Nurse Aide Student

About the Program

Applicants and employees enrolled in this 138-hour training, approved by the North Carolina Division of Health Service Regulation, will be instructed by qualified Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority nursing staff. The program introduces the basic nursing skills required to provide personal care for patients, residents, or clients in a health care setting.

• Communication
• Safety
• Patient’s rights
• Personal care
• Vital signs
• Elimination
• Nutrition
• Emergencies
• Rehabilitation and mental health

Participants will also be taught the proper sequence of steps for tasks required to meet daily needs and Activities of Daily Living, such as safe transfer, bathing, mouth care, assisting with mobility, and dressing. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate the skills and knowledge necessary to pass the State test and be listed on the North Carolina Nurse Aide I Registry.

Minimum Qualifications

You must have a desire to become a certified nurse aide and a heart to help others. Important qualities for this role include kindness, reliability, and a willingness to work with elderly adults.

• Ability to relate to and work with the ill, disabled, emotionally upset, and at times, hostile individuals within the long-term care facility and community, including family members.
• Must be 17 years and 6 months of age or older.
• Must read, write, and speak English.
• Must demonstrate the ability to work responsibly as a team member and individually.
• Must be honest, ethical, fair, dependable, and respect confidentiality and the rights and privacy of others.
• Must practice and promote Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority’s (CIHA) Guiding Principles, policies and procedures, mission statement, values, and goals.
• Must perform duties and responsibilities (essential job functions), with or without reasonable accommodation, such as:
  • Transferring a patient from a lying, seated, or standing position.
  • Turning a patient while in bed.
  • Providing a complete bed bath to a patient.
  • Lifting a minimum of 50 pounds.
  • Physically and mentally caring for individuals dependent on you for personal care needs.

Application Requirements

• Complete a CIHA application and submit it to Human Resources.
• Attend an information session about the class.
• Provide the following documents:
  • Valid Driver’s license or state ID (unexpired, any state).
  • Social Security card (signed, original, not laminated, must match name on ID).
  • Proof of Education (one of the following):
    • High School Diploma
    • High School Transcript
    • College Transcript
    • GED

  Note: Applicants must have a GED or High School diploma before enrolling in the course to be eligible for certification and listing by the North Carolina Board of Nursing as a Nursing Aide.

• Once selected for the program, the applicant must:
  • Pass a criminal background check.
  • Pass a drug screen.
  • Comply with vaccination requirements of CIHA and/or Tsali Care Center.
  • Have a means of transportation to and from class.

Required Supplies

• Notebook.
• Pen or pencil.
• At least one set of burgundy or maroon scrubs for clinicals.
• Wristwatch with a second hand (not a smartwatch) for testing.

PowerPoints and needed literature will be provided by the program.

Student Conduct

Student behavior will be guided by the following policies:

• Cherokee Indian Hospital Nurse Aide Program Nursing Assistant Rules and Regulations policy.
• Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority Nurse Aide Program Student Code of Conduct policy.
• CIHA Personnel Manual.

Scope of Practice

Under SECTION .0400 - UNLICENSED PERSONNEL:

• Definitions:
  • "Nursing care activities" means activities performed by unlicensed personnel that are delegated by licensed nurses.
  • "Patient care activities" means activities performed by unlicensed personnel if health care needs are incidental to the personal care required.
• Nursing care activities that may be delegated to unlicensed personnel are determined by:
  • Knowledge and skills of the unlicensed personnel.
  • Verification of clinical competence by a registered nurse employed by the agency.
  • Stability of the client’s condition, which involves predictability, absence of risk of complication, and rate of change.

Responsibilities

Essential and other responsibilities and duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Patient Care:
  • Deliver safe, direct care to an assigned group of patients under the supervision of an RN.
  • Communicate with the registered nurse about changes in the patient’s clinical condition.
• Care Plan:
  • Use nursing processes to work in collaboration with the healthcare team.
  • Implement and document individualized nursing plans of care incorporating age-specific considerations (Adult and Geriatric age groups).
• Emergency Measures:
  • Assist with or institute emergency measures for sudden, adverse developments in patients.
• Environment:
  • Maintain a safe, comfortable, and therapeutic environment for patients/families in accordance with CIHA/Tsali Care standards.
  • Serve as a role model to promote a positive work environment and quality patient care.
• OSHA Category Classification II: Potential for exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
• Mission and Goals:
  • Assist in maintaining, supporting, and implementing department and CIHA’s mission, vision, goals, and guiding principles.
• Customer Service:
  • Consistently demonstrate superior customer service skills to patients/customers by aligning with CIHA’s guiding principles and core values.
  • Ensure excellent customer service is provided by seeking opportunities to be of service.