Nursing Assistant-Inpatient Care

Veterans Health Administration • Louisville, KY

7h • Onsite

About The Position

The Robley Rex VA Healthcare System in Louisville, Kentucky is recruiting a Nursing Assistant for inpatient medical-surgical/telemetry care. The position provides direct personal care to patients and serves as a member of the nursing or treatment team. Duties include assisting patients with daily living needs and mobility, supporting diagnostic procedures and nursing treatments, documenting care, reinforcing patient teaching, and communicating patient needs or changes in condition to the supervising nurse. The role also includes maintaining supplies, supporting patients and families, and performing assigned tasks within documented competency and service protocols.

The position works three 12-hour shifts weekly, from 7:30 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., plus one 8-hour shift every other week. Weekends and holidays rotate. Telework is unavailable and the position is not virtual. The full performance level is GS-05; applicants may be selected at GS-03 through GS-05.

This is a physically demanding patient-care role requiring extended periods of walking, standing, sitting, stooping, bending, pushing, and pulling, and the ability to lift at least 50 pounds. Patient transfers may be required. The work may involve exposure to infectious patients, contaminated materials, isolation precautions, and occasionally combative patients. A pre-placement physical examination and annual employee-health requirements apply.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for appointments when qualified U.S. citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in spoken and written 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 courses related to the occupation; or completion of an intensive, specialized occupation-related Nursing Assistant training course or program of less than one year.
• For GS-04, one year of specialized Nursing Assistant or other medical-field experience performing relevant technical and nursing skills, or two years of related post-high-school education; GS-04 candidates must also demonstrate the stated patient-care, observation, equipment-use, and communication abilities.
• For GS-05, one year of progressively responsible experience equivalent to GS-04 with relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities, or a four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree with 24 semester hours related to health care or a bachelor’s degree; GS-05 candidates must demonstrate the stated nursing-care, communication, precepting, and emergency-response abilities.
• Pass applicable background and security investigation requirements and pre-employment screening, including urinalysis when selected for a testing-designated position.
• Complete the required online onboarding and provide acceptable identification for employment verification.
• Participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program and meet annual employee-health requirements, including influenza vaccination and TB screening or testing.
• Serve a 1- or 2-year trial period, as applicable.
• Meet the physical requirements, including visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, manual dexterity, ability to lift at least 50 pounds, and ability to perform the described patient-care duties.
• Complete a pre-placement physical examination to determine fitness for the assignment.

Nice To Haves

• Previous experience caring for patients of different ages with multiple chronic health conditions.
• Experience in an inpatient care setting, long-term care, geriatrics, or geriatric psychiatry.

Responsibilities

• Provide personal care, including transporting, bathing, dressing, feeding, turning, and toileting patients.
• Collect patient samples, including sputum and urine, and enter specified information in medical records.
• Take vital signs and maintain and store medical supplies.
• Serve as a basic point of contact for patients and families, providing emotional support to seriously ill and terminally ill patients and their families.
• Support diagnostic procedures, nursing treatments, patient charting, and reinforcement of patient teaching.
• Complete assigned verbal and written tasks during the tour of duty and respond promptly to call lights.
• Make occupied and unoccupied beds; provide therapeutic baths and soaks.
• Care for patients in isolation and instruct visitors in protective procedures and personal protective equipment use.
• Set up and administer oxygen and postural drainage as instructed.
• Provide urinary catheter care and apply external urinary devices as directed; assist qualified staff with catheter insertion and straight catheterization according to CAUTI procedures.
• Assist with enemas and suppositories under supervision when trained and competency is documented.
• Assist during emergencies, including CPR, seizures, the Heimlich maneuver, and hemorrhaging.
• Perform post-mortem care and support family members as needed.
• Provide colostomy and urostomy care after receiving instructions from a nurse.
• Report and document care provided and changes in patients’ conditions to the supervising RN, Charge Nurse, or Team Leader, using required notes and forms.
• Use proper body mechanics and equipment safely when caring for patients.
• Assist with patient admissions and perform oral suctioning.
• Share responsibility for completing hourly patient observation rounds.
• Attend Prevention and Management of Disturbed Behavior training as required and participate as a member of the Behavioral Emergency Response Team.
• Maintain courteous and consistent relationships with supervisors, coworkers, and patients.
• Maintain constant observation of patients during off-unit escorts according to service protocol.
• Perform unit-based testing, including breathalyzer and blood glucose testing, according to service protocol.

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, comprising 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Eligible applicants may receive credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to approval.
• 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 child-care subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to family-income and other eligibility limits.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and 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 can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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