Summary

This Nursing Assistant position is located at the Iowa City VA Medical Center within our Medical/Surgical Nursing Unit. The Nursing Assistant works as an important part of a nursing team caring for acutely ill Veterans with complex - critical health issues requiring constant monitoring and intervention. The Nursing Assistant works under the direction of an RN - monitoring patients and performing a mix of basic and more complex patient-centered tasks.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Medical-Surgical Nursing Assistant operates under the supervision of the RN - carrying out various responsibilities as outlined below
• Additionally - the incumbent will receive training in cardiac monitoring and achieve certification in performing essential - non-interpretive tasks associated with the telemetry system
• This encompasses aiding in the setup of patients on telemetry devices for observation - handling and adjusting monitoring settings at bedside monitors - coordinating with the technicians - monitoring the displays and alerting RNs to alarms - and replacing batteries and leads as required
• Major duties include - but are not limited to: Take and record patient vital signs Administer skin care treatments to prevent complications and promote healing - utilizing a range of cleansing baths and shampoos
• Facilitate oral care and hygiene - including the maintenance of dentures
• Accountable for guaranteeing the correct arrangement of rooms and the cleanliness of terminal rooms suitable for each Reusable Medical Device (RMD) Provide assistance with the utilization of bedpans and urinals
• applies external catheters and ensures their patency or drainage
• aids in bowel and bladder training
• supports the provision of ostomy care for established and uncomplicated ostomies
• Aid patients in self-feeding or provides assistance to those unable to feed themselves - monitoring and documenting all intake and output - excluding totals from intravenous and tube feeding
• (May assist RN with administering Bolus Tube Feedings via G-tube - J-tube - GJ-tube by positioning the patient and passing supplies.) Reposition patients as necessary utilizing various supportive and comfort devices
• Aids or facilitates patient transfers and activities - such as ambulation - stretcher - and/or wheelchair to bed
• Accompanies patients to tests as required
• Provide support in the assembly of equipment for sterile procedures - as well as the administration of oxygen and the setup of vacuum/suction systems
• Participate in health team conferences by reporting observations of patient's physical - mental - and emotional status
• Assist in diagnostic examinations by positioning/draping the patient and passing instruments and supplies
• Engage in team communication to enhance all facets of patient safety and is responsible for ensuring effective handoff communication to incoming Nursing Assistants to prevent any lapses in care
• Other duties as assigned
• Work Schedule: Sunday-Saturday - days - evenings - and nights
• Alternating weekends and holidays required
• (Note: Vacancies may not presently exist for all work schedules but may become available at any point during the opening period of this vacancy announcement.) Additional Pay: Shift Differential - 10% of basic pay for work performed during regularly scheduled hours between 6pm and 6am
• Weekend Premium - 25% of basic pay for work performed between the hours of midnight Friday and midnight Sunday
• This includes continuous service connected to work performed during these hours
• Holiday Pay - 2 times basic hourly rate for regularly scheduled - non-overtime work on a designated holiday
• Compressed/Flexible: Available Recruitment Incentive (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) 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
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.