Nursing Assistant-Mental Health

About the Role

The Nursing Assistant (NA)-Mental Health candidate performs activities of daily living and provides a range of care that contributes to the Veteran's treatment plan, recovery, and wellness under the direction of a licensed health care provider.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform aspects of nursing care to meet patient's needs for:
• Personal Hygiene
• Physical comfort
• Activity, Exercise, Rest
• Nutrition
• Elimination
• Prevention of Skin Breakdown
• Rehabilitative Aspects of Care
• Leading psych-social education groups
• Engage in group activities such as off-station trips, reality orientation, current events and other therapeutic groups.
• Utilize principles of proper body mechanics and follow procedures for use of patient care equipment to prevent injury to self or others in all settings.
• Report patient observations to the RN and/or other members of the treatment team.
• Set up patient care related equipment.
• Organize and obtain routine supplies and equipment.
• Assist with orienting patient/family to unit routines and policies.
• Work as a cooperative, courteous member of the interdisciplinary team.
• Safeguard the patient's right to privacy by judiciously protecting information of a confidential nature.
• Use proper safety practices.
• Utilize equipment and supplies according to procedures.
• Complete all mandatory training within appropriate timelines.
• Actively participate in annual competency assessment and validation.
• Fully contribute to patient safety and the therapeutic environment by utilizing all skills provided in VA training.
• Prevention and Management of Disruptive Behavior.

Work Schedule

• Variable 12-hour rotating shifts, including weekends and holidays.
• Subject to change based on the needs of the facility.

Work Environment

• Office/clinic setting with minimal risks requiring normal safety precautions.
• Adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated.
• Ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

Physical Requirements

• May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing.
• May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.
• English Language Proficiency: Proficient in spoken and written English.
• Experience or Education or Training:
• Six months of general experience demonstrating 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.

Qualifications

GS-3 Nursing Assistant (Entry Level)

• Experience and Education: None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-4 Nursing Assistant

• 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 human physical and emotional states, therapeutic communication, and technical skills 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 a field of study appropriate to the specialization of the position (e.g., education in a program for psychology, psychiatric, or operating room technicians).

GS-5 NA (Full Performance Level)

• Experience:
• One year of progressively responsible assignments and experience equivalent to the GS-4 level, demonstrating knowledge, skills, and abilities directly related to the specific assignment.
• 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.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (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' 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 (e.g., bladder scan, continuous passive motion device, blood glucose monitoring machine, specimen collection).
• Ability to communicate effectively with patients/residents, their families, and other health professionals.
• 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.
• Ability to serve as a preceptor to new NAs by assisting with the coordination of their orientation and overseeing/assessing their practical experience.
• Ability to recognize and react to emergent patient/resident care situations and intervene while waiting for assistance (e.g., recognizing need for basic life support, controlling bleeding, assisting with behavior crisis).

Preferred Experience

• One year experience in a mental health environment.

Grade Determination

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-05. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected is in the range of 03 to 05.