Nursing Assistant
The Nursing Assistant provides essential patient care and support under the supervision of nursing staff within Confidential Client facilities. Responsibilities include assisting with nursing care plans, monitoring patient physical and emotional status, operating medical equipment, and responding to emergent situations. The role requires strong communication skills, knowledge of healthcare regulations, and the ability to train new assistants, contributing to high-quality patient care in a clinical environment.
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 compassionate, dependable Nursing Assistants to join their care team in Little Rock, AR. This full-time role supports patient/resident care under the supervision of registered nurses and licensed practical nurses and contributes directly to positive patient outcomes across hospital, long-term care, or outpatient settings.
What You’ll Do
- Provide a range of patient/resident care activities consistent with training and assignment (bathing, feeding, toileting, mobility assistance).
- Assist in completing elements of the nurse care plan and support patient recovery.
- Observe and report changes in patients’ physical or emotional status to supervising clinician promptly.
- Use basic diagnostic and treatment equipment correctly (e.g., bladder scan, continuous passive motion devices, blood glucose monitors, specimen collection tools).
- Communicate clearly and respectfully with patients/residents, families, and the interdisciplinary team.
- Support emergency responses until additional clinical help arrives (basic life support measures, bleeding control, de-escalation for behavioral crises).
- When assigned, serve as a preceptor to new Nursing Assistants — coordinate orientation tasks and assess practical skills.
Qualifications (Minimum & Grade Criteria)
Basic requirements (applies to all applicants)
- United States Citizenship required for appointment unless an exception applies under federal policy.
- Proficiency in spoken and written English.
- Demonstrated experience, education, or training sufficient to perform Nursing Assistant duties.
Minimum experience/education pathways
- Six months of general experience that demonstrates ability to learn NA tasks; OR
- One year of education above high school with healthcare-related coursework; OR
- Completion of an intensive, occupation-related training program (<1 year) qualifying for GS-3.
Grade-specific guidelines
- GS-03 (Entry): Meets the basic requirements above.
- GS-04: One year of specialized NA experience or equivalent medical-field experience performing technical and nursing skills; OR completion of two years of post-high-school study in a relevant field.
- GS-05 (Full performance): One year of progressively responsible assignments equivalent to GS-04 OR a 4‑year degree (with 24 semester hours in health-related coursework) plus demonstrated KSAs at the full-performance level.
Required knowledge, skills & abilities (KSAs)
- Ability to assist with the full range of nursing care for patients with physical and/or behavioral needs.
- Ability to observe and report patient condition changes and follow supervisor direction.
- Competence with basic diagnostic/treatment equipment and standard clinical supplies.
- Effective oral communication with patients, families, and team members.
- Ability to respond appropriately to emergent situations and provide interim interventions when needed.
Preferred / Required Certifications & Experience
- Current Basic Life Support (BLS/BCLS) certificate required per VHA Directive 1177 if selected; preferred at application time.
- Experience working with electronic health records and standard office/clinical software.
- Familiarity with Department of Veterans Affairs/DVA regulations, Joint Commission (JC) standards, CARF, or similar accreditation requirements is a plus.
Physical Requirements
- Typical physical demands include standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing.
- May require use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and compliance with annual TB screening/testing as a condition of employment.
Work Environment
- Clinical setting (hospital, long-term care, outpatient clinics) with routine safety precautions.
- Work may be fast-paced and require handling multiple tasks simultaneously in stressful situations.
- Adequate lighting, heating, and ventilation are provided.
Compensation & Employment Type
- Employment type: Full time
- Salary range (provided by Confidential Client): $37,544 - $61,299 per year
Notes & References
- Full performance level for this vacancy: GS-05. Selection may occur at GS-03 through GS-05 depending on qualifications.
- For federal qualification standards reference: https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
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.
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