Inpatient Mental Health Nursing Assistant

Quick Facts

• Role: Inpatient Mental Health Nursing Assistant (NA) in locked units

• Setting: Nursing care team member assisting licensed nursing staff for veterans with acute and chronic mental health needs

Description

Provide inpatient mental health care as a Nursing Assistant in locked units, assisting licensed nursing staff with resident support and safety. You will participate in treatment team meetings, document resident conditions, maintain a clean and safe environment, support infection control, manage behavior, and perform procedures within scope of practice (including tracheostomy care, glucose monitoring, and intake/output monitoring). Shifts are full-time and may include day or night schedules, weekends, holidays, and coverage in other units as needed.

Responsibilities

• Participate in treatment team meetings and care planning
• Enter resident condition information into charts using appropriate formats
• Maintain a clean, safe patient environment; remove defective equipment; report hazards; observe safety regulations
• Contribute to infection control using proper aseptic technique
• Serve as unit safe patient handling liaison
• Precept and mentor other nursing assistants; orient healthcare team members to the unit
• Act as a member of unit base counsel
• Manage distributed patient behavior through appropriate interventions and request assistance from other healthcare members
• Initiate basic life support when required and respond to emergent situations
• Use a glucose monitoring machine and report deviations to appropriate staff
• Provide direct care for complex veterans; observe subtle condition changes and act within the assigned NA role
• Document care, observations, and responses; contact appropriate nursing personnel for subtle changes
• Administer complete tracheostomy care including suctioning
• Monitor and document patient intake and output; report deviations timely and accurately
• Perform nursing procedures within scope and per policies (enemas, catheterization, colostomy care, skin care/simple dressing, braces and prosthetic devices)
• Support small group activities per the resident treatment plan; promote independence using respect, limit setting, and individualized treatment
• Actively participate in treatment planning meetings
• Use self-care support equipment (lift equipment, Hydro sound tubs, wandering system) and communicate patient information to the treatment team

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship
• Proficient in written and spoken English
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Pass pre-employment physical evaluation
• Complete online onboarding and required pre-employment requirements/ID verification
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program
• Meet Nursing Assistant basic requirements: 6 months general experience OR 1 year related education above high school OR completion of an occupation-related training program under 1 year
• Trial period of 1–2 years is required; continued employment requires written certification that employment advances the public interest
• For GS-4: 1 year NA or related medical experience performing technical/nursing skills OR 2 years related education above high school; plus required KSAs (care range contribution, timely referral of deviations, proper use of basic diagnostic/treatment equipment, effective communication)
• For GS-5: 1 year progressively responsible experience equivalent to GS-4 OR a bachelor’s/degree pathway with required healthcare coursework; plus required KSAs (assist full nursing care under RN/LVN/LPN direction, oral communication including precepting, recognize and react to emergent situations)
• Willingness to work other shifts, be on call, and work weekends/holidays; may be required to work in other units/clinics as operational needs require
• Selective Service Registration required for males born after 12/31/1959

Benefits

• Competitive salary with regular salary increases
• Paid Time Off: 37–50 days annually (annual leave, sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays)
• May qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service experience
• Parental leave: up to 12 weeks paid after 12 months of employment
• Child care subsidy (eligibility conditions apply)
• Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% employer contribution
• Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care insurance options