This Nursing Assistant position is located in the Wilmington VA Medical Center. The Nursing Assistant functions as a member of a professional nursing care team, assisting licensed nursing staff in the care of Veterans receiving preventative, acute, sub-acute chronic, maintenance, and hospice care. Patient assignments involve both basic and more complex nursing care within a range of predictable to unpredictable 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, 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.

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

Grade Determinations :

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 (Individuals assigned as GS-4 NAs are considered to be at the intermediate or developmental level and are closely supervised. NAs at this grade level 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, higher graded NAs or other health care professionals.). 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:

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. 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. 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 https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ . The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-5.

Physical Requirements:

See

VA HANDBOOK

5019