Housekeeping Aid

This position is under the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Environmental Management Service (EMS). The Housekeeping Aid reports to the Housekeeping Aid Supervisor and is essential to the patient care experience at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). As a Housekeeping Aid, you will perform a full range of light and heavy cleaning duties and routine housekeeping duties.

Qualifications:

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards.

SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements:

• Dexterity and Safety
• Follow Directions
• Handle Weights and Loads
• Reliability And Dependability
• Special Aptitude - Housekeeping Work
• Work Practices

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
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Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Responsibilities:

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Typically, the incumbent works independently with general supervision, or works with a team and is responsible for the full-range of cleaning duties in an assigned area throughout the medical facility.
• This position performs typically both janitorial and custodial services (e.g., textile distribution and inventory activity, sanitizing and disinfecting, waste removal, cleaning of blinds, replacing curtains, washing windows and walls, dusting and polishing furniture and fixtures, discharge cleaning, sweeping, scrubbing and extracting, polishing floors and applying floor finishes) in all areas of the medical center excluding critical care areas.
• Work is regularly performed by hand and with light-powered cleaning equipment (e.g., buffers, spray- washers, and vacuum cleaners).
• The Housekeeping Aid executes a full range of housekeeping activities in patient and non-patient care areas.
• The incumbent may be assigned to any tour and may be required to work in various designated areas during any one tour of duty.
• These duties include, but are not limited to the following:
• Performs floor maintenance, wall washing. Cleans doors, doorframes, baseboard corners and edges, and stairwells.
• Tasks are accomplished by sweeping, dust mopping, damp and wet mopping, scrubbing, stripping, refinishing, buffing, vacuuming and extracting carpets and runners, spot cleaning areas, and high and low dusting.
• Adjusts, cleans, and performs minor maintenance on this equipment and changes attachments for their proper use in achieving the best results;- Empties trash and wastebaskets, replaces liners.
• Transports general refuse, regulated medical waste and recycling to central collection areas;
• Cleans rest rooms, bathrooms, and shower rooms, ensuring that they are cleaned and meet acceptable standards (cleans, disinfects, and deodorizes lavatories, showers, bathtubs, urinals, and toilet bowls; cleans mirrors, sinks, and water fountains; washes and polishes light and toilet fixtures);
• Replenishes supplies of paper towels, toilet paper, hand sanitizers, and soap in all areas where dispensers are located;
• Moves and arranges furniture, patient wardrobes, beds, etc. in the assigned area to accomplish cleaning tasks;
• Provides bed-making services in patient care areas, and OD rooms;- Cleans mattresses, springs, and bed frames;
• Cleans bedside stands, over bed lights, blood pressure cuffs, bed tables, etc. in-patient rooms;
• Removes bags of soiled textiles from patient rooms and transports to the designated soiled room in each ward area;-
• Loads and unloads clean textiles from bulk carts. Restocks clean textile closets, cabinets, shelves, carts, and participates in inventory management activities;
• Defrosts and cleans patient care refrigerators and ice machines in nourishment kitchen areas;
• Cleans stainless steel on storage instrument cabinets and counters, elevators in lobbies, wards, diet-kitchens and nurses' utility rooms;
• Cleans ashtrays, smoke stands, sand urns in designated smoke areas and water fountains;
• Provides interim cleaning of windows and window ledges from the inside, cleans glass door and other glass surfaces;
• Replaces curtains and cleans blinds;
• Cleans needle boxes. On occasion, may be required to replace needle boxes; and
• Periodically cleans specific non-critical Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) in inpatient and clinical areas of the medical center.
• Additionally, the incumbent may work with Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) worker for training purposes, and perform other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Varying, includes nights, weekends and holidays.
Position Description Title/PD#: Housekeeping Aid/PD02779A

Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to do continuous walking, standing, stooping, kneeling, pulling, and pushing: Occasionally uses heavy powered cleaning equipment (e.g., wall washers, industrial type equipment) weighing over 50 pounds. The duties require considerable dexterity, hand, foot, and eye coordination, and concentration. Visual acuity must be sufficient for the incumbent to see dirt, dust and debris.

Work is normally performed indoors with adequate heat, light, and ventilation. Some work may be performed outdoors where incumbent is exposed to varying degrees of heat and cold as well as inclement weather. Some exposure to possible contagious diseases, blood and bloody secretion are inherent to this position. Care is required to avoid serious injuries (i.e. broken bones) when working on ladders, or when using 30-100-pound power equipment or handling hazardous materials