Summary
VA STEP is a program that provides opportunities for outstanding students in nursing who have completed the final semester of their junior year in a national accredited baccalaureate nursing program to develop competencies while at VA Central California Health Care System (VACCHCS) an approved VA facility. Opportunities include didactic and classroom experiences, competency-based clinical practices with a qualified preceptor, and participation in specialty focused clinical conferences.
Duties
The incumbent will develop competency-based clinical practice with a qualified Registered Nurse (RN) preceptor supervising all aspects of practice. The VA-STEP student is responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process when providing direct patient care. This includes Assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating nursing care based on age-specific components. Incumbent assumes responsibility for the coordination of care focused on patient transition through the continuum of care, patient and family education, patient self-management at discharge, and supporting factors that impact customer satisfaction. The incumbent considers all characteristics of the patient, including age and life stages, state of health, race and culture, values, family and previous experiences. Under direct supervision, the VA-STEP student may administer medications and conduct procedures per established policies and guidelines. The VA-STEP student influences care outcomes by collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team. Core elements of performance include knowledge and active participation in unit/program level quality improvement processes and initiatives as well as customer service programs. As a temporary, intermittent employee you will not be entitled to benefits (retirement, life insurance, health insurance or leave accrual).
**This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until May 31st, 2024. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be February 6th, 2024, with subsequent cut-off dates every 4 weeks. Eligible applications received after that date will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available.**
Work Schedule: Varies, must be able to accept all shifts
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
The VA Student Trainee Experience Program (VA-STEP) provides nursing care in accordance with duties, knowledge and skills identified in this functional statement. The VA-STEP Student Nurse Technician (SNT) administratively reports to the Student Nurse Trainee Coordinator. The VA-STEP SNT functions under the direct supervision of the RN preceptor, as assigned by Nurse Manager of the unit the VA-STEP SNT student is stationed. The VA-STEP SNT is currently enrolled in a nationally accredited School of Nursing recognized by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Delivers safe care to assigned patients, while developing technical competencies based on the ANA Standards of Nursing Practice, VHA Directives, and local policies.
- Formulates a plan of care based on nursing assessments, using the nursing process, based on the ANA Standards of Nursing Practice.
- Demonstrates appropriate and consistent critical thinking skills.
- Documents the nursing process.
Conditions of Employment
- U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
- 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 probationary period.
- Subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
- 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).
- Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
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.
- English Language Proficiency. 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.
- Enrolled in a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate State-accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing.
- Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Will have completed the final semester or quarter of the junior year in a accredited Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing program.
- Transcripts (official or unofficial)
- You will be required to apply to the USAJobs.gov website and the VA Student Trainee Experience Program (VA-STEP) through their registration website: VA AMS (intelliworxit.com). You will need to provide the following:
- A letter of recommendation from the Dean/Director of the school of nursing: the letter should include a nomination of the student to the program, verification of enrollment as a full time student (as defined by the school), successful completion of the junior year by May/June of the current year (or its equivalent for rotating schedules).
- A personal reference
- Essay sections must be completed on the VA-STEP portal section
Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting & Carrying (45 lbs and over); Straight Pulling & Pushing (7-8 hours); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (up to 8 hours); Standing & Kneeling (up to 1 hour): Repeated bending (7-8 hours); Both legs required. Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16"; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and 20/40 in the other; Hearing (aid permitted); Emotional and Mental Stability. May be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures. May occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative, secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders.
Note: Student Nurse Technicians will be paid their regular straight time base rate, but will not receive any additional premium pay for working on a legal holiday, Sundays or at night. Additionally, students will receive their regular straight time pay for time off, if relieved or prevented from working by the occurrence of a legal holiday. No compensation will be paid to students for working overtime; however, students may be granted equivalent time off for service in excess of 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week. A minimum of two(2) 8-hour shifts per pay period must be completed to maintain the position. As a trainee, students may not be assigned to compressed work schedules, except when rotating with an assigned preceptor working through a pre-assigned compressed work schedule. This temporary trainee rotation must be limited as previously mentioned. When appointed on a full-time or part-time basis, students are entitled to accrue annual and sick leave in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 63. When appointed on an intermittent basis, students are not entitled to leave accruals
Education
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/.
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.
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.
NOTE: Candidate's education, scope, and length of nursing practice (experience) will be considered by a Nurse Professional Standards Board in determining the grade and salary of the applicant selected. The recommended salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.
Experience as an RN will be evaluated to determine if the experience is of an acceptable level of quality with regard to the following four dimensions of nursing: Practice, Professional Development, Collaboration and Scientific Inquiry. Each dimension of practice has criteria that demonstrate essential core competencies for VHA Nursing Personnel.
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.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to 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.
Applicants are not required, but highly encouraged to submit the following document:
- Recommendation letter from the Dean/Director of the school of nursing
- 1 to 2-page essay, double spaced, explaining why you want to be a nurse and why you want to work at the VA
- VA Form 10-2850d - Application for Health Professions Trainees (Available at https://www.va.gov/find-forms/about-form-10-2850d/ (Required if selected)
- SF-50 - Non-award (VA, other Federal Employees, and Reinstatement eligible)
- OF-306 Declaration For Federal Employment https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/of0306.pdf (Required if selected)
Veterans' Preference Note: Preference eligible candidates and other Veterans will be given preference when qualification of candidates are approximately equal for Title 38 positions in VHA. When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. 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.
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 05/31/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12261305.
- 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.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
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.
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