The Nursing Assistant performs and/or assists with diagnostic studies and preforms treatments/procedures. Assists or teaches patients regarding selected treatment procedures. Works with maximal initiative and minimal supervision, demonstrates leadership to the nursing assistant staff, and teaches proper technique and procedure by example. Promotes maximal patient motivation, independence, and rehabilitation and provides patients with a sense of self-worth and dignity by fostering self-reliance.

Duties

The Nursing Assistant will: 1. Respond to patient calls for assistance in a timely manner. 2. Ensure proper identification of patient per policy before administering care. 3. Willingly assist co-workers without being asked and work well as a team member. 4. Actively participate in change of shift by communicating all pertinent patient information to Team Leader, Charge Nurse and/or receiving shift. 5. Assists with admission, discharge, and transfer of patients. Completing duties as assigned and under the supervision and direction of the Registered Nurse (RN) and/or Lead Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). 6. Give bed bath, tub and shower baths, shampoo hair, and assist patients with grooming. Will consistently promote patient independence, rehabilitation and restorative nursing as the patient plan of care dictates. 7. Maintains privacy and confidentiality of all aspects of patient care. 8. Give morning and evening care. 9. Provide a1/1d assist in oral hygiene with suctioning of oral cavity if necessary and denture care. 10. Change linen of occupied and unoccupied beds. 11. Assist patients with bedpans and urinals. 12. Feed patients; assist those who need help with eating and accurately document intake and output. Follow individualized patient feeding requirements. 13. Assist with delivery of patient nourishments and/or hydration as needed according to provider orders. Pay schedule: V0SO Work Schedule: Rotational

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 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. Physical Requirements. Heavy lifting (45 lbs. and over); Heavy carrying (45 lbs. and over); Straight pulling (up to 8 hours); Pushing (up to 8 hours); Reaching above shoulders; Use of fingers; both hands required; walking (up to 8 hours); standing (up to 8 hours); kneeling (2 to 3 hours); repeated bending (up to 8 hours); both legs required; hearing (aid permitted). English Language Proficiency: must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j. 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). Preferred Experience: One to two year acute or skilled care experience preferred. Grade Determinations: GS- 5 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 assignments -OR- 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. In addition the above, applicant must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 1 Ability to assist in the full range of nursing care to patient/resident 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 nursing assistants 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. References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II, Appendix G46 Physical Requirements: The population of male and female veterans served ranges from the adult, age 18, to the elderly adult, age 65 and over. James H Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center (JHQVAMC) is a major interdisciplinary teaching facility, serving medical, surgical, and neurological inpatients and outpatients. There is a large outpatient psychiatric population, with admissions for medical comorbidities. This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, lifting more than 10 pounds, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The NA may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. The NA may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The NA must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. The employee may on occasion, be assigned to other Veteran care areas throughout the medical center where certain healthcare services are available 24/7.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address James H Quillen VA Medical Center Corner of Lamont Street and Veterans Way Mountain Home, TN 37684 US
• Name: Sheila Anderson-Welcome
• Phone: 726-610-5259
• Email: [email protected]