Nursing Assistant- Mental Health

Veterans Health Administration • Nashville, TN

1d • Onsite

About The Position

This Nursing Assistant position is in the Mental Health unit of Nursing at the Nashville VA in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a multi-grade career-ladder position, with a full-performance level of GS-5 and possible selection at GS-3 through GS-5. GS-3 and GS-4 assignments are more limited in scope and independence, with progressively greater responsibility and preparation for GS-5. Promotion is at the supervisor’s discretion and depends on satisfactory performance.

The Nursing Assistant provides direct care to complex Veterans, observes and reports changes in their condition, documents care and observations, monitors intake and output, and performs nursing assistant procedures within the scope of practice and applicable policies. Patient monitoring may include one-to-one observation, continuous observation, and checks every 15 minutes.

The work schedule is based on the needs of the service. The position is not telework or virtual. Sign-on bonuses and relocation assistance are not authorized. The position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Meet the basic qualification requirement through one of the listed pathways: six months of general experience demonstrating ability to acquire nursing assistant knowledge and skills; one year of post-high-school education with courses related to the occupation; or completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related nursing assistant training course of less than one year.
• For GS-4, one year of specialized nursing assistant or related medical-field experience, or two years of post-high-school education in a related field, plus the listed knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• For GS-5, one year of progressively responsible experience equivalent to GS-4 plus the listed professional knowledge, skills, and abilities, or a four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree that includes 24 semester hours of health-care-related courses, or possession of a bachelor’s degree.
• GS-4 knowledge and abilities include providing a range of patient/resident care and contributing to care plans and recovery; observing physical or emotional status and reporting deviations; using equipment and supplies for simple diagnostic and treatment procedures; and communicating effectively with patients, families, and health professionals.
• GS-5 abilities include assisting with the full range of nursing care under an RN and/or LVN/LPN; communicating orally with patients, families, interdisciplinary teams, and other personnel, including supporting new nursing assistants as a preceptor; and recognizing and responding to emergent care situations while awaiting assistance.
• Pass a pre-employment physical evaluation or examination.
• Subject to background and security investigation and, for tentatively selected applicants in testing-designated positions, pre-appointment urinalysis screening for illegal drug use.
• Register for Selective Service if applicable to males born after December 31, 1959.
• Complete the online onboarding process and provide acceptable identification and required application documents.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, with continued employment subject to written certification that it advances the public interest.
• Meet applicable education-recognition requirements; foreign education used to qualify requires a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with the transcript.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct care to complex Veterans.
• Observe changes in residents’ condition, including behavior, mood, skin color, appetite, and vital signs; take appropriate action within the assigned role and alert appropriate health care team members.
• Document care, observations, vital signs, weight, and responses to interventions using appropriate tools, forms, or the electronic health record.
• Monitor and document patient intake and output, and report deviations promptly and accurately.
• Respond to subtle changes in patients by promptly contacting appropriate nursing personnel.
• Perform nursing assistant procedures within scope of practice and according to policies and standard procedures.
• Monitor patients according to assigned observation levels, including one-to-one, continuous observation, and checks every 15 minutes.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including annual leave, sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to request and approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment for 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 conditions.
• 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 can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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