Nursing Assistant - Community Living Center

About the role

This Nursing Assistant position is full‑time (80 hours per pay period) within Patient Care Services at the Community Living Center/Cottages of the VA Medical Center in Lexington, KY. The incumbent normally works at the Sousley Campus but may be required to work at the Bowling Campus as needed. The facility is a two‑division teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Kentucky Medical Center.

Responsibilities

• Participate actively in the nursing team and work a rotating tour of duty in the Long Term Care Unit.
• Build upon basic nursing knowledge and standardized procedures to provide patient/resident care.
• Perform tasks after receiving patient data and information.
• Carry out area‑specific routine functions and, when required, manage equipment unique to the unit.
• Assist the RN with patient care, including obtaining vital signs, electrocardiograms (proper lead placement), phlebotomy, and simple wound dressings.
• May be assigned a designated group of patients or specific patient interventions as needed.

Requirements

• United States Citizenship (non‑citizens only appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited per VA policy).
• Meet one of the following:
  • Six months of general experience demonstrating ability to acquire NA knowledge and skills.
  • One year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation.
  • Completion of an intensive, specialized occupation‑related training course of less than one year as a NA.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English (VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j).
• Grandfathering provisions apply to current VHA employees who meet the criteria outlined in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation.

Qualifications

• Grade determinations:
  • GS‑3 (Entry Level): No experience or education beyond the basic requirements.
  • GS‑4: Either one year of specialized NA experience (or equivalent medical field experience) performing technical/nursing skills, OR successful completion of two years of college above high school with related coursework, plus demonstrated KSAs (see Skills section).
  • GS‑5 (Full Performance): Either one year of progressively responsible assignments equivalent to GS‑4 level, OR a bachelor’s degree with 24 semester hours of health‑care‑related courses, plus demonstrated KSAs (see Skills section).
• Preferred experience: SRNA/CNA certification; Long Term Care experience.

Skills

• Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to nurse care plans and recovery.
• Ability to observe patients/residents’ physical or emotional status and report deviations to a supervisor promptly.
• Ability to properly use equipment, materials, and supplies for simple diagnostic and treatment procedures (e.g., bladder scan, continuous passive motion device, blood glucose monitor, specimen collection).
• Ability to communicate effectively with patients/residents, their families, and other health professionals.
• For GS‑5 level: ability to assist in the full range of nursing care for patients with physical and/or behavioral problems under RN/LVN/LPN direction, serve as a preceptor for new NAs, and recognize/react to emergent patient/resident care situations (e.g., basic life support, bleeding control, behavioral crisis).

Benefits

• Paid Time Off: 37‑50 days annually (13‑26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays). Credit toward annual leave accrual may be granted based on prior work or military service.
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave for birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full‑time employees with total family income below $144,000 may receive a subsidy up to 25% of eligible childcare costs, with a monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5‑year vesting) and federal 401(k) with up to 5% VA matching contributions.
• Insurance: Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long‑term care coverage (many programs portable into retirement).

Pay

• Pay Scale: V0F3.
• Competitive salary with regular step increases; a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be awarded for higher or unique qualifications or special VA needs (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

Schedule

Work Schedule: Days/Nights, 12‑hour shifts with rotation to other shifts as needed.