Nursing Assistant Job in Leeds, MA

Vacancy No. CBTD-12801027-25-MAW Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $43,209.00 to $70,538.00 Grade 3 to 5
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/15/2025 Close Date 10/20/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Leeds, MA


Summary

This Nursing Assistant position is within the Nursing, Operations service at VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System in Leeds, MA.



This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to the Public. Must be a U.S. Citizen to apply. This position is listed on the annual determination of staffing shortages and Veterans Preference does not apply to this recruitment. Veterans are encouraged to apply and will receive full consideration.

Duties

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT intended for current and future vacancies at the location listed. This announcement will remain open until the closing date of 10/20/2025, the date beyond which the system no longer accepts applications for an advertised position. Applications will be reviewed and referred at regular intervals based on the needs of the facility.

The Nursing Assistant (NA) performs basic nursing duties under close supervision in a variety of health care settings such as inpatient, outpatient, Community Living Center (CLC), Acute Mental Health/Detox, and Resident Rehabilitation Treatment Programs (RRTP). The NA will care for patients/residents with acute to chronic conditions

  • Becoming proficient with maintaining positive therapeutic relationships by displaying respect for human dignity with patient, families, and/or significant others utilizing communication skills.
  • Utilize observation skills for data collection, reporting, and recording.
  • Participate in patient centered conferences/shift reports, and contributing information for the development and review of the nursing care plan.
  • Maintain a therapeutic environment for patients according to established procedures and policies by reporting actual or potential accidents, fire hazards, and faulty equipment.
  • Competent with performing aspects of nursing care to meet patients/residents needs for:
    • Personal Hygiene
    • Physical Comfort
    • Activity, Exercise, Rest
    • Nutrition
    • Elimination
    • Prevention of Skin Breakdown
    • Rehabilitative Aspects of Care
  • Performing and documenting prescribed medical treatment and interventions for patients, such as diabetic urine testing and blood testing, simple dressing changes.
  • Learning to be proficient with the utilizing rehabilitative principles to promote patient independence and recovery, encouraging and guiding patient/resident in bowel and bladder training.
  • Engaging in-group activities such as off-station trips, reality orientation, current events and other therapeutic groups with direction and close supervision.
  • Monitors patients according to levels of observation i.e. (one to one, continuous observation, Q 15-minute checks, and safety rounding).
  • Monitor 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 healthcare professionals.
  • Reports patient status to the RN and documents pertinent observations in the medical record according to established procedures.
  • Sets up patient care related equipment, such as respiratory/oxygen delivery systems, portable and wall suction and assisting in monitoring proper function of equipment.
  • Utilizes glucose monitoring machine to collect glucose values on veterans when needed and refer deviations to appropriate nursing staff or other health care professionals.
  • Utilize Bladder Scanner to collect information for RN and Provider as ordered.
  • Utilize ECG to collect information for RN and Provider as ordered.- Organizing and obtaining routine supplies and equipment.
  • Assisting with patient education including orienting patient and family to unit routines and policies.
  • Working as a cooperative, courteous member of the interdisciplinary team.
  • Safeguarding the patient's right to privacy by judiciously protecting information of a confidential nature.
  • Utilizes principles of proper body mechanics whiling caring for patients and follows procedures for use of patient care equipment to prevent injury.
  • Begin to orient lower-level nursing assistants.
  • Performs other duties as assigned by a supervisor/manager within their scope of work.
Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 11:30pm to 8am; Every other weekend and rotating Holidays. Tour of Duty may change based on the needs of the service.
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 631-F08228
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Requirements

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.
  • You may be required to serve a trial period.
  • 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 examination.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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.
  • Experience or Education or Training.
    • Six months of general experience. Experience must demonstrate the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills to perform the work of a NA; OR
    • One year of education above high school with courses related to the NA occupation; OR
    • 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
  • English Language Proficiency. NAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.
GRADE REQUIREMENTS.
  • Creditable Experience.
    • Knowledge of Current Practice. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the current practice.
    • Quality of Experience. To be creditable, NA experience must be documented on the application or resume and verified in an employment reference, or through other independent means.
    • Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a NA is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a NA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive 1 full time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service.
GRADE DETERMINATIONS. In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.
  • GS-3 NA (Entry Level)
    • Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements.
    • Assignments. Individuals assigned as GS-3 NAs are considered to be at the entry level and are closely supervised
  • GS-4 NA (Intermediate or 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, 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; AND
    • Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
      • Ability to provide a range of patient/resident care and contribute to the completion of the nurse care plan and recovery of patients/residents.
      • Ability to observe patients/residents' or resident's physical or emotional status and refer deviations and/or problems to supervisor in a timely manner.
      • 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.
      • Ability to communicate effectively with patients/residents, their families and other health professionals.
    • Assignment.
      • Individuals assigned as GS-4 NAs are considered to be at the intermediate or developmental level and are closely supervised. NAs at this grade level function as a member of the nursing care team and assist higher graded NAs, licensed nursing staff, and other members of the care team in the care of patients/residents receiving outpatient care, home or community living care or other patients/residents who are in acute, sub-acute, or chronic states of illness.
  • 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 listed; 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 KSAs.
      • 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.
      • 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.
      • 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.
    • Assignment.
      • This is the full performance level for NAs. NAs at this grade level function as a member of the nursing care team and assist licensed nursing staff in the care of patients/residents receiving outpatient care, home or community living care or other patients/residents who are in acute, sub acute or chronic states of illness.
Preferred Experience: 1-3 years experience in psychiatric nursing.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS5. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS3 to GS5.

Physical Requirements: Work involves varying periods of sitting, standing and walking. Working with Veterans/residents requires bending, stooping, teaching, lifting, balancing, kneeling, pushing, i.e., wheelchairs, geri-chairs, litters and similar activities. Also, it may be necessary to perform such activities as CPR and psychiatric intervention at a unit-specific level. An employee assigned to this position description may be assigned to work any shift.

Education

Grandfathering Provisions. All NAs employed in VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the series and grade held that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

  • Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
  • If an employee who was retained (grandfathered) under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status of the grandfathering provision and must meet the full VA qualification standard basic requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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/.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or 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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

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.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

  • Resume



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
  • Other (1)
  • Resume
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  • Transcript


Resume Reminder - Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:
  • Job title
  • Duties (be as detailed as possible)
  • Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2020 to April 2021)
  • Full-time or part-time status (including the number of weekly hours worked per week for each position listed on the resume).
Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all the questions by addressing your work experience in detail. Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.

Transcript Reminder - If you are basing your qualifications on education (or a combination of education and experience) you must submit a copy of your transcripts (official or unofficial).

Veterans' Preference: Veterans' Preference: This position is listed on the annual determination of staffing shortages and Veterans Preference does not apply to this recruitment. Veterans are encouraged to apply and will receive full consideration.

For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

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 10/20/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12801027.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

Agency contact information

Marek Wojenski
Phone
(203) 932-5711 X14553
Fax
(203) 937-4718
Email
Marek.Wojenski@va.gov
Address
VA Central Western Massachusetts Healthcare System
421 North Main Street
Leeds, MA 01053
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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