at Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration in Hines, Illinois, United States
Job Description
Summary This position is located at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL (578) – a Level 1a Complexity VHA Facility – and is organizationally aligned under Nursing Service. The primary purpose of this position is to provide direct patient care activities, indirect patient care activities and related supportive services under the general guidance and direction of a Registered Nurse. Responsibilities Clinical Support: Establishes helpful relationships with patients and others; interacts in a courteous manner; explains patient care provided. Provides emotional support, friendly assistance, sympathetic understanding and encouragement to patients/families. Contributes to patient’s well-being by providing assistance with personal hygiene, bowel/bladder care, physical comfort and a clean and safe environment. Provides appropriate support to patients in meeting their nutritional needs by clearing overbed tables, placing meal trays/nourishments within easy reach, preparing food/beverages, obtaining additional items, feeding patients, recording intake and clearing trays. Adds prescribed nourishment to existing continuous tube feeding setup. Performs, reports and records measurements, such as vital signs, intake and output, pulse. oximetry, glucose finger stick and other parameters. Identifies obvious patient problems, symptoms, behavioral changes and deviations from normal in a timely manner to the appropriate Registered Nurse. Performs EKG as directed and provides results to Registered Nurse. Collects urine, stool sputum, and blood specimens by phlebotomy using appropriate procedures. Accurately labels all specimens and delivers to laboratory as indicated. Provides selected respiratory care, such as incentive breathing exercises, turn, deep breath and cough, oxygen therapy, monitoring of MDI self-administration and oral/ pharyngeal suctioning under the direction of the RN and/ or respiratory therapist. Applies appropriate principles of body mechanics and patient safety in assisting patients with movement, positioning, ambulation, and transportation. Provides activity orient exercises under direction of the RN and/ or rehabilitation therapist. Uses assistive devices appropriately. Assists nurses/physicians with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed on the unit. Safely transports patients to off unit appointments. Applies principles of infection control when performing direct and indirect patient care assignments. Assists in emergency situations and initiates CPR when indicated. Records care given and objective/subjective patient observations on appropriate medical record forms. Demonstrates competence in the performance of clinical procedures outlined in the approved skills inventory and unit-specific procedures as assigned. Provides care based on physical, psychosocial, educational, safety, and related criteria, appropriate to the age of the patients served in his/her assigned area (i.e., adult and geriatric patient population). This entails knowledge of human growth and development; ability to assess and interpret age specific data and provide age specific care; communication skills necessary to interpret age specific response to treatment; and ability to involve family/significant others in decision making related to plan of care. The knowledge, abilities and skills needed to provide such care will be refined through continuing education and training and. experience. Reinforces patient health teaching related to self-care. Administrative Support and Coordination: Correctly and safely uses equipment and supplies. Cleans and returns equipment to appropriate location and reports needs for equipment repair to the appropriate person. Maintains a safe, clean, and orderly work environment through routine maintenance activities such as ordering and stocking equipment and supplies; cleaning equipment and patient care areas; providing proper containment/ disposal of discarded materials; reporting maintenance and security problems to appropriate personnel. Contributes to creating a work climate that encourages positive staff morale, motivation, and commitment for all who participate in the care of patients. Answers telephone and call lights courteously, and relays messages in a timely fashion. Follows policies and procedures to ensure safety for patients, staff and self. Identifies and immediately reports safety hazards to supervisors. Seeks guidance/clarification of instructions from appropriate individuals as needed. Completes patient care assignments within reasonable period and keeps Registered Nurse informed. Completes annual mandatory reviews, participates in continuing education at unit/service level, identifies personal learning needs/goals with supervision. Provides instruction to others on correct performance of defined tasks/procedures. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30pm-8:00am including rotating weekends and holidays Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician – ICU, Hematology/Oncology, and Medical/Surgical – 9 West/PD04341A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: not authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): not authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. GS-05 grade level: One year time in grade with specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA’s) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes:1) performing blood collection using a variety of phlebotomy techniques including vacutainer system, syringe, butterfly or capillary finger sticks with minimal number of failures, patient bruising or required repeat collection, ensuring samples are submitted to the clinical laboratory with least possible delay. 2) label all blood tubes, instructs patients on proper specimen collection procedures. 3) Process for correctly identifying patient information according to regulatory agencies. and 4) Performs all types of specimen collection in a courteous manner while providing for patient comfort. This experience must be supported by your resume to be creditable. GS-06 grade level: One year time in grade with specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA’s) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: applying basic knowledge of basic anatomy/physiology and medical techniques to support direct patient care; effectively communicating and providing support to patients and healthcare professionals; utilizing and maintaining medical equipment and instruments; performing safety/emergency procedures related to patient transport, infection control, environmental safety; observing and reporting changes in patients physical and emotional behavior; performing medical tests and duties including phlebotomy, EKG, and CPR; and entering patient information and vital signs in computerized medical record systems using appropriate terminology. 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 a
