This position is located in Nursing Service, Boise VA Medical Center, Boise, ID. This position provides support to Veterans that are in need of long term or acute care nursing care. Certified Nursing Assistants 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, and/or acute care.

Duties

The Certified Nursing Assistant duties include, but are not limited to: Perform procedures to maintain proper nutrition, airway, circulation, elimination, muscle strength, neurological functions, and promote AOL/hygiene protocols and documents care provided. Ensure patient's privacy needs are met. Perform a range of technical procedures including 12 Lead ECGs, blood glucose monitoring, phlebotomy, and straight catheterization. Perform therapeutic procedures including wound and skin care, sterile dressings, and wound irrigations. Assist with transport of non-monitored patients as needed. Maintain daily stocks and makes ready supplies such as lab and phlebotomy totes, blood glucose caddies, nurse servers, patient rooms, organize and clean supply room, restocks blanket warmers and maintains temperature log, etc. Accurately observe, measure, and document vital signs and other parameters that indicate patient physiologic status, weight, vital signs, glucose levels, nutritional intake, and level of consciousness. Perform the proper application, use, and procedure for specialized equipment/procedures i.e.: lead EKG, blood draws, application and removal of CPM, and 1/0 catheterizations. Admit patients to the nursing care unit. Complete orientation admission template on new admissions, e.g., vital signs, weight, height and inventory of patient belongings. Orients patient to room and ward and ensures that questions related to the ward are satisfied. Demonstrate understanding of cleaning/disinfections of RME (reusable medical equipment) used in the work area. Clean and maintain the area and equipment per policy. Follow principles of infection control for a wide range of conditions including: implementation of universal precautions, hand hygiene, and when necessary, implementing special isolation guidelines. Work Schedule: 6:00am - 6:30pm, Rotating Shift Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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. Education or Training: One year above high school with courses related to the NA 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 GS3. English Language Proficiency: Nursing Assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. Grade Requirements Creditable Experience Knowledge of Current Practice. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the current practice. Quality of Experience. To be creditable, NA experience must be documented on the application or resume and verified in an employment reference, or through other independent means. Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a NA is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a NA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. GS-03 Nursing Assistant (Entry Level) Specialized Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements. GS-04 Nursing Assistant Specialized Experience. One year of specialized experience as a CNA 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: 1. Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to the completion of the nurse care plan and recovery of patients/residents. 2. Ability to observe patients/residents' or resident's physical or emotional status and refer deviations and/or problems to supervisor in a timely manner. 3. 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. 4. Ability to communicate effectively with patients/residents, their families and other health professionals. GS-5 Nursing Assistant (Full Performance Level) 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 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 KSAs: In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. 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. Preferred Experience: 1 year of healthcare experience References: VA Handbook 5005/81, Part II, Appendix G46 Certified 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: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinct speech and manual dexterity. Work requires physical activity including extended periods of standing, walking, and bending with occasional periods of sitting, kneeling, climbing, stooping, crouching, and balancing. Work also requires constant reaching between knee and shoulder level as well as frequent reaching below knee level. Frequent fine motor movement of fingers and wrists as well as gross motor movement of elbows and arms is also required. Incumbents in this position may be exposed to infectious/communicable diseases and blood borne pathogens and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. Incumbents must occasionally be able to independently lift up to 50 pounds and push/pull up to 50 pounds of force with grip strength of 65 pounds.

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 Boise VA Medical Center 500 West Fort Street Boise, ID 83702 US
• Name: Mark Lemke
• Phone: 713-383-2353
• Email: [email protected]