Nursing Assistant - Community Living Center

Veterans Health Administration • Aspinwall, PA

8h • Onsite

About The Position

The Nursing Assistant works as an integral member of the Community Living Center nursing care team at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center’s H.J. Heinz campus. The role assists licensed nursing staff in caring for patients and residents receiving outpatient, home, community living, acute, sub-acute, or chronic care. Assignments typically involve complex nursing needs that may range from predictable to unpredictable. The incumbent provides personal nursing care to inpatients and participates in the treatment team, motivating patients and redirecting behavior toward treatment-plan goals. The position also participates in patient admissions by collecting information, orienting patients to the unit, checking for contraband when indicated, and assisting nurses in developing nursing actions.

The position requires availability to work all tours, including weekends and holidays. Compressed or flexible scheduling, telework, and virtual work are not available. The vacancy is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. The full-performance level and eligible selection grade are stated inconsistently in the announcement; it describes selection grades ranging from GS-3 to GS-5 and elsewhere GS-3 to GS-6.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship is required, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Meet the basic education or training requirement through qualifying experience demonstrating the ability to acquire nursing-assistant knowledge and skills; one year of post-high-school education with related courses; or completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related nursing assistant course of less than one year.
• For GS-4 qualification, either one year of specialized experience as a nursing assistant or in another medical field, or two years of post-high-school education with relevant coursework, plus the specified knowledge, skills, and abilities in patient care, observation and timely reporting, equipment use, and communication.
• For GS-5 qualification, either one year of progressively responsible experience equivalent to GS-4 or a four-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree that included 24 semester hours of health-care-related courses, or a bachelor's degree, plus the specified professional knowledge, skills, and abilities in nursing care, communication and precepting, and responding to emergencies.
• Pass applicable pre-employment screening and requirements, including a background/security investigation, required drug testing for selected applicants in testing-designated positions, and a pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Complete the online onboarding process and required application documentation; provide acceptable identification for employment verification.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a VA health care personnel requirement.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.
• Be available to work all tours, including weekends and holidays.

Nice To Haves

• One year of long-term care experience.

Responsibilities

• Take vital signs, obtain specimens, and support nursing staff and physicians with diagnostic testing and patient-care treatments, including foot soaks and sterile dressing changes.
• Identify patients’ needs for information and guidance in daily living and promote participation in therapeutic communities by fostering self-reliance and independence through involvement in treatment plans.
• Report changes in patients’ conditions or behavior, including changes that may be caused by drug reactions or ward-related problems.
• Encourage patients to maintain self-care and monitor their physical and emotional progress using the ward’s designated charting techniques.
• Accurately describe and report subtle behavioral changes and interactions among patients and nursing staff.
• Maintain a safe and secure environment and help sustain a ward environment oriented toward future independent living.
• Participate in patient admissions by collecting information, orienting patients to the appropriate unit, checking for contraband when indicated, and assisting nurses in formulating nursing actions.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Nurse Manager and other senior staff.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 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 the birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees with total family income below $144,000 may qualify after 60 days of employment for a child-care subsidy of up to 25% of eligible child-care costs, up to $416.66 per month.
• 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