Nursing Assistant (Med-Surg)

About the role

The NA at this grade level functions as a member of the nursing care team and assists licensed nursing staff in the care of patients/residents receiving preventive, acute, sub-acute, chronic, maintenance, and hospice care. The distinguishing factor is that patient/resident assignments typically involve more complex nursing needs which can vary within a range of predictable to unpredictable requirements.

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.
• Experience, Education, or Training (one of the following):
  • Six months of general experience demonstrating the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills to perform the work of a NA; OR
  • One year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation; OR
  • Completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related training course of study or program of less than one year as a NA.
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.
• 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.
• Grandfathering Provisions: All NAs employed in VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the series and grade held that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.

Grade Determinations (GS-5)

• Experience: One year of progressively responsible assignments and experience equivalent to the GS-4 level demonstrating knowledge, skills, and abilities directly related to the specific assignment, plus the demonstrated KSAs below; OR
• 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, plus the demonstrated KSAs below.
• Demonstrated 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, including serving as a preceptor to new NAs by assisting with coordination of their orientation and overseeing/assessing their practical experience 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).

Preferred Experience

ED or critical care experience.

Reference: VA Qualification Standards

Responsibilities

• Perform activities of daily living and provide a range of care contributing to the Veteran's treatment plan, recovery, and wellness under the direction of a licensed health care provider.
• Work in a variety of health care settings: outpatient, inpatient, home, Community Living Center (CLC), acute, sub-acute.
• Care for patients/residents with acute to chronic conditions.
• Assist in the full range of nursing care to patients/residents with physical and/or behavioral problems under the direction of an RN and/or LVN/LPN.
• Communicate orally with patients/residents, families, interdisciplinary team, and other personnel; serve as preceptor to new NAs.
• Recognize and react to emergent patient/resident care situations and intervene while waiting for assistance (e.g., basic life support, controlling bleeding, behavior crisis).
• Utilize glucose monitoring machine to receive glucose readings for Veterans and refer deviations to appropriate health care 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 accordingly 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 output; report deviations timely and accurately.
• Perform nursing procedures within scope of practice and according to policies and standard procedures (e.g., enemas, catheterization, colostomy care, skin care, simple dressing, application of braces and prosthetic devices).
• Actively participate in Treatment Planning Meetings.
• Utilize equipment to promote self-care.
• Verbally provide patient information to the treatment team for inclusion in the veteran/resident's plan of care; participate in treatment team meetings for resident care planning.
• Enter information about the residents' condition in the chart utilizing appropriate formats.
• Participate in maintaining a clean, safe environment for the patient/resident.
• Remove defective equipment, report hazards, observe safety regulations, contribute to infection control, and utilize proper aseptic technique.
• Serve as preceptor and mentor to other NAs.
• Orient members of the health care team to the units as appropriate.
• Manage distributed patient behavior; intervene and request assistance from other health care members.
• Appropriately initiate basic life support and take appropriate action.
• Complete all mandatory training within appropriate timelines.
• Actively participate in annual competency assessment and validation.

Schedule

7:45 a.m.–9:15 p.m., 12-hour shifts, totaling 80 hours biweekly.