Under the direction of the primary or associate nurse, the Nursing Assistant (NA) in the Acute Psychiatry Inpatient Unit within the Mental Health Division (MHD) performs a variety of routine patient care techniques based on the needs of the unit. The incumbent provides care to psychiatric patients, as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team, following the nursing care plan.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to: Utilize glucose monitoring machine appropriately to collect and document appropriate glucose readings for assigned Veteran Maintain a positive therapeutic relationship by displaying respect for human dignity with patients, families and/or Significant Others utilizing learned communication skills Utilize observation skills for data collection, reporting and recording patient/resident observations Perform aspects of nursing care to meet patient's needs for the following: o Personal Hygiene o Physical comfort o Activity, Exercise, Rest o Nutrition o Elimination o Prevention of Skin Breakdown o Rehabilitative Aspects of Care o Learn to utilize principles of proper body mechanics while caring for patients - Report patient observations to the RN and or other members of the treatment team - Trained to set up patient care related equipment - Organize and obtain routine supplies and equipment - Assist with orienting patient/family to unit routines and policies - Work as a cooperative, courteous member of the interdisciplinary team - Safeguard patient's right to privacy by judiciously protecting information of a confidential nature - Use proper safety practices - Communicate effectively with patients/residents, their families and other health professionals. - Utilize equipment and supplies according to procedures - Utilize principles of proper body mechanics and follows procedures for use of patient care equipment to prevent injury to self or others in all settings such as utilization of lifting equipment Work Schedule: Days, 07:00am to 07:30pm or Nights, 07:00pm to 07:30am. 3-12 hours per week and 1 8 hour shift every other week. Some weekends and Holiday's expected. Compressed/Flexible: May be available. Telework: No Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Personnel
• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• e-Verify: Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/12/2023. 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. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation). Grade Determinations: GS-3 Nursing Assistant: Education. One year of education above high school with courses related to the Nursing Assistant occupation. OR, Training. I have completed an intensive, specialized, occupation-related course of study less than one year as a nursing assistant.. GS-4 Nursing Assistant: Experience- 1 year of experience as a Nursing Assistant or in another medical field; OR, Education- Completion of 2 years above high school in an accredited institution with courses related to nursing care, health care or in a field of study appropriate to the specialization of the position, such as education in a program for psychology, psychiatric, or operating room technicians; AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to the completion of the nurse care plan and recovery of patients/residents. Ability to observe patients/residents' or resident's physical or emotional status and refer deviations and/or problems to supervisor in a timely manner. Ability to properly use equipment, materials and supplies in simple diagnostic and treatment procedures such as bladder scan, continuous passive motion device, blood glucose monitoring machine, specimen collection, etc. Ability to communicate effectively with patients/residents, their families and other health professionals. Assignment: Individuals assigned as GS-4 NAs are considered to be at the intermediate or developmental level and are closely supervised. NAs at this grade level function as a member of the nursing care team and assist higher graded NAs, licensed nursing staff, and other members of the care team in the care of patients/residents receiving outpatient care, home or community living care or other patients/residents who are in acute, sub-acute, or chronic states of illness. The significant factor is that they provide care under close supervision and refer issues/questions to supervisors, higher graded NAs or other healthcare professionals. In this role, the Nursing Assistant functions as a member of the nursing care team and assists higher graded NAs, licensed nursing staff, and other members of the care team in the care of patients/residents receiving outpatient care, home or community living care, or other patients who are in acute, sub-acute, or chronic states of illness. The Nursing Assistant in this role provides care under close supervision and refers issues/questions to supervisors, higher graded NAs, or other healthcare professionals. GS-5 Nursing Assistant: Experience- One year of progressively responsible assignments and experience equivalent to the GS-4 level; OR, Education- Completion of a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree that included 24 semester hours of courses related to health care or possession of a bachelor's degree. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to assist in the full range of nursing care to patients/residents with physical and/or behavioral problems in a hospital, long term care or outpatient setting under the direction of a Registered Nurse and/or Licensed Vocational Nurse/Licensed Practical Nurse. Ability to communicate orally with patients/residents, families, interdisciplinary team and other personnel. This includes serving as a preceptor to new NAs by assisting with the coordination of their orientation and overseeing/assessing their practical experience while in a clinical setting. Ability to recognize and react to emergent patient/resident care situations and intervene while waiting for assistance. For example, recognizing need for basic life support, controlling bleeding and assisting with behavior crisis, etc. Assignment. This is the full performance level for NAs. NAs at this grade level function as a member of the nursing care team and assist licensed nursing staff in the care of patients/residents receiving outpatient care, home or community living care or other patients/residents who are in acute, sub acute or chronic states of illness. The distinguishing factor is that patient/resident assignments typically involve more complex nursing needs which can vary within a range of predictable to unpredictable requirements. NAs at this level also assume more of a peer education/mentorship role. Preferred Experience: NA Certification and one year experience preferred. Acute care, mental health and/or memory care experienced preferred. References: VA Handbook 5005 - http://vaww.va.gov/OHRM/Directives-Handbooks/Documents/5005.pdf. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-05. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-03 to GS-05. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting (15-44 pounds), moderate carrying (15-44 pounds), straight pulling (1 hour), pushing (1-2 hours), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, walking (3 hours), standing (4-6 hours), repeated bending (2 hours), both legs required, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordinating simultaneously, near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors, hearing (aid permitted), mental and emotional stability required.

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 VA Portland Health Care System 3710 Southwest US Veterans Hospital Road Portland, OR 97239 US
• Name: Artan Hoxha
• Phone: 5032208262 X58486
• Email: [email protected]