Nurse Aide

Responsibilities:

• Assist professional nursing staff by performing duties in caring for residents at facility; work under supervision of professional nurses; transport, baths, and dress residents; comb hair; clean teeth, and care for nails; provide bedpans and urinals; make beds and feed residents; execute resident assessment and care plans; provide for safety, comfort, and well-being of resident.
• The person holding this position is delegated the responsibility for carrying out the assigned duties and responsibilities in accordance with current existing federal and state regulations and established company policies and procedures.

Qualifications

• Completion of Nurse Aide Training Program: As required by federal and state law.
• Continuing Education: As required by federal and state law, including in-service training programs.
• Education: Must be able to read, write, and follow oral instructions. High school education or equivalent is preferred. Completion of the state approved training programs, including on-the­ job training.
• Experience: Prefer some previous experience in health-care facilities.

Job Knowledge

• Knowledge of procedures and techniques involved in administering simple treatments and providing related bedside resident care services. Understanding of standard techniques used in providing personal services for resident and in caring for equipment and supplies. Good understanding of basis of asepsis and sterile techniques to avoid infection of residents and self   or contamination of equipment and supplies. Be aware of the assessment process, and the development and execution of care plans.

Standards

• Perform duties in accordance with established methods and techniques and in conformance with recognized standards. Provide maximum resident care serviced within limits defined by delegated tasks.

• Exhibit genuine interest in residents; patience and tact in dealing with residents, families, and visitors; initiative and judgment in recognizing symptoms indicative of resident's adverse reactions to treatment; willingness to perform a variety of simple repetitive tasks.
• Functions:

• Ambulate and transfer residents utilizing appropriate assertive devices and body mechanics.
• Routinely turn and position residents.
• Make beds every day, changing linens per facility policy and as needed.
• Measure and record residents' height and weights.
• Take temperature, pulse, respirations, and blood pressure as directed by the nurse.
• Care for incontinent residents.
• Measure and record residents' intake and output.
• Collect sputum, urine, and stool specimens.
• Assist residents in all activities of daily living.
• Pass out trays and feed/assist residents as needed.
• Observe and document food, nourishment, and fluid intake of each resident.
• Keep assigned resident bedside area clean at all times and personal belongings in orderly arrangement.
• Assist with development and review of the resident care plans in conjunction with nursing and other disciplines.
• Ensure resident privacy, respect, and dignity.
• Assist in orientation of new nursing assistants.
• Participate in in-service programs.
• Exhibit and perform proper hand washing techniques.
• Maintain proper infection control procedures when handling clothing and linens.
• Detect, correct, and report to the charge nurse any unsafe conditions, which may result in bodily injury or fire.
• Receive oral reports and written assignments from charge nurse at beginning of each tour of duty.
• Provide maximum resident care services to assure well-being of residents to greatest degree.
• Execute duties and responsibilities in conformance with established routine.
• Assist with execution of resident assessment and plan of care.
• Assure physical comfort, safety, and mental well-being of residents.
• Assist in daily requirements and tasks in care and treatment of residents, such as toileting, grooming, bathing, feeding, dressing, observing intake of food, care of hair and nails, moving residents from area to area, responding to calls, etc.
• Detect and correct situations that have a probability of causing accidents or injuries to   residents.
• Observe and report symptoms, reactions, and changes of residents.
• Possess knowledge of procedures and techniques.
• Understand standard techniques in personal service-care of residents.
• Be aware of sterile procedures and avoid contamination.
• Immediately answer the nurse's call buzzer of each resident.
• Encourage and motivate residents to participate in recreational, occupational, and physical therapies and other rehabilitative measures to promote activity of mind and body.
• Foster self-respect and esteem by recognizing, accepting, and respecting those entrusted to his/her care.
• Clean used equipment and return to proper place after using, such as water basins, bed pans,

                              urinals, and any other equipment that may be used.

                        •    Record bowel movements and kidney output of assigned residents as directed by the charge nurse.

• Check residents frequently, and before going off duty, to be sure that they are clean and dry.

Physical Demands

• Literate, adult in good physical and mental health. Emotional maturity; integrity; poise; dignity. Constant standing and walking during work periods. Turning, stooping, bending, stretching, and lifting to assist residents, make beds, move equipment and perform other related tasks. Finger and hand dexterity to handle delicate instruments and other equipment. Visual and hearing acuity to detect changes in resident's condition.

Special Demands

• Must have a genuine interest in geriatric nursing.  Willingness to work with realization that errors may have serious consequences for residents. Patience and tact in dealing with residents, their families and visitors. Some initiative and judgment in recognizing symptoms indicative residents' adverse reactions to treatments. Willingness to perform a variety of simple repetitive tasks, many of which involve unpleasant conditions. Rapidity and accuracy in preparing instruments and supplies for use within very limited periods of time; works under close supervision.

Work Area and Environment

• Nursing department, residents' rooms, supply room, nursing station, and throughout the facility.