Nursing Assistant-Intensive Care Unit
The Nursing Assistant in the Intensive Care Unit provides essential patient care under the supervision of licensed nursing staff, assisting patients with acute, sub-acute, or chronic conditions. This role involves performing technical nursing tasks, observing and reporting patient status, and supporting the nursing care team, while also serving as a mentor to new assistants and responding to emergent care situations.
About Careertakes
👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Healthcare & Nursing.
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
Position Overview
Confidential Client is seeking a Nursing Assistant (NA) to support patients in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) setting in Wilkes Barre, PA. This role is full-time and will collaborate closely with registered nurses and multidisciplinary teams to deliver safe, compassionate patient care consistent with the VA qualification standards described for GS-03 to GS-05 levels.
What You’ll Do
- Provide direct patient care under the supervision of licensed nursing staff in an ICU environment.
- Assist with activities of daily living, patient hygiene, repositioning, transfers and safe use of mechanical lifts.
- Monitor and report changes in patients’ physical or emotional status to the nurse or supervisor.
- Use simple diagnostic/treatment equipment as directed (e.g., bladder scanner, continuous passive motion device, blood glucose monitor, specimen collection).
- Contribute to nursing care plans and support patient recovery efforts.
- Communicate effectively with patients, families and the interdisciplinary care team.
- Participate in orientation/precepting activities as assigned at higher NA grade levels.
Required Qualifications
Applicants must meet the basic requirements below; selection grade may range from GS-03 to GS-05 depending on experience and education.
- United States Citizenship (per client policy).
- Proficiency in spoken and written English.
- Six months of general experience OR one year of education above high school with relevant courses; OR completion of an intensive occupation-related training program for entry-level consideration (GS-03).
- For GS-4: One year of specialized experience as an NA or related medical role demonstrating technical and therapeutic care skills, or 2 years of relevant post–high-school education.
- For GS-5 (full performance): One year of progressively responsible NA experience equivalent to GS-4 or a bachelor’s degree with healthcare-related coursework.
- Ability to observe and report changes in patient condition and to use basic equipment safely.
- Ability to work under supervision and escalate issues appropriately.
Preferred / Helpful Experience
- ICU or acute-care patient experience.
- Familiarity with basic life support (BLS) and recognizing emergent situations.
- Experience with patient transfers, wound care support, and specimen collection.
- Previous preceptor or mentorship experience (for higher grade consideration).
Physical Requirements & Work Environment
- Visual acuity, keen hearing, clear speech and manual dexterity.
- May involve long periods of walking, standing, stooping, bending, lifting, pushing and pulling.
- Transferring patients and objects may be required; mechanical lifts are provided.
- Possible exposure to infectious materials, isolation procedures, and patients with behavioral challenges.
- Must meet annual employee health requirements (e.g., TB screening/testing).
Compensation & Employment Type
- Employment type: Full time.
- Salary range (provided by client): $36,824 - $55,341 per year (range depends on grade and experience).
Location
- Wilkes Barre, PA — on-site clinical role.
Why Work Through Careertakes
- Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform that connects you to this confidential client in Healthcare & Nursing.
- If selected, you will be employed directly by the client. Applicants may be matched to additional opportunities on the Careertakes platform.
Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency
Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.
If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.
Negotiate a higher salary! Check the salary ranges for this job type in your area.
View My Salary Range