Community Living Center Nursing Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • West Palm Beach, FL

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Community Living Center Nursing Assistant provides care to residents in a setting that includes short-stay rehabilitation, long-term care, and palliative care. The Nursing Assistant takes a holistic approach to residents’ physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being, provides compassionate care to geriatric residents, and supports customer service and the development of a home-like environment. Duties are performed under close supervision, with questions and issues referred to supervisors, higher-graded Nursing Assistants, or other healthcare professionals.

The position supports nursing care, resident observation and reporting, care-plan development, therapeutic activities, safety, rehabilitation, and resident education. Nursing Assistants may be selected at GS-3 through GS-5; the full performance level is GS-5. The work schedule may include 8- or 12-hour shifts on days, nights, weekends, and holidays, as determined by the supervisor and facility needs. Flexible scheduling is available.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• For GS-4 qualification: one year of Nursing Assistant or other medical-field experience performing technical and nursing skills, or successful completion of two years of related post-high-school education.
• For GS-4 qualification, demonstrate the ability to provide resident care and contribute to care plans and recovery; observe physical or emotional status and promptly report concerns; use equipment and supplies for basic diagnostic and treatment procedures; and communicate effectively with residents, families, and healthcare professionals.
• For GS-5 qualification: one year of progressively responsible experience equivalent to GS-4, or a four-year post-high-school course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree that included 24 semester hours of healthcare-related courses, or possession of a bachelor’s degree.
• For GS-5 qualification, demonstrate the ability to assist with the full range of nursing care under the direction of a Registered Nurse or Licensed Vocational/Practical Nurse; communicate orally with residents, families, interdisciplinary team members, and other personnel, including serving as a preceptor to new Nursing Assistants; and recognize and respond to emergent care situations while awaiting assistance.
• Pass a pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Selected applicants are subject to a background/security investigation and, for testing-designated positions, pre-appointment urinalysis for illegal drug use.
• Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with Selective Service.
• Complete the required online onboarding and provide acceptable identification for pre-employment requirements.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, during which continued employment is evaluated.
• Meet the physical demands associated with direct patient care, including potentially extended periods of walking, standing, and sitting, moderate lifting, and repeated bending or kneeling; use safe patient-handling and mobility protocols.
• Be flexible in schedule and assignments as required by the position.

Nice To Haves

• Certified Nursing Assistant experience.
• Long-term or short-term rehabilitation experience.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain positive therapeutic relationships with residents, families, and significant others, showing respect for human dignity and using effective communication.
• Observe residents, collect data, and report and record findings.
• Participate in patient-centered conferences and shift reports, contributing information to the development and review of nursing care plans.
• Maintain a therapeutic environment and report actual or potential accidents, fire hazards, and faulty equipment.
• Provide nursing care for personal hygiene, physical comfort, activity, exercise, rest, nutrition, elimination, skin-breakdown prevention, and rehabilitation.
• Perform and document prescribed medical treatments and interventions, including diabetic urine and blood testing and simple dressing changes.
• Use rehabilitative principles to promote independence and recovery, including encouraging and guiding bowel and bladder training.
• Participate in group activities, such as off-station trips, reality orientation, and current-events and other therapeutic groups, with direction and close supervision.
• Monitor residents according to assigned observation levels, including one-to-one suicide observation, continuous observation, 15-minute checks, and hourly rounding.
• Monitor Veterans who may be at risk of harming themselves or others, follow established procedures, and refer concerns to the charge nurse or another healthcare professional.
• Use proper body mechanics and follow procedures for using patient-care equipment to help prevent injury.
• Set up patient-care equipment, including hypothermia machines, oxygen-delivery systems, and portable or wall suction, and assist in monitoring its proper functioning.
• Use a glucose-monitoring machine to obtain glucose values as needed and report deviations to appropriate nursing staff or other healthcare providers.
• Organize and obtain routine supplies and equipment.
• Assist with patient education, including orienting residents and families to unit routines and policies.
• Work cooperatively and courteously as a member of the interdisciplinary team.
• Protect residents’ privacy and confidential information.
• Begin orienting lower-level Nursing Assistants.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered based on higher or unique qualifications or agency needs.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other eligibility limits.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting, and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term-care insurance; many federal insurance programs may be carried into retirement.
• Potential reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed