Nursing Assistant - Nursing, Acute Care - 4C Med-Surg/Telemetry/Oncology
About This Position
The Nursing Assistant (NA) - Nursing, Acute Care will provide safe, routine care to Veterans at the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center in Jackson, MS.
This position 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.
Qualifications
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. English Language Proficiency: NAs must be proficient in spoken and written English. 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. 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 Determinations: The experience and Knowledge, Skill, Abilities (KSAs) required below must be evident in your resume.
GS-3 NA (Entry Level): Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements. GS-4 NA (Developmental Level): 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, healthcare 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: i. Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to the completion of the nurse care plan and recovery of patients/residents. ii.
Ability to observe patients/residents' or resident's physical or emotional status and refer deviations and/or problems to supervisor in a timely manner. iii. 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. iv. 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 Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: i. 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. ii.
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. iii. 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. Preferred Experience: One (1) to Two (2) years of Acute Care Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Experience. CNA certification is preferred.
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.
Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.
Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.
Major Duties
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional If you are not a current, permanent VA employee or Federal employee from another agency, you should apply CBST-12921284-26-SC The NA may perform duties in a variety of health care settings such as outpatient, inpatient, home or Community Living Center (CLC), acute, sub-acute. The NA will care for patients/residents with acute to chronic conditions. The duties of the NA-Nursing, Acute Care may include, but are not limited to: Assists 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.
Communicates 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. Recognizes and reacts 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. Performs aspects of nursing care to meet patient/resident needs for: - Personal Hygiene - Physical Comfort - Activity, Exercise, Rest - Nutrition - Elimination - Prevention of Skin Breakdown - Rehabilitative Aspects of Care - Documentation in Medical Record - Patient Transport and Repositioning - Recording and documentation of Intake and Output - Appropriate Maintenance and Storage of Reusable Medical Equipment - Obtaining, recording, and reporting abnormal Vital Signs to Licensed Nursing Personnel - Oxygen connection during ambulation, transport, and rest periods - Maintaining Basic Life Support Certification and initiating CPR during emergencies - Skin inspections and reporting abnormalities to licensed Nursing Personnel - Reports unsafe equipment and working conditions to appropriate individuals Utilizes glucose monitoring machines to receive glucose readings for Veterans and refers deviation to appropriate health care staff. Documents care given, observations and responses on appropriate tools or forms.
Monitoring and documenting on patients according to levels of observations i.e. (one-to-one suicide, continuous observation, q 15-minute checks, and hourly rounding. Monitors Veterans who may be at risk for harming themselves and or others according to established policies and procedures and appropriately refers issues to the charge nurse or other health care professional. Responds appropriately to subtle patient changes by contacting the appropriate nursing personnel.
Administers complete tracheostomy care, including suctioning. Performs nursing procedures within scope of practice and according to policies and standard procedures to care for the veteran for such procedures but not limited to enemas, catheterization, colostomy care, skin care simple dressing, application of braces and prosthetic devices. Works on small group activities with patients/residents according to the patients/resident treatment plan.
Recognizes the residents' autonomy and promotes independence by means of respect, limit setting and individualized treatment. Work Schedule: 1st position is: dayshift 0730-1600, rotating weekends/holidays; or 2nd position is: evening 330p-12mn, rotating weekends/holidays; subject to change based on the needs of the facility. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): 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 #: 586-00276F, 586-00277F, 586-00278F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Education
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/.
How You Will Be Evaluated
Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order: Current permanent VA employees of the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center. All other VA employees. Current Permanent Federal employees of other agencies. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social).
Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.
You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
Additional Information
Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. 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.
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.
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 04/06/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12921283. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account.
Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Resume SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Resume Requirement: Your resume must include the following information: Job title, description of duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment, and average hours worked per week. Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.
Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field. SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Eligibility): Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee Examples of appropriate SF-50's include: Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old. The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position.
Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc. Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (VA) CV/Resume Professional Certification Resume SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript