Nursing Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Kerrville, TX

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The Nursing Assistant functions as a member of the nursing care team, assisting licensed nursing staff in caring for patients and residents receiving outpatient, home, community-living, acute, sub-acute, or chronic care. The role provides direct care to Veterans, including those with complex needs, and supports their autonomy and independence through individualized care. Nursing Assistants observe and report changes in patients’ conditions, document care and responses, contribute to treatment and care planning, and help maintain a clean, safe environment. The position also includes supporting infection control, responding to emergencies, mentoring and orienting colleagues, and completing required training and competency assessments. The full performance level is GS-5; selections may be made at GS-3 through GS-5. Work schedule: rotating shifts. Telework and virtual work are not available.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Meet the basic experience, education, or training requirement through one of the following: six months of general experience demonstrating the 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 program of less than one year. A grandfathering provision may apply to qualifying current VHA employees.
• For GS-4, meet either one year of Nursing Assistant or other medical-field experience performing technical and nursing skills, or two years of post-high-school education in relevant coursework, and demonstrate the specified patient-care, observation and reporting, equipment-use, and communication abilities.
• For GS-5, meet either one year of progressively responsible experience equivalent to GS-4 in directly related assignments, or a four-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree that included 24 semester hours of healthcare-related courses or possession of a bachelor’s degree; also demonstrate the specified nursing-care, communication and preceptor, and emergency-response abilities.
• Meet the qualifications for the grade sought; GS-3 is entry level, GS-4 developmental, and GS-5 the full-performance level.
• Applicants relying on education to qualify must submit a transcript. Education must be from an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education; foreign education requires a certificate of foreign equivalency with the transcript.
• Pass a pre-employment physical examination.
• Selected applicants are subject to a pre-appointment urinalysis drug screen and must complete background/security investigation and online onboarding requirements.
• Register for Selective Service if a male born after December 31, 1959.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare personnel requirement.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period and receive written certification of continued employment upon its completion.

Nice To Haves

• Long-term care or geriatric experience.
• Hospice or palliative-care experience.
• Rehabilitation training.
• One year of healthcare experience.
• Proficiency in electronic medical record documentation.

Responsibilities

• Use glucose-monitoring equipment to obtain Veterans’ readings and report deviations to appropriate healthcare staff.
• Provide direct care to Veterans, including patients with complex needs.
• Observe changes in residents’ behavior, mood, skin color, appetite, and other aspects of their condition, and respond appropriately.
• Document care, observations, patient responses, and resident conditions accurately using required tools, forms, charts, and formats.
• Notify appropriate nursing personnel of changes in a patient’s condition.
• Provide tracheostomy care, including suctioning.
• Monitor and document patient intake and output, and report deviations promptly and accurately.
• Perform nursing procedures within scope of practice and in accordance with policies, including enemas, catheterization, colostomy care, skin care, simple dressings, and brace or prosthetic application.
• Facilitate small-group patient or resident activities according to individual treatment plans.
• Respect residents’ autonomy and promote independence through individualized care and appropriate limit-setting.
• Participate in treatment-planning meetings and ongoing care-plan discussions.
• Use equipment that promotes patient self-care.
• Provide verbal updates to the treatment team for inclusion in Veterans’ care plans.
• Help maintain a clean and safe environment, remove defective equipment, report hazards, and follow safety regulations.
• Contribute to infection-control efforts and use proper aseptic technique.
• Serve as a preceptor and mentor to other Nursing Assistants and orient new healthcare-team members to the unit as appropriate.
• Manage patient behaviors and seek assistance from other team members when needed.
• Initiate basic life support and take appropriate emergency action when required.
• Complete mandatory training within required timelines and participate in annual competency assessments and validations.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 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.
• Potential credit toward annual-leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to request and 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.
• Potential childcare subsidy after 60 days for eligible full-time employees with total family income below $144,000, covering up to 25% of eligible childcare costs, subject to a monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• 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