This Behavioral Health Nursing Assistant position is located within a secure, inpatient mental health unit at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6), Fayetteville NC Coastal Health Care System, Fayetteville, NC. The Behavioral Health Nursing Assistant provides compassionate, trauma-informed care in the mental health unit.
The incumbent will support patient safety, assist with daily living needs, observe and report behavioral and clinical changes, and help maintain a therapeutic, recovery-focused environment. Duties include but are not limited to: Utilizes glucose monitoring machine to receive glucose readings for veterans refers deviation to appropriate health care staff. Competent with performing aspects of nursing care to meet patient/resident needs.
Provides direct care for complex veterans with psychiatric, mental health, behavioral, and substance use disorders. Use therapeutic communication, redirection, validation, and trauma-informed approaches. Assist with de-escalation and Code Green response. Recognizes the residents' autonomy and promotes independence by means of respect, limit setting and individualized treatment.
Manages disruptive patient behavior by appropriately intervening and requesting assistant from other health care members. Assist with therapeutic programming, structured activities, coping-skills practice, and community meetings Maintain a safe milieu through safety checks, 1:1 observation, environmental rounds, and monitoring for suicide, fall, and elopement risks. Observe and report changes in mental status, mood, behavior, sleep, appetite, agitation, or confusion.
Assist with ADLs including bathing, grooming, dressing, toileting, and promoting dignity and independence. Support safe ambulation, transfers, and use of mobility devices using safe-handling practices. Obtain and document vital signs, pain scores, weight, oxygen saturation, and collect non-invasive specimens. Utilizes glucose monitoring machine to receive glucose readings for veterans refers deviation to appropriate health care staff.
Documents care given, observations and responses on appropriate tools or forms. Monitor and documents patient intake and output reports deviations timely and accurately. Works on small group activities with veterans/residents according to the patients/resident treatment plan. Orients members of the health care team to the units as appropriate. Functions as a member of the unit base counsel.
Verbally provides patient information to the treatment team for inclusion in the veteran/residents' plan of care, participates in treatment team meetings for resident care planning. Participates in maintaining a clean, safe environment for the patient/resident. Removes defective equipment, reports hazards, observes safety regulations, contributes to infection control, and utilizes proper aseptic technique in performance of duties.
Work Schedule: 7:45pm - 8:15am alternating weekends Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
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/.
This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.
The posted pay range is $36993 – $60399/yr.
This position requires a Other security clearance.
Applications close on 2026-09-02.
This position is open under the 'Public' hiring path.
Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government
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