Veterans Health Administration Logo
Position Title
Nursing Assistant-Inpatient Mental Health
Agency
Veterans Health Administration
Announcement Number
CAZM-12715395-25-MRA Opens in new window
Open Period
Thursday, March 20, 2025 to Thursday, March 27, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference? (limit characters)
2. Are you currently employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
(limit characters)
3. Are you an employee of the facility indicated for this position?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
(limit characters)
4. Are you a current permanent Federal employee from an agency other than Department of Veterans Affairs?

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form.
(limit characters)
Preferences
1. Which of the following items describes your current or recent (within the last five years) political appointee service?

If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
(limit characters)
2. I authorize my application information being shared with hiring managers for similar positions. I understand this option may not result in further consideration for additional positions nor will it impact my application for this announcement. (limit characters)
3. Applicants are required to undergo and successfully pass a pre-employment drug screening test and must submit to random drug testing after employment. Will you comply with this requirement? (limit characters)
4. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Are you proficient in basic written and spoken English? (limit characters)
Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in a position within the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Administration. The following section is used to determine basic requirements for appointment in the federal government and qualification for a Nursing Assistant-Inpatient Mental Health. 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. 

The following KSAs should be reflected within your resume or on a separate document with your application package:
GS-4 NA
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).
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.

Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your current level of experience and/or education that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and/or education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience and/or education as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task.
(limit characters)
1. Experience or Education or Training. Please select ONE response appropriate to your experience or education or training.
(limit characters)
2. Please provide the following information regarding your education above high school with courses related to the Nursing Assistant occupation: School Attended, degree obtained, and date it will be awarded.
(limit characters)
3. Please provide the date of when you completed an intensive, specialized, occupation-related [training] course of study [or program] as a Nursing Assistant. Also, provide the name of the occupation-related [training] course of study [or program] and location to include company and/or building, city, state, zip code.
(limit characters)
Grade Level Requirements - Please select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your background and experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. (limit characters)
4. GS-3 GRADE DETERMINATION: I meet the basic requirements for the Nursing Assistant position. I possess six months of general experience. Experience must demonstrate the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills to perform the work of a NA; OR, I have one year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation; OR, I have completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related [training] course of study [or program] of less than one year as a Nursing Assistant.
(limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
5. GS-4 GRADE DETERMINATION: In addition to the basic requirements, I have 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, I have 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.
(limit characters)
6. Please provide the following information regarding your education with 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: Name of School Attended, degree obtained, and date it was awarded.
(limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
7. GS-05 GRADE DETERMINATION: In addition to the basic requirements, I have 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, OR, I have successful completion of a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelors degree that included 24 semester hours of courses related to health care or possession of a bachelors degree.
(limit characters)
8. Please provide the following information regarding your education with successful completion of a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelors degree that included 24 semester hours of courses related to health care or possession of a bachelors degree: Name of School Attended, degree obtained, and date it was awarded. If applicable, list the 24 semester hours of courses related to health care.
(limit characters)
***Application Package Notification & Important Information***

We appreciate your interest in available positions within the VA Heart of Texas Health Care Network.  It is our goal to forward every eligible and qualified candidate for consideration. 

Due to the nature of our systems, it is imperative that your application package be accurate and complete.  Therefore, prior to finalizing your application package and submitting for consideration:
 
  • Ensure all documents are appropriately selected, are legible, and have uploaded successfully (we recommend viewing them a second time to ensure no errors have occurred in the process).  Missing documents may cause your application package to be ineligible for consideration.
  • Ensure that all responses to the assessment questions are accurate and correctly reflect your current situation.  Question responses are used in determining if you meet specific eligibility and qualification requirements.

Please Note:  Until the closing date of the announcement, you can update or edit your package.  However, once your application package is submitted and the announcement period closes, we are unable to add documentation or alter your responses.  By submitting your package for consideration, you are attesting that your application package is complete and accurate.

Some helpful tips:
*Resume - Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:
    • Job title
    • Grade Level (for federal positions)
    • Duties (be as detailed as possible and ensure they demonstrate how you meet the specialized experience and/or Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position)
    •  Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2019 to April 2020)
    • Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
*Education - If you are basing your qualifications on education (or a combination of education and experience) or if the position requires a college education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application.

*Veteran's Preference - In order to receive appropriate preference consideration, you must submit proper documentation if you are claiming eligibility for Veteran's preference, which includes a copy of your DD-214 (Member Copy 4 or earlier version that shows character of service). Applicant's claiming 10-point preference should also submit an SF-15, Application for 10-point Veteran's Preference along with the required documentation listed on the SF-15 form (such as verification of service-connected disability percentage).

*Current or former VA or Federal Employees - You must submit a copy of a current and/or highest grade held SF-50 - Notification of Personnel Action (not an award SF50)

*Proof of current certification, licensure, or registration (if applicable).

https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/students/transcripts/

https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/documents/resume/build/

https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include/
(limit characters)