. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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. Experience or 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 NA may also meeting full the experience requirements for GS-3. 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 Determinations: GS-3 NA (Entry Level) (a)Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements. GS-4 NA (a)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, (b)Education. Successful completion of 2 years above high school in an accredited institution with courses related to nursing care, healthcare 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: i Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to the completion of the nurse care plan and recovery of patients/residents. ii Ability to observe patients/residents' or resident's physical or emotional status and refer deviations and/or problems to supervisor in a timely manner. iii 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. iv Ability to communicate effectively with patients/residents, their families and other health professionals. GS-5 NA (Full Performance Level). (a) 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, (b) 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 (c) Demonstrated KSAs. i 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. ii 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. iii 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit The full performance level of this vacancy is GS05. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS03 to GS05. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. Driving a government owned/leased vehicle occurs routinely to perform the duties of this position; therefore, a driver's license is required. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations. 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: 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: Additional Information 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.