Summary

Join the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System and serve those who served! As a Nursing Assistant on the night shift at our West Los Angeles Community Living Center 213-2 - you'll work alongside licensed nursing staff to provide preventive - acute - sub-acute - chronic - maintenance - and hospice care to Veterans with complex and varying healthcare needs.

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:

• Citizenship
• Citizen of the United States
• Education or Training
• The candidate must have 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. English Language Proficiency
• Nursing Assistants appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - and 7407(d) Grade Determinations: GS-3 (Entry Level)
• There is no additional experience or education requirements beyond the basic requirements
• GS-4 Experience/Education: 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 KSAs: Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to the completion of the nurse care plan and recovery of patients/residents
• Ability to observe patients/residents' or resident's physical or emotional status and refer deviations and/or problems to supervisor in a timely manner
• 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
• Ability to communicate effectively with patients/residents - their families and other health professionals
• GS-5 Experience/Education: This is the full performance level for Nursing Assistants
• Nursing Assistants at this grade level function as a member of the nursing care team and assist licensed nursing staff 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 distinguishing factor is that patient/resident assignments typically involve more complex nursing needs which can vary within a range of predictable to unpredictable requirements
• Nursing Assistants at this level also assume more of a peer education/mentorship role
• 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 Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition - the candidate must demonstrate the following 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 Nursing Assistants 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
• Grandfathering Provisions
• All Nursing Assistants employed in VHA as of March 12 - 2015 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: Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed - on a temporary or permanent basis - until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• If an employee who was retained (grandfathered) under this provision leaves the occupation - the employee loses protected status of the grandfathering provision and must meet the full VA qualification standard basic requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation
• Preferred Experience: One (1) or more years of Nursing Assistant experience in a Community Living Center - skilled nursing facility - long-term care - or other residential nursing care setting Experience providing direct nursing care to geriatric patients/residents with multiple chronic conditions and complex care needs
• References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G46 - Nursing Assistant Qualification Standard
• Physical Requirements: Work requires walking - standing - stooping - lifting - bending - pushing - turning - and at times carrying heavy loads
• Must be able to utilize good body mechanics and have stamina to withstand stress.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Direct Patient Care Provides advanced assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) - including hygiene - toileting - feeding - and mobility
• Independently performs patient measurements - including vital signs - pain assessments - neurological checks - bladder scans - and oxygen monitoring
• Performs non-complex procedures - including specimen collection and simple dressing changes - with minimal supervision
• Assists with complex mobility - lift-equipment operation - weight-bearing support - and safe patient handling
• Recognizes and promptly reports changes in patient condition
• Safety - Infection Control & Environment Applies infection-control principles - including airborne - contact - and droplet isolation
• Identifies environmental hazards and promptly escalates safety concerns
• Participates in fall-prevention and skin-integrity programs
• Virtual (Tele-Sit) Patient Monitoring Conducts remote patient monitoring using approved VA virtual monitoring platforms
• Monitors for unsafe behaviors - including attempts to get out of bed - pulling at lines/tubes - agitation - and wandering
• Provides voice redirection through the tele-sit system when appropriate
• Notifies bedside staff of safety concerns requiring in-person intervention
• Documents observations according to unit policy
• Ensures equipment readiness - camera positioning - privacy - and confidentiality
• Clinical & Technical Support Collects - labels - and processes routine specimens (urine - stool - sputum) per policy
• Provides basic wound care support - including simple dressing changes - under licensed staff direction
• Assists with specialized equipment - including telemetry - oxygen therapy - and suction equipment
• Supports patient transport to procedures and continuity of observation
• Accurately documents patient care in electronic health records
• Admissions - Transfers & Discharges Assists with admissions by obtaining vital signs - orienting patients - and providing basic instruction
• Inventories - secures - and transfers patient belongings appropriately
• Supports discharges by escorting patients - coordinating transport - and assisting with final ADL needs
• Provides timely reports to unit staff - charge nurses - Patient Safety - and Flow Coordinators
• Collaborates with Nursing Leadership and interdisciplinary teams in clinical and administrative workflows
• Advises bedside teams when monitoring identifies patterns requiring intervention - including restlessness or repeated unsafe actions
• Documentation Records monitoring activities - behavioral observations - interventions - and escalation steps in the EHR
• Documents interruptions - equipment malfunctions - and changes in patient risk per Virtual Monitoring guidelines
• Professional Judgment Demonstrates situational awareness while monitoring multiple patients
• Applies VA de-escalation and therapeutic communication strategies
• Identifies when virtual monitoring is insufficient and recommends bedside sitters or environmental changes
• Communication/Teamwork/Coordination Communicates effectively with RNs - LVNs - physicians - therapists - social workers - and administrative staff
• Participates in interdisciplinary huddles and nursing-administration workflows
• Coordinates with Nursing Leadership and interdisciplinary teams to address patient care and safety needs
• Work Schedule: Night Shift - 7:30pm -8:00am - May include Weekends and or Holidays
• Compressed/Flexible: Available Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized