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Nursing Assistant
Career Insights for Nursing Assistant
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Scorecard
Based on Pennsylvania data
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What they do
A Nursing Assistant provides hospital and nursing home patients with basic care and assists them with daily activities. Helps patients with dressing, washing, and feeding. May perform basic medical care under the direction of a nurse or other medical professional. These roles typically require completion of a regional agency-approved training program in order to obtain a certification before practicing.
$39,212 / year median in Pennsylvania
-8% projected decline
Job Description
Summary:
The certified nursing assistant is an integral member of the health care team who delivers quality care through collaboration and communication with team members. They work under the direct supervision of the registered nurse to support and assist the nurse in the delivery of quality care to patients and families. Some of the major responsibilities will include collection and reporting of patient data, incorporating organizational competencies of superior quality care and assuming responsibility and accountability for their role performance outcomes while supporting HUP's Standards of Excellence.Responsibilities:
Report:
Receives written/verbal report at the beginning of each shift from the registered nurse (RN) regarding the care that is tobe delivered to the assigned group of patients, or for patient needing constant observation. Gives report when leaving unit, and at the completion of the shift regarding the care that was delivered anyabnormalities that occur during the shift are to be reported as they occur to the RN as well as to the oncoming CNA. Assists inAssessment:
Identifies the patient per hospital policy before carrying out functions. Assists with data collection for nursing history and physical e.g., vital signs, ht. wt, blood sugar results, functional statusand communicates changes to the RN in a timely fashion. Participates in respectful communication with patients, families and co workers. Provides patient and family information to the registered nurse for coordination of care and discharge planning. Observes skin changes and reports discoloration, abrasions, infestations or skin breakdown.Planning:
Assists in setting mutually agreed upon realistic individual patient goals. Integrates the RN's directions re: the patient's plan of care into the care given to the patient. Gives RN report before the end of the shift regarding the patient's response to the plan of care issues, and at varioustimes during the shift to report unusual findings e.g., abnormal blood sugar results, vital sign changes, pain etc.Intervention:
Promotes infection control by using the appropriate hand washing techniques. Follows standard precautions and any other isolation precautions as dictated by the patient's condition. Maintains a safe environment and protects the patient from injury by observing the patient who may be at risk for falls,confusion, disorientation, wandering or suicidal behaviors follows Constant Observation Policy. Applies and monitors patients in restraints per policy and per medical order. Observes or monitors behavior/health state and responses to therapy.o Temperature, Pulse, Respiration.o Blood Pressure.o Neurological Checks.o Vascular Checks.o Height and Weight.o Intake and Output.o Bowel and Bladder Function Checks.o Pain. Communicates pertinent observations to appropriate members of the health care team in a timely fashion. Participates in multidisciplinary rounds on the patient care unit. Performs patient care rounds per unit policy. Participates in staff and unit council meetings.Accountabilities Works in collaboration with all members of the healthcare team. Reports findings to nurse concerning the patient and or family which may impact patient care. Performs or assists the patient with activities of daily living such as bathing, (bed, tub, shower, or sitz) grooming, eating,feeding, range of motion, ambulating, transferring and oral hygiene. Participates in the prevention and treatment of skin breakdown. Applies current accepted methods of heat and cold therapy as directed by the nurse. Provides for the patient's oral dietary needs using currently accepted methods. Provides for the elimination needs by giving a bed pan, urinal, emptying urinary and or bowel appliances or implementingthe bowel program under the direction of the RN. Assists with colostomy irrigations. Assists with vaginal irrigations. Applies urosheath/condom catheter. Removes foley catheter as directed by the nurse and monitors urinary out put as directed. Administers cleansing enemas as ordered. Performs post mortem care. Assists the physician to perform physical exams. Assists with oxygen therapy only and does not regulate the flow of oxygen. Encourage the use of the pulmonary toilet by using the incentive spirometer, coughing, turning and deep breathing. Utilizes the appropriate equipment for patient lifting. Reinforces health care instruction to patients according to the directions of the nurse. Displays competence in using the following equipment and reports findings to the registered nurse:o Pulse oximetero Bladder scannero 12 Lead ECGo Data Scopeo Electric Fetal Monitor (as applicable)o Glucometero Foley removalo Lift and transfer devices Performs continuous bladder irrigations per direction of
RN Documentation:
Documents findings, interventions and patient outcome results on patient documents. This may include I&O, VS, Bladderscanner results, pulse ox results, glucometer results or other findings. Documents using complete signature, status "CNA" and date and time on all charted entries.Evaluation:
Assists in evaluating nursing care given by comparing the patient's functional status from day to day and discussing thiswith the nurse.Credentials:
Basic Cardiac Life Support (Required) Certified Nurse Aid (Required) CNA Certification by theState of Pennsylvania Education or Equivalent Experience:
H.S. Diploma/GED (Required)Education Specialization:
Equivalent Experience:
Other (Required)Education Specialization:
Graduate of a certified nursingassistant program - in lieu ofcertification, must be a nursingstudent matriculated in anaccredited BSN nursing programhaving minimally completed thenursingfoundations/fundamentalsclinical course with a 3.0 GPAoverall and in the nursing majorand continue to maintain a 3.0GPA in all nursing majorsubjects. In order for nursingstudents to maintain theirposition as a CNA, they mustcontinue in a matriculated BSNprogram and present evidencewith an official transcriptdocumenting a 3.0 GPA overalland in the nursing major eachsemester to the Nursing NetworkCenter. Nursing Students arerequired to submit gradereports/transcripts to theNursing Network Center within60 days of their coursecompletion. Nursing studentsemployed as CNAs, mustimmediately (within 24 hours)and in writing report to theirsupervisor and the NursingNetwork Center if they have notsustained the academic GPArequirement ordiscontinued/withdrawn fromtheir matriculated BSN program.Failure to meet and maintainnursing student requirements inlieu of certification will result intermination of your nursingassistant position.