Nursing Assistant Spinal Cord Injury

Summary

The Nursing Assistant (NA) is assigned to the T1 ward in the Spinal Cord Injury Service at the Long Beach VA Healthcare System.

Duties

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The responsibility of the NA is for personal patient care including transporting, bathing, dressing, feeding, turning, toileting, collection of various samples including sputum and urine, entering specific information into the patient's medical record, vital signs, maintaining and stocking medical supplies, serving as a basic contact for patients and families. The NA will support diagnostic procedures, nursing treatments, patient charting and reinforcement of patient teaching. The performance of these tasks involve direct working relationships with patients and participation as a member of the treatment or nursing care team in direct service to patients.

The following are assigned duties, but not limited to, the list below with documented competency :

• Safely and effectively uses patient care equipment.
• Identifies potential and actual emergencies and takes appropriate actions.
• Maintains confidentiality of patient information.
• Sets-up, uses, reprocesses, and maintains all unit / department -specific equipment that is designed by the manufacturer to be reused for multiple patients.
• Obtains and records vital signs, pulse, temperature, respirations, blood pressure, and pain level.
• Measures and records height and weight of patients.
• Assists patients with activities of daily living (e.g., hygiene, eating, dressing and ambulation) including oral / denture care, bed baths / shower, indwelling catheter care, perineal care, foot care, and changing bed linens.
• Positions, sets-up, and assists patients with meals; ensures meal trays are removed.
• Assists with patient transfers in and out of bed.
• Assists patients to and from toilet; assists patients with any toileting needs; and keeps incontinent patients clean.
• Assists with patient admissions ensuring personal belongings are inventoried and documented.
• Assists with patient discharges or transfers including stripping beds, ensuring patients have their belongings; and sweeps medication cabinets in patient rooms.
• Answers call lights and unit phones as needed.
• Performs glucose checks on patients as ordered.
• Turns and repositions patients at risk for skin breakdown.
• Performs range of motion exercises for patients.
• Reinforces non-sterile dressings.
• Applies anti-embolic hose / equipment (i.e., Ted hose, sequential compression devices).
• Applies adaptive devices and non-behavioral restraints as ordered.
• Functions as Continuous Observation Attendant (COA) within an arm's length of the patient.
• Relieves COAs as needed for breaks and meals.
• Wipes down all patients' bedside tables and side rails once a shift.
• Ensures patients' bedside areas are neat and tidy.
• Ensures patients have an adequate supply of water, cups, and straws at their bedside.
• Assists in recording and charting patient input and output (l&O).
• Conducts hourly rounds on patients to ensure their needs are being met
• Ensures safety precautions are in place.
• Empties indwelling catheter bags, urinals, surgical drains, and records output amounts.
• Assists with post-mortem care. Transports deceased bodies to morgue.
• Stocks supplies in patient care areas to ensure there are adequate supplies and equipment to meet patient care needs.
• Cleans reusable medical equipment (RME) on unit as needed.
• Documents vital signs in the electronic health record (EHR).
• Documents on the restraint and seclusion flow sheet as needed.
• Documents in nursing progress note care provided.
• Identifies potential and actual emergencies and takes appropriate actions.
• Implements hospital safety guidelines and maintains a safe environment for patients and staff.
• Reports all accidents to supervisor and notifies supervisor promptly of unsafe or unhealthy environmental situations / conditions.
• Initiates CPR as appropriate.
• Performs bladder scan and reports findings to RN.
• Places patients on cardiac monitors as needed.
• Applies ice packs with RN delegation as needed.
• Performs other duties, as assigned.
• Performs 12-lead EKGs.
• Selects and applies condom catheters as needed.
• Transports patients from one unit / area to another or to clinic appointments.
• Transports specimens to lab.- Feeds patients on Aspiration Precautions.
• Performs digital stimulation and manual removal for bowel care.
• Provides quad / assisted cough.
• Provides nail clipping on hands and feet for non-diabetic patients.
• And other duties as assigned.

Preferred Experience : CNA; at least 1 year current experience in long-term care setting; Ability to document using EMR.

Work Schedule : Varying work schedule; Day or Night Shift. Work schedule is subject to change based on the needs of the organization.

Telework : Not Available

Virtual : This is not a virtual position.

Relocation / Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider :

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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 :

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).

Grandfathering Provisions. All NAs employed in VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the series and grade held that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply :

Grade Determinations : In addition to the basic requirements for employment, one of the following criteria must be met and documented on your resume. The candidate's qualifications must clearly demonstrate the level of competence required for the grade.

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,

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.

AND,

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.

Reference : For more information on this qualification standard, please visit Handbook 5005 / 81, Part II, Appendix G46, Nursing Assistant Qualification Standard, Series GS-0621, Veterans Health Administration.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-5.

Physical Requirements : Heavy Lifting (45 lbs and over); Straight Pulling (up to 2 hours); Pushing (2 hours); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (up to 8 hours); Standing (up to 8 hours); Both legs required; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20 / 40 and to 20 / 100 in the other.

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 : 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 :

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave : Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration / Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA / OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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