About this role
Job SummaryThe employee will be assigned as a Recreation Assistant at the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System, Sioux Falls, SD. The position is for the Hospice Cottage where your duties would be to protect, to nurture and to sustain the elderly, to maintain the safety and cleanliness of the environment and for providing high quality care.
QualificationsENGLISH 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. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. AND SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped them with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-5 grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience includes: Group leader, counselor, or similar work in public and private recreation programs for adults or children such as summer camps, local playgrounds, YWCA and YMCA clubs, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, urban community centers, or resort recreational activities; Teacher's aide in elementary school recreation or physical education program, with emphasis on development of general recreational skills and abilities; Aid or assistant assignments in recreation while on active military service; Aid or assistant in the organization and administration of recreation activities, such as preparing activities calendars, maintaining attendance records, and providing information concerning schedules and activities; Summer aid in a State or national park, with duties related to the recreational activities of visitors to campsites, trails, picnic areas, nature and raft centers, and boating and fishing areas (e.g., demonstrating camping techniques and park safety, conducting nature tours, and overseeing farm animal areas provided for children); Sales or stock clerk in a recreation supplies and equipment shop; Aid or assistant in the issuance of authorized property, and in the maintenance of inventory control and accountability for such property in a recreation facility; Aid or assistant in a hotel or resort recreation service, with duties such as setting up areas for games, tournaments, and other organized group recreational activities. NOTE: Appropriate credit will be given for voluntary participation in community, social service, and similar activities related to the work of the position. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE: Successful completion of six (6) months of graduate education directly related to the work of the position meets the requirements for GS-6. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) OR COMBINING EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Combination of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) Physical Requirements: The work assignment involves regular and recurring physical exertions, such as prolonged walking, standing, bending, reaching, stooping, climbing and stretching to set up and take apart equipment and apparatus; lifting, handling and operating various supplies and equipment needed by the service, lifting and repositioning patients, moderately heaving lifting (50 lbs. or less), moving equipment and procuring supplies, working in extreme temperatures, positioning patients and assisting patients in transfer and/or ambulation. The work requires specific, common and physical characteristics and abilities such as above average agility and dexterity. The employee must be able to push patients in wheelchairs on level and incline ground. At times, there may be undue heavy lifting due to unforeseen circumstances such as preventing patient from falling. Most activities are rendered in the area to which the employee is assigned. At times, activities are conducted on outside of hospital grounds or during outings into the community. The employee work assignment requires a current CPR certificate For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Major Duties***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Duties include, but may not be limited to the following: Leads activities, encourages patient participation and documents in the medical record. Sets up and tears down food station and equipment management to include sterilization. Prepares and serves food to include dietary restrictions and modifications. Answers phones, the door and residents or family questions. Orders supplies for recreational activities and food service. Performs light housekeeping in all areas including: emptying trash, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming and wiping all surfaces. Collaborates with dietitian, recreational therapist, nursing, providers and other team members to carry out resident activities and care. Monitors food consumption for documentation and reports to nursing. Discusses dietary modifications with the patient and family to aid in preparation of food. Places work orders and logs temperatures and cleaning schedules. Performs other related duties as required. Work Schedule: Rotating 12-hour shifts, day and night shifts, as well as weekends, holidays, evenings. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized.RequirementsYou must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Required Documents" below for details. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.