The Nurse Assistant means any unlicensed aide, assistant, or orderly, who performs nursing services directed at the safety, comfort, personal hygiene, or protection of patients. Certified Nurse Assistant means any person who holds himself or herself out as a certified nurse assistant and who, for compensation, performs basic patient care services directed at the safety, comfort, personal hygiene, and protection of patients, and is certified as having completed the requirements for certification.

Duties

Provides patient personal hygiene by giving bedpans, urinals, baths, backrubs, shampoos, and shaves; assisting with travel to the bathroom; helping with showers and baths. Provides adjunct care: applies nonsterile dressings, surgical preps, ice packs, heat treatments, administers therapeutic baths; applies restraints. Provides patient comfort by utilizing resources and materials. Transports patients. Assists with patient transfers. Answers call lights and patient requests. Provides for activities of daily living by assisting with serving meals, feeding patients as necessary; ambulating, turning, and positioning patients; providing fresh water and nourishment between meals. Maintains a clean patient room. Cleans and sanitizes patient areas. Collects information about conditions and treatment plans from caregivers, nurses and doctors. Maintains patient stability by checking vital signs and weight; testing urine; recording intake and output information. Performs EKG. Observes not only the obvious changes in a patient's physical condition but the subtleties of their emotional state. Recognizes patients in distress needing immediate intervention. reports changes in the patient's condition to the RN. Recognizes signs of potential or active disruptive behavior and quickly acts with appropriate therapeutic interventions. Documents actions by completing forms, reports, logs, and records in a timely manner. Protects organization's value by keeping patient information confidential. Communicates effectively with a variety of individuals and functions calmly in situations which require a high degree of sensitivity, tact, and diplomacy. Adheres to ethical principles and standards while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries when delivering care and interacting with the interdisciplinary team. Serves and protects the hospital community by adhering to professional standards, hospital policies and procedures, federal, state, and local requirements, and accreditation standards. Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities. Enhances the nursing department and hospital reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments. Performs nursing activities according to VALLHS policy/procedures. Additional Essential Functions while working in PACU:

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. Education or Training. The candidate must have one year above high school with courses related to the Nursing Assistant occupation. Completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related course of study of less than one year as a nursing assistant may also meet in full the experience requirements for GS-3. English Language Proficiency. Nursing Assistants appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). 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 and meet the criteria).Grade Determinations: GS-3 Experience: None beyond the basic requirements above. GS-4 Experience/Education: In this role, the Nursing Assistant functions as a member of the nursing care team and assists higher graded Nursing Assistants, 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 Nursing Assistants, or other healthcare professionals. Experience: One year of specialized experience as a Nursing Assistant or experience in another medical field (licensed practical nurse, health technician, hospital corpsman, etc.), performing technical and nursing skills requiring knowledge of the human physical and emotional states, therapeutic communication, and technical skills required for basic and intermediate treatments OR Education: Successful 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 residents' 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. GS-5 Experience: This is the full performance level for Nursing Assistants. Nursing Assistants 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. Nursing Assistants at this level also assume more of a peer education/mentorship role. Experience: One year of progressively responsible assignments and experience equivalent to the GS-4 level which demonstrates knowledge, skills, and abilities that are directly related to the specific assignment. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSAs in subparagraph (c) below OR Education: Successful 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 Nursing Assistants 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. References: VA Directive and Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G46, Nursing Assistant Qualification Standard 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: Heavy Lifting (45 lbs. and over); Straight Pulling (up to 2 hours); Pushing (2 hours); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (up to 8 hours); Standing (up to 8 hours); Both legs required; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/40 and to 20/100 in the other.

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 Jerry L Pettis Memorial Veterans Hospital 11201 Benton Street Loma Linda, CA 92357 US
• Name: Robin Curtis
• Phone: (909) 583-6138
• Email: [email protected]