Nursing Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Battle Creek, MI

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Battle Creek VA Medical Center is recruiting Nursing Assistants to provide direct care to inpatient Veterans within Mental Health Nursing. The position is located in 39-Gero or 39-1 West (acute); the announcement may also be used to fill other open positions within Inpatient Mental Health. The Nursing Assistant works as part of the health care and interdisciplinary care teams, collaborating with residents, their families, and care-team members to design and implement individualized plans of care.

The role includes personal nursing care, maintaining a safe environment, observing and reporting residents’ physical and emotional status, documenting care and progress, and engaging residents in meaningful activities and restorative nursing programs. The full performance level is GS-5, and selections may be made at GS-3 through GS-5. The schedule is Sunday through Saturday, 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 a.m., for 80 hours per pay period. Hours may be rotated or extended according to Medical Center and Veteran care needs.

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.
• Six months of general experience demonstrating the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills to perform Nursing Assistant work; or one year of post-high-school education with courses related to the occupation; or completion of an intensive, specialized occupation-related training program of less than one year.
• For GS-4 consideration: one year of specialized Nursing Assistant experience or experience in another medical field performing relevant technical and nursing skills; or two years of post-high-school education with related coursework, plus the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• For GS-5 consideration: one year of progressively responsible experience equivalent to GS-4, or a qualifying four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree with 24 semester hours of health-care-related courses, or a bachelor’s degree; plus the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Ability to provide patient or resident care and contribute to nursing care plans and recovery.
• Ability to observe physical or emotional status and promptly refer deviations or problems to a supervisor.
• Ability to properly use equipment, materials, and supplies in simple diagnostic and treatment procedures, such as bladder scans, continuous passive motion devices, blood glucose monitoring, and specimen collection (GS-4 criteria).
• Ability to communicate effectively with patients or residents, families, and health professionals.
• Ability to assist with the full range of nursing care for patients or residents with physical and/or behavioral problems under nursing direction (GS-5 criteria).
• Ability to communicate orally with patients or residents, families, interdisciplinary teams, and other personnel (GS-5 criteria).
• Ability to recognize and respond to emergent patient or resident care situations, including basic life support needs, bleeding, or behavior crises (GS-5 criteria).
• Must pass a pre-employment physical evaluation and applicable background/security investigation.
• Applicants tentatively selected for a testing-designated position are subject to urinalysis for illegal drug use; refusal results in denial of employment.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program for VA Health Care Personnel.
• Must complete the online onboarding process and provide acceptable identification and all required application documents.
• Must serve a two-year trial period, with continued employment subject to written certification that it advances the public interest.
• A transcript must be submitted when education is used to qualify. Foreign education requires a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with the transcript.

Nice To Haves

• Preferred experience in inpatient mental health, behavioral health, psychiatry, geriatrics, dementia.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct care to inpatient Veterans, including bathing, grooming, dressing, oral care, feeding, toileting, transferring, and turning.
• Engage residents in meaningful activities and restorative nursing programs.
• Collaborate with residents, their families, and interdisciplinary care-team members to design and implement individualized plans of care.
• Maintain a safe physical environment and identify and report potentially hazardous conditions to the Registered Nurse.
• Take and chart vital signs, height, and weight.
• Perform nursing care procedures, including hygiene and grooming, oral suctioning, catheterization, colostomy irrigation and care, and care for residents receiving supplemental oxygen therapy.
• Assist Physicians or Registered Nurses with physical examinations and procedures.
• Observe and document disturbed behaviors and work with the interdisciplinary team to manage behaviors and improve resident comfort.
• Chart residents’ physical and emotional responses and progress, describe subtle behavioral changes and interactions, and report and record care.
• At the GS-5 level, assist with the full range of nursing care under the direction of a Registered Nurse and/or Licensed Vocational Nurse/Licensed Practical Nurse, and respond to emergent care situations while awaiting assistance.
• At the GS-5 level, serve as a preceptor to new Nursing Assistants by assisting with orientation and overseeing or assessing their practical experience in a clinical setting.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered based on qualifications or VA 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 birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a child-care subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to income, child eligibility, and program limits.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and a 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.
• Annual leave accrual credit may be available for qualifying prior federal or military service, subject to approval before appointment.
• Sign-on bonus and relocation assistance are not authorized.

What This Job Offers

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