The Nursing Assistant (NA) performs a range of patient care in a variety of settings. The NA performs care as delegated by a Registered Nurse to those patients on a behavioral Health Unit at the Albany Stratton VAMC. Work includes assisting other medical personnel in the care or treatment of patients who have serious and sometimes life-threatening illnesses or medical conditions, and assisting nursing staff with direct patient care.

Duties

Duties of the Nursing Assistant include, but are not limited to: Participates in patients; admissions by establishing rapport and orienting the patient to the physical layout of the unit, hospital and unit rules/regulations, unit staff and patient rights Provides nursing care to patients of all ages and cultures and who are acutely, chronically, or seriously ill Provides input regarding patient care planning and implementation Offers constructive suggestions for improvement of patient care and encourages others to do the same Observes, reports and charts changes in patient's condition, attitudes, and complaints Institutes appropriate measure of intervention with patients during behavioral incidents Encourages the development of patient independence and assists with activities of daily living as appropriate Shares in responsibility for general ward orderliness and sanitation and care of equipment. Keeps immediate supervisor informed of supply shortages and defective equipment Actively participates in developing and maintaining a safe recovery-oriented environment for patients and staff Assumes responsibility for validating own observations and therapeutic patient interventions with professional team members Actively participates as a member of the multidisciplinary treatment team Assists the Registered Nurse in the care and treatment of the patient Observe and reports to the charge nurse changes in patient behavior, attitude, bodily complaints, and appearance Recognizes emergency situations and intervenes within scope of practice while awaiting assistance Assists the charge nurse with dressing changes and complex procedures Communicates to the Registered Nurse any concerns voiced by either the patient, family member or staff Communicates and coordinates with the Registered Nurse any time that a patient needs to go off the floor for other services within the hospital. The NA will transport patient to and from procedures as needed Utilizes all lifting equipment to the fullest capability to assist the patient in getting in and out of bed Educates and shows other staff how to use the equipment safely and effectively Work Schedule: Full time; Day shift with rotations to evenings, nights and weekends Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay, higher or unique qualifications, or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• 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
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Personnel

Qualifications

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: Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. Education: 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 which resulted in attaining certification as a nursing assistant may also meet in full the experience requirements for GS-3 Grade Determinations: GS-3 Nursing Assistant: Nothing beyond the indicated basic requirements above. GS-4 Nursing Assistant: 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 Demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (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: 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 Demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (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 Qualifications: Mental Health experience References: Nursing Assistant, VA HANDBOOK 5005/71, PART II, APPENDIX G46. Physical Requirements: This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and moving of objects may be 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 Samuel S Stratton VA Medical Center - Albany 113 Holland Ave Albany, NY 12208 US
• Name: Tyler Marbaker
• Phone: 5853645932
• Email: [email protected]