Nursing Assistant

Nursing Assistant Position

Summary : This Nursing Assistant position is at the Boston VA Healthcare System located in Jamaica Plain, MA with cross coverage to West Roxbury. This position is full-time, 40 hours per week.

Responsibilities : The purpose of this position is to serve as a Nursing Assistant, as a member of the Nurse Service 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. All duties performed will be provided under close supervision / direction of a Licensed Practical Nurse or RN and refer issues / questions to supervisors or other healthcare professionals. Depending on grade and assignment duties may include but are not limited to :

• Provides care to acutely ill patients including baths, personal hygiene, nutrition / feeding, elimination, intake and output.
• Assists with all activities of daily living (ADL).
• May initiate and assist with CPR per hospital policy.
• Practices under the model of Patient Centered Care while exhibiting the ICARE values.
• Maintains full patient confidentiality.
• Participates in the admission, transfer and discharge of patients.
• Prepares patient care rooms for admissions or transfers; Assists with removing patient specific items from the room at discharge.
• Supports and assists patient with turning, moving, or transferring from bed to chair, commode etc. and utilize lift equipment to practice safe patient handling.
• Performs assigned clinical procedures, such as; application of External Urinary Device's (EUD) and colostomy bags, unsterile soaks and compresses, hot and cold applications, elastic hose, binders, bladder scanning, and oral suctioning.
• Performs assigned technical procedures, such as blood glucose monitoring and quality controls, EKG's, taking and recording blood pressure, temperature, pulse, respiration, height, weight, incentive spirometer, collecting specimens, such as expectorated sputum, feces, urine-voided midstream and drainage collection bag.
• Documents vital signs, nursing care and belongings inventory list in the electronic medical record and on appropriate flow sheet.
• Assists the physician or nurse with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
• As directed provides assistance with transporting patients independently from tests, procedures and appointments.
• Provides care for behavioral ill or restrained patients. Assignments may include restraint monitoring, safety monitoring and / or require physical checks every 15 minutes.
• Observes patient receiving I.V. fluids and reports swelling, pain and or wetness at the needle site. Observes patient and reports changes in appearance, including physical and emotional reactions and reports to RN / LPN.

Promotion Potential : The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met.

Work Schedule : Full time and various shifts; will be discussed with hiring official.

Relocation / Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report : Not Required

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).

Notifications : Current and former Federal employees may submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.

This position is in the Excepted Service. These positions are covered by a special rate. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

May be required to travel to other Boston locations.

Position not a bargaining unit position.

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. Subject to background / security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements.

Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Qualifications : To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11 / 06 / 2025.

Basic Requirements : English Language Proficiency : Nursing Assistants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.

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 : Six months of general experience. Experience must demonstrate the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills to perform the work of a Nursing Assistant; OR, One year above high school with courses related to the Nursing Assistant occupation; OR, 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.

To qualify for this position, you must meet the Basic Requirements as well as any additional grade-level qualification requirements.

Grade Determinations : GS-3 Experience and Education : None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-4 Experience : One year of specialized experience as a Nursing Assistant 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 :

GS-5 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