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Summary The Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Service provides care and rehabilitation to Veterans who have incurred spinal cord injuries. The Nursing Assistant (NA) provides direct and indirect care to SCI Veteran patients and is a member of the multidisciplinary treatment team motivating patients toward treatment goals. These Veterans have a wide range of spinal cord injuries, often accompanied by acute and chronic medical complications. Responsibilities Treatment objectives are established by the treatment team and delegated to the Nursing Assistant. The NA has roles and responsibilities commensurate with grade, GS-3 is entry level and is closely supervised, GS-4 is a developmental level meant to develop skills and experience, and GS-5 is the full performance level. Certification is normally attained prior to making the full performance level (CNA). The CNA provides clinical support for the SCI Veteran under the direction and delegation of the Registered Nurse (RN) and Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). The CNA on the SCI Unit practices and adheres to a high level of respect and knowledge of Veteran rights and protects vulnerable and frail Veterans. The SCI CNA functions as member of the multidisciplinary team and assists the RN and LPN in the care of Veteran patients with acute and chronic spinal cord injury needs and acute and chronic medical complications. The CNA will observe, record, and report changes in behavior, provide reassurance and encouragement, and provide input and feedback concerning effectiveness of interventions. Some of the roles and responsibilities include: Basic technical skills. Demonstrate basic technical skills which facilitate an optimal level of functioning for patients, recognizing individual, cultural, and religious diversity. Perform support duties using initiative without specific direction. Proficient in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Take and record vital signs. Measure and record height and weight. Measure and record fluid and food intake and output. Recognize and report abnormal signs and symptoms of common diseases and conditions. Personal care skills. Demonstrate basic personal care skills. Assist patient with bathing, mouth and skin care, and grooming and dressing. Provide toilet assistance. Assist with eating and hydration. Utilize proper feeding techniques. Transport or assist with transport as directed. Mental health and social service needs. Demonstrate the ability to identify psychosocial characteristics of all patients including persons with mental retardation, mental illness, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and related disorders. Modify own behavior in response to the patient's behavior. Incorporate principles and skills of restorative nursing in providing nursing care. Demonstrate knowledge and skill in using assistive devices in ambulation, eating, and dressing. Demonstrate proper techniques for turning/positioning a patient in bed and chair. Demonstrate proper techniques for transferring a patient. Demonstrate knowledge about methods for meeting the elimination needs of patients. Demonstrate knowledge and skill for the care and use of prosthetic devices. Infection control. Use procedures and techniques to prevent the spread of microorganisms. Act as preceptor to teach infection control. Act as mentor for established CNAs as expert in infection control. Use principles of medical asepsis and demonstrate infection control techniques and universal precautions. Demonstrate knowledge of cleaning agents and methods which destroy microorganisms on surfaces. Rules and regulation knowledge. Demonstrate knowledge and be responsive to laws and regulations including patient abuse and neglect, patient complaint procedures, workers right to know, and pertinent regulatory standards. Follow facility policies and procedures. Precept and mentor staff related to facility policies and procedures, especially as related to Certified Nursing Assistant and Spinal Cord Injury Services. Proficient and competent providing care to patients with complex nursing needs which may vary from predictable to unpredictable requirements. Nursing Assistant - vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Nursing-Assistant-Career-Flyer.pdf Work Schedule: Mon - Fri, 11:30pm to 8:00am or 7:30pm to 8:00am with rotating weekends. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized. Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. 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). 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. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. 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 or Education or Training. 1) Six months of general experience. Experience must demonstrate the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills to perform the work of a NA. OR 2) One year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation. OR 3) 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. 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 REQUIREMENTS. Creditable Experience. 1) Knowledge of Current Practice. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the current practice. 2) Quality of Experience. To be creditable, NA experience must be documented on the application or resume and verified in an employment reference, or through other independent means. 3) Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a NA is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a NA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. GS-3 NA (Entry Level). Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements. GS-4 NA. 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 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. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the professional KSAs 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. 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 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 in the range of GS-3 to GS-5. Physical Requirements: The work requires heavy lifting (over 45 pounds); straight pulling (up to 6 hours); pushing (up to 2 hours); reaching above the shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking (up to 6 hours); standing (up to 2 hours); repeated bending (up to 6 hours); the ability to distinguish basic colors; hearing (aid may be permitted); mental and emotional stability, and visual acuity correctable to 20/30. Education IMPORTANT: If basing your qualifications on education, you must submit a copy of all relevant transcripts with your application. An unofficial copy of college transcripts showing completion of the degree or program is required and must include the name of the school, your name, date conferred or completed, and degree or certificate type. Your transcript will be reviewed for relevant coursework; therefore, the copy you submit must be legible. 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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. 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. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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.