Certified Nurses Assistant

Position Location: Hospital for Special Surgery, Pediatric Unit. First shift, 32 scheduled weekly hours.

Qualifications

• Certified nursing assistant (required for new hires)
• Ability to read, write, and understand instructions (required)
• State registration (required for new hires)
• High school diploma or GED (preferred)
• Previous experience as a certified nursing assistant (preferred)
• Basic computer knowledge (preferred)

In lieu of certification/registration, nursing students currently enrolled in a Connecticut nursing school who have completed 100 hours of theoretical and clinical instruction in the fundamental skills of nursing are qualified. Certificate and registration must be obtained within 120 days of employment.

About the Role

The certified nursing assistant functions as a caregiver within a team, assisting in the care of a group of patients under the direction and supervision of a licensed nurse.

Physical Demands

• Continuous periods of standing, walking, bending, and forward reaching with occasional sitting
• Ability to safely transfer patients and provide contact guarding or hands-on assistance
• Lift or carry objects up to 10 pounds continuously, up to 20 pounds frequently, and up to 40 pounds for patient transfers and bed mobility
• Push/pull up to 50 pounds frequently for patient transport and mobility activities
• Occasional overhead reaching, crawling, kneeling, and squatting related to patient care
• Visual and auditory skills, with fine manipulation for writing and computer usage

Cognitive Demands

• Application of previously acquired knowledge
• Flexibility of thought, reasoning, organizational skills, and adaptability to new situations
• Selective attention and concentration for task completion
• Basic formulation, content, syntax, and spelling for simple sentences or short paragraphs
• Spontaneous communication, paraphrasing, and dialogue with diverse populations
• Comprehension of lengthy messages or paragraphs and following multistage commands
• Basic arithmetic: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of tens and hundreds by 2–5
• Operations with measuring units (milliliters, liters, centimeters, feet, yards, pounds)

Work Demands

• Primarily indoor work with occasional outdoor exposure
• Continuous interaction with others
• Occasional unpredictable schedule fluctuations due to unit and patient needs
• Possible exposure to bloodborne/airborne pathogens, body fluids, infections, contagious diseases, latex, antineoplastic, and other hazardous drugs
• Potential need to respond to medical or behavioral emergencies
• May be required to float to other patient care units or departments based on operational needs, provided required competencies and qualifications are met

Responsibilities

• Provide care under the direction and supervision of a licensed nurse in accordance with hospital policies, procedures, and protocols
• Receive report from licensed nurse on assigned patients and report pertinent patient information to team members
• Incorporate awareness of age, developmental, cultural, hearing, and other special patient needs into care
• Assist professional staff during emergency situations
• Demonstrate competency in the use of patient-related equipment
• Document in a timely and accurate manner adhering to hospital policies and procedures
• Attend and participate in staff meetings
• Complete assigned tasks, set priorities, and maintain orderliness, cleanliness, and supplies for the unit
• Assist with equipment maintenance and report technical problems to manager or PCC
• Transport specimens to the laboratory