Nurse Attendant

About the Role

Under direction and supervision of a Registered Nurse, assists patients with activities of daily living, provides basic nursing care, and assists in maintenance of a safe and clean environment.

Responsibilities

• Functions as a co-worker to the nurse and a key member of the nursing care team:
  • Organizes patient care assignment and sets priorities.
  • Alerts RN co-worker to changes in patient status (e.g., alteration in comfort, skin integrity, alterations in breathing pattern).
  • Documents patient care and patient status changes on the appropriate chart forms.
  • Communicates routine information to RN periodically during shift (e.g., intake and output).
• Assists RN in providing for ADL needs of patients:
  • Prepares patients for meals, and feeds or assists with meals.
  • Provides between-meal nourishment and fresh water to patients.
  • Bathes or assists patient to bathe, provides oral hygiene.
  • Toilets patients as necessary.
  • Maintains patient's mobility with range of motion exercises and ambulation.
  • Grooms patient, including shaving, as needed.
  • Participates with the RN in the development of a plan of care for assigned patient.
  • Utilizes a plan of care in carrying out patient assignments.
• Maintains patient care units in a neat and orderly condition:
  • Changes and makes beds.
  • Cleans and straightens bedside table and overbed tables, as needed.
  • Strips patient units upon discharge of patient, in preparation for cleaning by Housekeeping Department.
  • Removes equipment from room, cleans, and places it in appropriate area.
  • Prepares room for new admissions, transfers, and post-operative patients.
• Assists Registered Nurse by performing selected procedures and simple treatments:
  • Takes and records temperature, pulse, respiration rate, and blood pressure on admission and as assigned.
  • Measures and records fluid intake and output; totals at shift end.
  • Obtains specimens, such as urine, stool, and sputum.
  • Administers enemas, as directed.
  • Weighs and records patient weight on admission and as indicated.
  • Shaves patients as instructed in preparation for procedures.
  • Performs simple procedures utilizing aseptic technique (e.g., applying and changing simple dressings).
  • Performs simple respiratory treatments, as required (e.g., suctioning).
• Performs a variety of related duties:
  • Assists patients in and out of bed, ambulates patients, lifts, turns, and positions patients.
  • Assists with serving of meals; positions patient, cleans overbed table, and helps distribute and collect trays.
  • Transports and accompanies patients to various departments, as directed.
  • Reports missing or damaged equipment to Unit Service Coordinator.
  • Maintains non-patient rooms (e.g., utility rooms, linen rooms, kitchens) in a neat and orderly condition.
  • Maintains cleanliness of patient care equipment.
  • Performs constant observation on selected patients as assigned.
  • Follows medical center's policies and procedures to support QA/QI efforts in patient care and services.
  • Performs post-mortem care and transports body to morgue.
• Takes part in Nursing's continuing education policy by:
  • Attending nursing attendant course during orientation program.
  • Participating and completing annual mandatory educational requirements.
  • Attending nursing attendant staff development programs offered throughout the year.
• Performs related duties, as required.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent, required.
• Completion of Nurse Assistant course or equivalent, required.
• OR prior experience as a Nursing Attendant or equivalent, required.
• NYS Nurse Attendant certification, preferred.
• Ability to communicate effectively and follow written and/or oral instructions.
• Ability to work in diversified settings.
• Ability to lift, turn, and position patients, as required.