Nursing Assistant - Acute Care

About the role

This Nursing Assistant functions as a member of a nursing care team and assists licensed nursing staff in the care of patients/residents receiving preventive, acute, sub-acute, chronic, maintenance, and hospice care within the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA.

Qualifications

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.
• English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Experience, Education or Training: You must meet one of the following:
  • Six (6) months of general experience demonstrating the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills to perform the work of a Nursing Assistant
  • One year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation
  • Completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related training course of study or program of less than one year as a NA
  • 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 — In addition to the basic requirements above, the following qualification criteria must be met for each grade. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade.

GS-03: None beyond the basic requirements. NAs at this grade are considered entry-level and are closely supervised.

GS-04: Must meet one of the following:

• Experience: One (1) year of experience as a Nursing Assistant or 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
• Education: Successful completion of two (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 must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (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' 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-05: Must meet one of the following:

• Experience: One (1) year of progressively responsible assignments and experience equivalent to the GS-4 level which demonstrates knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) directly related to the specific assignment. Specialized experience includes but is not limited to functioning as a member of the nursing care team and assisting licensed nursing staff and other members of the care team in the full range of nursing care of patients/residents receiving outpatient care, home, or community living care or other patients/residents who are receiving preventative, acute, sub-acute, chronic, maintenance, and hospice care
• Education: Successful completion of 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 must demonstrate the following 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 (e.g., recognizing need for basic life support, controlling bleeding, assisting with behavior crisis, etc.)

Preferred Experience: 2 years of CNA experience.

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-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: This position includes a level of physicality normally associated with duties performed by nursing assistants such as direct patient care, and potentially long periods of walking, standing, sitting, moderate lifting, repeated bending, or kneeling. See VA Handbook 5019 and local NA physical standards. Examples may include but are not limited to:

• Significant amounts of time standing assisting assigned patients
• Utilization of safe patient handling and mobility protocols

Position specific duties/expectations are detailed in the associated competency and should be performed once the competency has been validated.

Responsibilities

• Utilizes glucose monitoring machine to collect and document appropriate glucose readings for assigned veteran
• Maintains positive therapeutic relationships by displaying respect for human dignity with patient, families and/or significant others utilizing learned communication skills
• Utilizes observation skills for data collection, reporting and recording patient/resident observations
• Performs aspects of nursing care to meet patient's needs for:
  • Personal Hygiene
  • Physical comfort
  • Activity, Exercise, Rest
  • Nutrition
  • Elimination
  • Prevention of Skin Breakdown
  • Rehabilitative Aspects of Care
• Performing and documenting prescribed medical treatment and interventions for patients, including but not limited to urine testing and blood testing, simple dressing changes, EKGs
• Reports patient observations to the RN and/or other members of the treatment team
• Is trained to set up patient care related equipment
• Monitors patients according to levels of observations (e.g., one-to-one suicide, continuous observation, q 15-minute checks, and hourly rounding)
• Monitors Veterans who may be at risk for harming themselves and/or others according to established policies and procedures and appropriately refers issues to the charge nurse or other health care professional
• Performing and documenting vital sign monitoring while reporting abnormalities to primary nurse
• Ensuring correct skin preparation and electrode placement for patients with telemetry monitoring
• Replacing battery pack as indicated
• Organizes and obtains routine supplies and equipment
• Assists with orienting patient/family to unit routines and policies
• Works as a cooperative, courteous member of the interdisciplinary team
• Safeguarding the patient's right to privacy by judiciously protecting information of a confidential nature
• Uses proper safety practices
• Utilizes equipment and supplies according to procedures
• Utilizes principles of proper body mechanics and follows procedures for use of patient care equipment to prevent injury to self or others in all settings such as utilization of lifting equipment
• Additional duties as assigned

The NA will conduct the above assignments under close supervision and refers issues/questions to supervisors, higher graded NAs, or other healthcare professionals.

Schedule

• Work Schedule: 12-hour rotational day shift, 7am to 7pm
• Telework: Not Available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized