Nursing Assistant Medical/Surgery Unit

Summary

The Marion VA Health Care System is seeking a full-time Nursing Assistant (NA) within Medical/Surgical Nursing Service located in Marion, IL. 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.

Duties

The Medical-Surgical NA operates under the supervision of the RN, carrying out various responsibilities as outlined below. Additionally, the incumbent will receive training in cardiac monitoring and essential tasks associated with the telemetry system. 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. Monitor cardiac rhythms on telemetry system Other duties as assigned. Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule:7:30am - 8:00pm or 7:30pm - 8:00am, Rotating, six 12 hour shifts and one 8 hour shift Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): not authorized 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 VAInsurance: 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 #:Permanent Change of Station (PCS): not authorized

Requirements

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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination. 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.

Qualifications and evaluation

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.

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 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 09/08/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13051313. 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 Resume (required) - Resume must include the following information for each job listed: job title, duties, start and end dates, full time or part time status (include hours worked per week). Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all the questions by addressing your work experience in detail. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications. IT IS HIGHLY SUGGESTED THAT YOU CLEARLY DOCUMENT THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES LISTED IN THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. Please ensure your resume is formatted MM/YYYY to MM/YYYY for all positions held so that we may give you credit for your experience. SF-50: If you are a current, permanent Federal employee (required) -Most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action NON-AWARD showing your eligibility as a VA Employee, series, grade and step is required. Do not submit an award SF-50. 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. 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 (Schedule A) Disability Letter (VA) License Other (1) PCS Orders Performance Appraisal Professional Certification Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. 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.