Nursing Assistant (Comunity Living Center)

About the role

Alvin C. York Veterans' Administration Medical Center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee is recruiting for a Nursing Assistant / Community Living Center (CLC) position.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements

• Citizenship: Must be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3g.
• Education, Training, or Experience (one of the following):
  • Six months of general experience demonstrating the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills to perform Nursing Assistant work; OR
  • One year of education above high school with courses related to the Nursing Assistant occupation; OR
  • Completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related training course of study or program of less than one year as a Nursing Assistant (may meet requirements for GS-3).
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j.
• Grandfathering Provisions: Current VHA Nursing Assistants employed on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for their series and grade. Employees who do not meet the new basic requirements but met prior qualifications retain protected status only if they remain in the occupation; leaving the occupation voids grandfathering. Temporary appointees prior to the effective date cannot be extended or reappointed until they fully meet the basic requirements.

Grade Determinations

The full performance level is GS-05; selection may occur at GS-03 through GS-05.

GS-3 Nursing Assistant (Entry Level)

• Experience/Education: None beyond basic requirements.
• Assignments: Entry-level, closely supervised.

GS-4 Nursing Assistant

• Experience: One year of specialized experience as a Nursing Assistant or in another medical field (LPN, health technician, hospital corpsman, etc.) performing technical and nursing skills requiring knowledge of human physical/emotional states, therapeutic communication, and technical skills for basic and intermediate treatments; OR
• Education: Successful completion of 2 years above high school in an accredited institution with courses related to nursing care, healthcare, or appropriate specialization (e.g., psychology, psychiatric, or operating room technician programs); AND
• Demonstrated KSAs:
  • Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to the nurse care plan and recovery.
  • Ability to observe physical/emotional status and refer deviations/problems to supervisor timely.
  • Ability to properly use equipment, materials, and supplies in simple diagnostic/treatment procedures (bladder scan, continuous passive motion device, blood glucose monitoring, specimen collection, etc.).
  • Ability to communicate effectively with patients/residents, families, and health professionals.

GS-5 Nursing Assistant (Full Performance Level)

• Experience: One year of progressively responsible assignments equivalent to GS-4 demonstrating knowledge, skills, and abilities directly related to the specific assignment; OR
• Education: Successful completion of a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with 24 semester hours in health-related courses, or possession of a bachelor's degree; AND
• Demonstrated KSAs:
  • Ability to assist in the full range of nursing care for patients/residents with physical and/or behavioral problems in hospital, long-term care, or outpatient settings under RN/LVN/LPN direction.
  • Ability to communicate orally with patients/residents, families, interdisciplinary team, and other personnel; includes serving as preceptor to new NAs by assisting with orientation coordination and overseeing/assessing clinical experience.
  • Ability to recognize and react to emergent patient/resident care situations and intervene while awaiting assistance (e.g., basic life support, controlling bleeding, assisting with behavioral crises).

Preferred Experience

Long-term care experience.

Reference

For more information on the qualification standard, visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements

• Pre-placement physical examination required to determine mental and physical fitness per VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
• Requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity.
• Potentially long periods of walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing.
• Must be able to lift at least 50 lbs; transferring patients and objects may be required.
• Exposure to infected patients and contaminated materials; may require protective clothing in isolation or operative/invasive procedures.
• Occasional exposure to combative patients secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders.
• Must be mature, flexible, sensible, capable of working effectively in stressful situations, and able to shift priorities based on organizational needs.
• Must complete annual Employee Health requirements (e.g., influenza vaccination, TB screening/testing) as a condition of employment.

Duties

• Utilize glucose monitoring machine to obtain glucose readings for veterans; refer deviations to appropriate healthcare staff.
• Provide direct care for complex veterans.
• Make observations of subtle changes in resident's condition (behavior shifts, mood, skin coloring, appetite, etc.) and take action within the NA's assigned role.
• Document care given, observations, and responses on appropriate tools or forms.
• Respond appropriately to subtle patient changes by contacting appropriate nursing personnel.
• Administer complete tracheostomy care, including suctioning.
• Monitor and document patient intake and