Summary

This Nursing Assistant position is at the Boston VA Healthcare System - located at West Roxbury campus. This position is full-time - 40 hours per week.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement -10/23/2025 .

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
• Grandfathering Provisions
• All NAs employed in VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the series and grade held that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• 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: 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: 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 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 Must demonstrate the following Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities: 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 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
• Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity - keen hearing - clear distinctive speech - and manual dexterity
• This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking - standing - stooping - sitting - bending - pulling - and pushing
• Transferring patients with assistance and transferring of objects may be required
• The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures
• The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
• The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on patient needs
• The incumbent must be able to navigate all areas of the facility
• This position potentially requires flexibility in schedule and assignments - as this is a 24/7 Medical Center
• 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-05
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-03 to GS-05.

Duties

• The purpose of this position is to serve as a Nursing Assistant (NA) in the Medical Service - specifically in the Cardiology Department - functioning as an NA with the Cath and Electrophysiology (EP) Lab
• This position will report directly to the Nurse Manager of the Cath Lab and will support daily functions and operations of the Cath and EP Labs
• This position will work closely with Cath Lab Nursing team - physicians - APPs - Logistics - and administrative staff in Cardiology
• Depending on grade and assignment duties may include but are not limited to: Taking-recoding-reporting vital signs accurately Assisting with ambulation or wheelchair usage Providing safe environments and other duties or care as directed by Registered Nurses - Licensed Practical Nurses or providers Incumbent will initiate emergency action in life threatening situations such as cardiac and/or respiratory arrest - massive bleeding - shock - or assaultive behavior and will alert licensed personal immediately Performing EKG's Rooming and prepping patients for exams Obtaining specimens - properly labeling and preparing specimens for transport for testing POC testing Cleaning/disinfecting exam rooms/medical equipment after patient use Maintaining and stocking Cath and EP rooms with necessary supplies Working with Logistics to ensure proper supply chain management (example: setting par levels and working with Logistics to replenish inventory daily) Perform other duties as assigned Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory - qualification - and performance requirements are met
• Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level
• Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 7:30a to 4:00p 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
• Functional Statement #: PD917030 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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
• This position is in the Excepted Service
• These positions are covered by a special rate
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• May be expected to travel to other Boston locations
• Narrative responses to the knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.