• Job Description

  Req#: 795477800
  These Nursing Assistant position are in the Emergency, Intensive Care/Special Care Unit, Mental Health, Primary Care, Sensory and Rehab, Geriatrics Extended Care, Acute Care, Nursing Specialty Care, Operating Room, Inpatient Float Pool, Medicine Clinic/Surgical Clinic/Med Surge services at the VA Maine Medical Center and Clinics in Lewiston, Portland, Rumford, Lincoln, Calais, Bangor and Caribou locations. This position is full-time at 40 hours per week.
  
  Duties
  
  
  This announcement is intended to fill current and future vacancies under various service lines at the VA Maine Healthcare System. The presence of a location does not necessarily indicate a current vacancy. Available shifts could be days, evenings, nights, or include weekends/holidays to cover shortages or high patient volume. Shift changes will be considered based on patient and facility needs.
  
  Nursing Assistants function as a member of the nursing care team and assist higher graded NAs, 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/residents who are in acute, sub-acute, or chronic states of illness. The significant factor is that they provide care under close supervision and refer issues/questions to supervisors or other healthcare professionals. Depending on grade and assignment duties may include but are not limited to:
  
  
  Requirements
  
  
  
  
  Qualifications
  
  
  Additional information from Duties:
  Notifications:
  • Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.
  • This position is a AFGE Bargaining Unit position.
  • Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.
  • Due to a critical staffing shortage, 38 U.S.C. § 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement.
  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 chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g of VA Handbook
  • Experience or Education or Training
    • Six months of general experience. Experience must demonstrate the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills to perform the work of a NA; OR,
    • One year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation; OR,
    • 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.
  Nursing Assistants 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).
  
  Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.
  
  GS-3: Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements.
  
  GS-4: 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:
  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: Experience. (Full Performance Level). 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 KSA 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).
  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.
  
  References: VA 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: Work involves varying periods of sitting, standing and walking. Working with Veterans/residents requires bending, stooping, teaching, lifting, balancing, kneeling, pushing, i.e., wheelchairs, geri-chairs, litters and similar activities. Also, it may be necessary to perform such activities as CPR and psychiatric intervention at a unit-specific level.

• About the company

  The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with integrating life-long healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 1700 VA medical centers and outpatient clinics located throughout the country.

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