This Nursing Assistant (NA)-Float Surgical Clinics is located at Audie L. Murphy VAMC within Nursing Service.

Duties

Your primary purpose as a Float Nursing Assistant in the Surgical Clinics will be to serve as a member of the nursing team. You will perform a variety of nursing assignments in the outpatient procedural and clinic setting. This position performs tasks such as recording vital signs, testing and monitoring of blood glucose, administering care to patients, providing support to providers and nurses in the performance of personal care. You may assist with diagnostic examinations. You will communicate respectfully with patients, family/significant other/co-workers and peers. Excellent customer service and communication skills are required. Tasks include maintaining patient flow (rooming patients) in a busy high-volume environment, room turnover, set-up/take down of rooms for outpatient procedures and assisting providers and other nursing staff with minor procedures. You will ensure exam rooms are clean, stocked and ready. Equipment will be clean/sterile and in working order. You will monitor equipment and supplies for outdates and assist with repeat blood pressures, patient admissions and transfers, general transporting of patients, lab and pharmacy running for clinic. You will be required to enter specific information into the patients' electronic records or charts using standard medical terminology for the human body, physical and emotional reactions, nursing care, and contraindications to medications, etc. This is a Float Position. Basic computer skills will be essential to performing your duties as a C.N.A. You will be required to monitor patients who are disoriented and in need of constant direction. You will be required to work as a team in improving patient care. You will be required to perform other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 7:30a.m. to 4:00p.m. Telework: Not Available Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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. [Experience or] Education or Training. (1) [Six months of general experience. Experience must demonstrate the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills to perform the work of a NA; OR,] (2) One year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation; OR, (3) Completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related [training] course of study [or program] of less than one year as a NA may also meet in full the experience requirements for GS-3. Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. English Language Proficiency. NAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. Grandfathering Provision. 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 NA (Entry Level) Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements. GS-4 NA Experience. One year of specialized experience as a NA 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: i Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to the completion of the nurse care plan and recovery of patients/residents. ii Ability to observe patients/residents' or resident's physical or emotional status and refer deviations and/or problems to supervisor in a timely manner. iii 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. iv Ability to communicate effectively with patients/residents, their families and other health professionals. GS-5 NA (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 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 KSAs. i 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. ii 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. iii 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: -2-3 years hospital clinics experience -1-2 years of in hospital inpatient care -1-2 years of caring for geriatric and adult patients Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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: The population of male and female patients served ranges from the adult, age 18, to the elderly adult, age 65 and over. South Texas Veterans Health Care System is a tertiary health care facility, providing acute medical, surgical, behavioral health, physical medicine and rehabilitation, geriatric, and primary care services predominately to veterans, but in special cases, includes active-duty military and civilian populations. This position requires the following physical functional requirement: Moderate lifting, 15-35 pounds; Light lifting, under 15 pounds; Moderate carrying,15-35 pounds; Light carrying, under 15 pounds; Straight pulling, 1 hour; Pushing, 1-3 hours; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Walking, 4 hours; Standing, 2-7 hours; Kneeling, 2 hours; Repeated bending, 2 hours; Climbing; use of legs and arms; Both legs required; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Visual acuity: 20/40 DVA; corrected; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Hearing aid (permitted); Sitting, 8 hours; Simple grasping, 2-4 hours; Fine manipulation, including keyboarding, 4-6 hours; Twisting, 2 hours; Mental and emotional stability. In addition, the incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to wear protective clothing in isolation situations or during patient operative/invasive procedures. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, and be able to shift priorities based on patient needs.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

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 Audie L Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital 7400 Merton Minter Boulevard San Antonio, TX 78229 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]