Nursing Assistant - Acute Care - Temporary

Veterans Health Administration • West Palm Beach, FL

17d • Onsite

About The Position

The Nursing Assistant supports the care, safety, and recovery of Veterans in an acute-care environment at the West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System. The position has grade levels from GS-3 through GS-5, with responsibilities increasing in complexity, autonomy, and clinical judgment. Nursing Assistants monitor patient conditions, assist with activities of daily living, maintain therapeutic relationships, and contribute to patient treatment plans while working as part of a nursing care team under the direction and supervision of licensed nursing staff.

At GS-3, the Nursing Assistant provides basic personal care, assists with mobility, measures and records vital signs and intake/output, reports changes to licensed staff, maintains a clean and safe patient environment, observes patient behavior, and follows infection-control and safety procedures. At GS-4, the assistant performs these duties with increasing independence, supports patients with more complex needs, assists with restorative activities, collects specimens, documents care, and contributes observations to care planning. At GS-5, the assistant performs duties at full proficiency with minimal supervision, cares for patients with acute, chronic, or specialized conditions, recognizes and reports significant changes, prepares patients for tests and procedures, reinforces teaching from licensed nursing staff, and mentors lower-graded assistants.

Acute Care operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including weekends and federal holidays. The position is primarily scheduled from 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.; actual tours may vary and include 8- or 12-hour shifts, day or night assignments, weekends, and holidays, based on patient-care and facility needs. Flexibility in tour assignments is a condition of employment. Telework is unavailable, and the position is not virtual. The selected applicant must complete and maintain required Prevention and Management of Disruptive Behavior (PMDB) training and competencies, including applicable hands-on training and competency validation.

The full-performance grade is GS-5; applicants may be selected at GS-3 through GS-5. The position requires U.S. citizenship, proficiency in written and spoken English, a pre-employment physical examination, and compliance with applicable security, onboarding, and influenza vaccination requirements. A 1- or 2-year trial period applies. The position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• GS-3: No experience or education beyond the basic requirements is required for grade determination; basic qualification may be met through six months of general experience, one year of education above high school with related courses, or an intensive specialized occupation-related training course of less than one year. Transcripts are required where applicable.
• GS-4: One year of specialized Nursing Assistant experience or qualifying experience in another medical field; alternatively, successful completion of two years of related education above high school. Candidates must demonstrate the stated patient-care, observation and reporting, equipment-use, and communication KSAs.
• GS-5: One year of progressively responsible experience equivalent to GS-4 with directly related knowledge, skills, and abilities; alternatively, a qualifying four-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with 24 semester hours of related coursework, or possession of a bachelor's degree. Candidates must demonstrate the stated nursing-care, communication and preceptor, and emergent-response KSAs.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical examination.
• Must successfully complete and maintain required PMDB training and competencies, including applicable hands-on training and competency validation.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Subject to background/security investigation, drug screening by urinalysis for tentatively selected applicants in testing-designated positions, and online onboarding requirements.
• Must meet applicable identification and application-document requirements.
• Must serve a 1- or 2-year trial period.
• Must be flexible to work varying tours, including weekends and federal holidays, as patient-care and operational needs require.

Nice To Haves

• Experience as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), including providing direct patient care in an acute-care or hospital setting.

Responsibilities

• Provide basic nursing care, including bathing, dressing, grooming, feeding, toileting, and personal hygiene assistance.
• Assist patients with mobility, including turning, repositioning, ambulating, and transferring safely.
• Measure and record vital signs and intake/output, and promptly report changes to licensed staff.
• Maintain a clean and safe patient environment, including bed making, stocking supplies, and general cleanliness.
• Observe patient behavior and report notable physical or emotional changes.
• Follow infection-control standards, safety guidelines, and facility procedures.
• Provide care to patients with more complex physical, emotional, or behavioral needs as appropriate to grade level.
• Assist with restorative and rehabilitative activities to promote independence.
• Collect and properly handle and label urine, stool, and sputum specimens.
• Document care and observations accurately in accordance with VA requirements.
• Participate in team discussions and contribute observations to patient care planning.
• Provide care to patients with acute, chronic, or specialized medical conditions at the GS-5 level.
• Recognize and report significant changes in patient condition and respond to emergent patient-care situations while awaiting assistance.
• Assist in preparing patients for diagnostic tests and clinical procedures.
• Reinforce patient and family teaching provided by licensed nursing staff.
• Serve as a resource and mentor to lower-graded Nursing Assistants, including assisting with training and orientation.
• Work flexible tours, which may include off-tours, alternate tours, weekends, and federal holidays, according to patient-care and operational needs.
• Successfully complete and maintain required PMDB training and competencies, including applicable hands-on training and validation.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive federal benefits package; eligibility depends on position type and other factors.
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to request and approval before appointment.

What This Job Offers

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