This is a developmental nursing position at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center. Incumbents will be given opportunities to provide basic nursing care in alignment with competencies learned in the academic setting and validated by VA staff to provide care to patients with acute to chronic conditions in a hospital setting. The significant factor is that the incumbent will work under close supervision while learning to perform complex nursing skills and referring all questions to assigned supervisors.

Duties

The Student Nurse Technician (SNT) is responsible for appropriately performing basic care including ADLs, vital signs, utilizing the glucose monitoring machine to collect and document appropriate glucose readings for the assigned Veteran, observation of patients, and otherwise performing all relevant aspects of nursing care to meet patient needs for the following: personal hygiene, physical comfort, activity, exercise, rest, nutrition, elimination, prevention of skin breakdown, and rehabilitative aspects of care. The incumbent will engage with in-group activities such as field trips outside of the facility, reality orientation, current events, and other therapeutic groups; set up patient care related equipment, organize and obtain routine supplies and equipment, assist with orienting patient/family to unit routines and policies, monitor patients according to levels of observations, and perform and document prescribed medical treatment and interventions for the patient such as diabetic urine testing, blood testing, and simple dressing changes. This developmental position will also begin to utilize rehabilitative principles to promote patient independence and recovery such as encouraging and guiding them in bowel and bladder training. Any other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor and/or senior nursing staff. Work Schedule: Surgical Clinic Student Nurse Technicians work Monday- Friday, Daylight Shift Only, All other Student Nurse Technician positions' work schedules include weekdays, weekends, and rotating shifts. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Education: enrollment in a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate State-accrediting agency AND accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Grade Determination: Education: GS-3 Completion of 1 academic year of post-high school study GS-4 Completion of 2 academic years of post-high school study or associate's degree GS-5 Completion of final semester of the junior year Reference: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3. Preferred Criteria: cumulative GPA of 3.0 Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting & Carrying (45 lbs. and over); Straight Pulling & Pushing (7-8 hours); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (up to 8 hours); Standing & Kneeling (up to 1 hour): Repeated bending (7-8 hours); Both legs required. Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16"; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and 20/40 in the other; Hearing (aid permitted); Emotional and Mental Stability. May be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. May occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative, secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. Note: Student Nurse Technicians (SNTs) will be paid regular straight time base rate but may not receive any additional premium pay for working on legal holidays, Sundays or nights. Additionally, SNTs will receive their regular straight time pay for time off, if relieved or prevented from working by the occurrence of a legal holiday. No compensation will be paid to SNTs for working overtime; however, SNTs may be granted equivalent time off for service in excess of 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week. A minimum of two (2) 8-hour shifts per pay period must be completed to maintain the position. As trainees, SNTs may not be assigned to compressed work schedules, except when rotating with an assigned preceptor working through a pre-assigned compressed work schedule. This temporary trainee rotation must be limited as previously mentioned. When appointed on a full-time or part-time basis, SNTs are entitled to accrue annual and sick leave in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 63. When appointed on an intermittent basis, SNTs are not entitled to leave accruals.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Pittsburgh VA Medical Center 1010 Delafield Road Pittsburgh, PA 15215 US
• Name: Carletta Sligh
• Phone: (412) 822-2185
• Email: [email protected]