Job Summary

Nursing Assistants function as a member of the nursing care team and assist licensed nursing staff in the care of patients/residents receiving outpatient care, home or community living care or other patients/residents who are in acute, sub-acute or chronic states of illness. 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.

Job Description

Duties continued below: Applies knowledge of human behavior and the various degrees of physical and mental impairment, is able to reinforce patient/family teaching provided by the registered nurse. Assists the professional nurse in planning and implementation of patient educational or recreational activities. Motivates patients to participate in learning and recreational activities to improve their quality of life. d. Assessment and Communication: Recognize patient care management difficulties or problems and brings their finding to the attention of the registered nurse. Communicate with patients and families in a calming, reassuring, and supportive manner. Provide emotional support to the dying patient and family. Recognize acute and subtle changes and consistency in patients' mental and physical condition and reports appropriately. Observes a patient every 60 minutes while on the unit and more frequently as directed in accordance with facility policies. Recognize and reports signs of physical and emotional abuse of patient, family, and significant others. Use email effectively and appropriately as a valuable communication tool and allocate specific times during tour of duty to access in order to remain current and informed. e. Interpersonal Relationships: Establishes therapeutic relationships with patients and all members of the Interdisciplinary Team. Maintains courtesy during telephone and direct verbal interactions with patients, families, visitors, coworkers, and supervisors. Has ability to elicit feelings, attitudes, and promote positive communication and socialization skills with patients. f. Fire and Safety/Infection Control: Maintains a safe work environment and has knowledge of Safety and Infection Control Guidelines. Utilizes proper body mechanics, encourages others to do so, and includes participates during unit In-service and Patient Care Conferences. Responds promptly and effectively to Fire and Disaster Drills and alarms, actively assisting others as needed. Has knowledge of the spread of infection by practicing and motivating others to adhere to Infection Control Guidelines to help prevent the spread of communicable diseases and resistant organisms g. Expectations: May occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. May be exposed to infectious patients and/or contaminated materials that may require the wearing of various levels of personal protective equipment (PPE) for long periods of time. Additionally, may be required to care for patients on isolation precautions, active participation in screening potentially infectious patients, and actively participate in labor pools during pandemics/disaster response situations the incumbent may be required to work in modified environments of care based on safety requirements and the needs of the patient. Should be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, and be able to shift priorities based on patient needs. This position may require flexibility in schedule and assignments, as this is a 24/7 health care facility. Should be poised and articulate in communication with people of varied educational levels and varied ethnic backgrounds. Works cooperatively as a team member in all assignments. Makes caring for the Veteran his/her priority while in the work setting and demonstrates high reliability/customer service principles in all aspects of work. Self-motivated in the pursuit of meeting professional work standards. 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. Six months of general experience. Experience must demonstrate 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 may also meet in 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 Nursing Assistant (Entry Level): Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements. GS-4 Nursing Assistant: 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, Education. Successful completion of 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 Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following 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' or resident's 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. Qualifications are continued below: