Overview
Psychiatric Nursing Assistant (GS-0621-05) Naval Medical Center San Diego, CA
Downtown San Diego is located on San Diego Bay. Balboa Park encompasses several mesas and canyons to the northeast, surrounded by older, dense urban communities including Hillcrest and North Park. To the east and southeast lie City Heights, the College Area, and Southeast San Diego. To the north lies Mission Valley and Interstate 8. The communities north of the valley and freeway, and south of Marine Corps Air Station Mirmar, include Clairemont, Kearny Mesa, Tierrasanta, and Navajo. Stretching north from Miramar are the northern suburbs of Mira Mesa, Scripps Ranch, Rancho Penasquitos, and Ranch Bernado. The far northeast portion of the city encompasses Lake Hodges and the San Pasqual Valley, which holds an agricultural preserve. Carmel Valley and Del Mar Heights occupy the northwest corner of the city. To their south are Torrey Pines State Reserve and the business center of the Golden Triangle. Further south are the beach and coastal communities of La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, and Ocean Beach. Pont Loma occupies the peninsula across San Diego Bay from downtown. The communities of South San Diego (an Enclave), such as San Ysidro and Otay Mesa, are located next to the Mexico-United States border and are physically separated from the rest of the city by the cities of National City and Chula Vista. A narrow strip of land at the bottom of San Diego Bay connects these southern neighborhoods with the rest of the city.
San Diego has one of the top-ten best climates in the United States and has one of the two best summer climates in the country as scored by The Weather Channel. San Diego area has been variously categorized as having either a semi-arid climate or a Mediterranean climate. San Diego's climate is characterized by warm, dry summers and mild winters, with most of the annual precipitation falling between December and March. The city has a mild climate year-round, with an average of 201 days above 70 °F and low rainfall (9–13 inches annually).
Working for the Department of Defense comes with an abundance of benefits and perks to include competitive compensation packages, paid-time off, medical benefits, student loan repayments, and retirement package with Thrift Savings Plan to include matching employer contributions. For more information, please visit the following link: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/benefits/
Responsibilities
Serves as a Psychiatric Nursing Assistant, providing direct and indirect care services to patients inthe Medical Treatment Facility (MTF) and other areas outside MTF.
1. Assists and participates in the planning and evaluation of patient needs and in providing a safe and therapeutic environment. Conducts group and individual practical counseling and education for clients with psychological conditions under the direct supervision of a licensed registered nurse. Provides practical, short-term supportive counseling services for assigned clients with varying degrees of severity. Performs evaluations and counseling to improve the ability of clients to become more adaptive and functional in work, home life, and social roles. Works with a high degree of independence in planning, developing and adapting standard and nonstandard nursing treatment plans based on interview data, observations, reports of others, review of records, and physical and mental status of the client. Provides supportive counseling to help patients work out problems, vent feelings, and express past personal events. Observes for thought content, paranoia or suicidal thoughts, inappropriate behavior or behavior changes. Annotates notes with observations made and reaction to medications. Immediately alerts clinical nurse to changes or problems such as suicidal tendencies, apparent over medication, or other medical problems. Encourages good behavior by setting examples such as politeness and advantages of good behavior. Documents intervention and the patient's response to intervention. Charts patients' physical and emotional progress in the hospital electronic medical record (EMR).
2. Processes patients for admission by searching belongings for contraband, obtaining inpatient/outpatient records, preparing patient charts with proper forms, assigning beds. Takes patient vital signs and documents in EMR. Collects information from personal interview, medical records, medical personnel, and any other concerned person in order to obtain a thorough clinical history. Monitors the use of hazardous items. Provides assistance, security, and patient comfort. Identifies and meets needs of patients for activities of daily living, involvement in activities, understanding of illness, and discharge planning. Encourages and assists patients in activities of daily living. Assists in coordinating activities and encourages participation by patients. Maintains accountability of patients during outdoor activities, meals, and other activities. Escorts patients safely on and off the unit; knows the patient management procedures for elopement risks. Performs ward searches and ongoing risk assessments; monitors use of dangerous items; assists in maintaining a safe and therapeutic milieu ensuring patients do not obtain contraband or objects with which they may harm themselves. Assists professional staff in observation and reports to the professional staff significant behaviors and modes of response that may be valuable in diagnosis and treatment. Reports any unusual occurrences to supervisor.
3. Performs crisis stabilization for agitated, disoriented, and combative high-risk patients. Assists/participates in the application of manual or mechanical restraints, may need to lift or move up to 50lbs. Performs applicable documentation in the EMR in the support of physical restraint procedures. Escorts patients to appointments, activities, meals, etc. Works with patients using a variety of treatment procedures in groups (reality orientation, small group therapy) or individually(one-to-one) to explore consequences of behavior. Assists with management of patients with substance abuse disorders.
4. Performs a variety of technical, administrative, and clerical duties. Assists professional staff with providing direct and indirect care to psychiatric inpatients in the assigned ward. Resolves minor complaints and refers others to supervisors. Manages equipment inventory; ensures ward/unit equipment is in proper working order. Helps to maintain staff competency folders and workload management data.
Performs other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Must be a US Citizen
Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes providing nursing care to patients with a variety of health problems; and/or monitoring and reporting patient behavior. OR
Education: A half year (i.e., 9 semester hours) of graduate level education in a field directly related to the work of the position, such as Nursing.OR
Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 9. Add the two percentages.
Education:
FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification: This position requires Basic Life Support (BLS) training certification from, or in accordance with, theAmerican Heart Association and American Red Cross.
