Nursing Assistant-Nursing Service-Long Term Spinal Cord Injury Unit

Veterans Health Administration • Brockton, MA

10d • Onsite

About The Position

The Nursing Assistant works in the Nursing Service’s Long-Term Spinal Cord Injury Unit at the Boston VA Healthcare System’s Brockton, Massachusetts campus. The position assists licensed nursing staff and other care-team members in caring for outpatient Veterans. Work is performed under the close supervision and direction of a Registered Nurse, with questions and issues referred to supervisors or other healthcare professionals. The full performance level is GS-05; applicants may be selected at GS-03 through GS-05. Promotion to the full performance level may be possible without further competition when regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met, but selection at a lower grade does not guarantee promotion.

This is a full-time evening position, 40 hours per week, with rotating weekends and holidays. Telework, virtual work, compressed or flexible schedules, recruitment or relocation incentives, and permanent change of station are not authorized.

The role requires meeting applicable federal employment and VA conditions, including U.S. citizenship subject to stated exceptions, English proficiency, background and security review, a pre-employment physical, seasonal influenza vaccination, and annual employee-health requirements. A one- or two-year trial period applies. The position requires physical capability for patient-care tasks and may involve exposure to infectious or contaminated materials and occasionally combative patients.

Benefits described include 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, possible childcare subsidy eligibility for qualifying full-time employees after 60 days, a traditional federal pension, federal 401(k) contributions of up to 5%, and federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term-care insurance. Eligible prior work or military service may be credited toward annual leave accrual, subject to approval.

Requirements

• Meet the basic Nursing Assistant qualification requirement through one of the stated pathways: six months of general experience; one year of post-high-school education with courses related to the occupation; or completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related Nursing Assistant training program of less than one year, which may satisfy the GS-3 experience requirement.
• Be proficient in spoken and written English.
• For GS-4, have one year of specialized Nursing Assistant or related medical-field experience, or two years of relevant post-high-school education, and demonstrate the stated patient-care, observation and reporting, equipment-use, and communication abilities.
• For GS-5, have one year of progressively responsible experience equivalent to GS-4, or a qualifying bachelor’s degree, and demonstrate the stated nursing-care, oral communication and precepting, and emergency-response abilities.
• Be a U.S. citizen, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Complete required background/security investigation, onboarding, and pre-employment physical examination; comply with applicable identification requirements and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Meet annual Employee Health requirements, such as TB screening or testing.
• Meet the position’s physical requirements, including visual acuity, keen hearing, clear speech, manual dexterity, and ability to perform prolonged walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, pushing, and patient or object transfers.
• Be able to work effectively in stressful situations, shift priorities based on patient needs, and work with possible exposure to infected patients, contaminated materials, and occasionally combative patients.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, as applicable.

Responsibilities

• Accurately take, record, and report vital signs.
• Assist with total activities of daily living and treatments, including bowel and bladder management, feeding, and repositioning.
• Assist with Hoyer lift transfers and wheelchair use.
• Help maintain a safe environment and conduct hourly rounds, carrying out care as directed by nurses or providers.
• Initiate emergency action in life-threatening situations, including cardiac or respiratory arrest, massive bleeding, shock, or assaultive behavior, and promptly alert licensed personnel.
• Perform EKGs.
• Document the activities-of-daily-living care provided.
• Obtain specimens, label them properly, and prepare them for transport and testing.
• Perform point-of-care testing.
• Clean and disinfect rooms and medical equipment after patient use.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, consisting of 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to approval.
• After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with a child’s birth, adoption, or foster-care placement.
• Eligible full-time employees with total family income below $144,000 may qualify, after 60 days of employment, for a childcare subsidy of up to 25% of eligible childcare costs, subject to a monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting.
• 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