Nursing Assistant - Inpatient Mental Health (2B) Full -Time

Veterans Health Administration • Madison, WI

1d

About The Position

The Full-Time Nursing Assistant provides direct patient care activities on an inpatient mental health unit under the supervision of a registered nurse. The position supports patients’ daily care, monitoring, therapeutic activities, education, safety, and transportation needs, while following each patient’s Plan of Care and applicable standards and guidelines.

The vacancy is advertised at GS-03 through GS-05, with GS-05 identified as the full performance level. The work schedule is full-time on the PM shift. The position is in the Excepted Service and requires a 1- or 2-year trial period.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Meet the basic qualification requirement through one of the following: six months of general experience demonstrating ability to acquire Nursing Assistant knowledge and skills; one year of post-high-school education with related courses; or completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related Nursing Assistant course of less than one year.
• For GS-04 qualification, meet one of the stated alternatives: one year of specialized Nursing Assistant or related medical-field experience, or successful completion of two years of post-high-school education with relevant coursework. GS-04 candidates must also demonstrate the listed patient-care, observation and reporting, equipment-use, and communication abilities.
• For GS-05 qualification, meet one of the stated alternatives: one year of progressively responsible experience equivalent to GS-04, or a bachelor’s degree with 24 semester hours of health-care-related coursework (or a bachelor’s degree). GS-05 candidates must also demonstrate the listed nursing-care, oral communication, precepting, and emergency-response abilities.
• Pass a pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Complete required background/security investigation, drug testing if tentatively selected for a testing-designated position, and online onboarding; provide acceptable identification and complete application requirements.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Serve a 1- or 2-year trial period, subject to the stated employment evaluation and certification requirements.

Responsibilities

• Assist patients with personal hygiene, including bathing, shaving, brushing teeth, nail care, and hair combing.
• Provide appropriate assistance with activities of daily living, including bathing, dressing, transferring, ambulating, feeding, and toileting.
• Obtain and document blood pressure, pulse, respiration, blood glucose, and patient weights in the medical record.
• Recognize significant variances in vital signs, blood glucose, and weight, and report them to the responsible registered nurse.
• Assist with or perform therapeutic and diversion activities under the direct supervision of recreation, occupational, or physical therapists.
• Respond promptly and in person to call lights.
• Assist during emergency treatments by obtaining equipment and running errands as needed; assist in emergencies, including CPR as needed.
• Assist the nurse, physician, or nurse practitioner during procedures and treatments, following applicable standards and guidelines.
• Complete required initial and annual Nursing Assistant competency requirements.
• Help the team reinforce educational needs with patients.
• Consistently follow each patient’s Plan of Care.
• Perform one-to-one observation as assigned.
• Maintain positive and constructive professional working relationships with patients, families, medical staff, volunteers, and coworkers.
• Transport patients off the unit for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive salary with regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered based on higher or unique qualifications or VA special 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 child eligibility limits; subsidy may cover up to 25% of eligible childcare costs, up to the stated monthly maximum.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and a federal 401(k) with VA contributions of up to 5%.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs may be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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