Position Summary:
This is a developmental nursing position at the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center. Incumbents will be given opportunities to provide basic nursing care in alignment with competencies learned in the academic setting and validated by VA staff to provide care to patients with acute to chronic conditions in a hospital setting. The significant factor is that the incumbent will work under close supervision while learning to perform complex nursing skills and referring all questions to assigned supervisors.
Key Responsibilities:
- The Student Nurse Technician (SNT) is responsible for appropriately utilizing the glucose monitoring machine to collect and document appropriate glucose readings for the assigned Veteran, observation of patients, and otherwise performing all relevant aspects of nursing care to meet patient needs for the following: personal hygiene, physical comfort, activity, exercise, rest, nutrition, elimination, prevention of skin breakdown, and rehabilitative aspects of care.
- The incumbent will engage with in-group activities such as field trips outside of the facility, reality orientation, current events, and other therapeutic groups; set up patient care related equipment, organize and obtain routine supplies and equipment, assist with orienting patient/family to unit routines and policies, monitor patients according to levels of observations, and perform and document prescribed medical treatment and interventions for the patient such as diabetic urine testing, blood testing, and simple dressing changes.
- This developmental position will also begin to utilize rehabilitative principles to promote patient independence and recovery such as encouraging and guiding them in bowel and bladder training. Any other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor and/or senior nursing staff.
Required Education & Experience:
- All applicants must pass pre-employment physical examination.
- Completion of final semester of the junior year
- 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.
- Education: enrollment in a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate State-accrediting agency AND accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
- All applicants are subject to background/security investigation.
- Completion of 2 academic years of post-high school study or associate’s degree
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
- Completion of 1 academic year of post-high school study
- All applicants may be required to serve a probationary period.
- 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 drug testing will be denied employment with VA.
- All applicants must be proficient in written and spoken English.