Nursing Assistant 2, Operating Room

Distinguishing Characteristics

All positions are in the non-competitive jurisdictional class.

Nursing Assistant 1

• Performs basic patient care duties under direction of a nurse, physician, or other clinician
• Absorbs in-service training in a limited number of care procedures, leading to eligibility to qualify for appointment to Nursing Assistant 2

Nursing Assistant 2

• Under supervision of clinicians, observes patients and performs prescribed simple treatment procedures
• Attends to personal hygiene needs of patients
• Performs limited cleaning and housekeeping duties directly related to patient care

Nursing Assistant (Certified)

• Performs duties similar to a Nursing Assistant 2, but functions are performed in a long-term care facility and require certification as a New York State Certified Nursing Assistant

Treatment Tasks

Treatment tasks performed require only knowledge of a limited number of specific treatment procedures performed at the facility.

Illustrative Duties

Nursing Assistant 1

• Changes simple dressings as directed
• Gives enemas, douches, and irrigations as directed
• Applies abdominal “T” binders, hot water bottles, aqua “K” pads, ice bags, and coolers, and hot and cold compresses to patients as directed
• Assists patients in collecting urine and stool specimens
• Observes and records patients’ quantitative food and fluid intake and waste output
• Takes temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure and respiration rate
• Gives therapeutic baths such as sitz and fever sponge baths
• Makes height and weight measurements
• Inspects functioning oxygen therapy equipment including tents, masks, and cannulae to ensure appropriate functioning
• Recognizes and reports abnormal signs and symptoms of common diseases and conditions to clinical staff
• Applies splints, braces, slings and other self-help devices
• Operates a variety of specialized patient monitoring and treatment devices
• Attends to patients’ hygiene and daily living needs in order to maintain an atmosphere conducive to patient comfort and treatment
• Examples include bathing and dressing patients, brushing teeth, and trimming nails
• Collects and carries patients’ laundry and dry cleaning and delivers objects to appropriate locations in the health care facility
• Receives patients’ belongings and transports objects to safe storage, keeping appropriate records
• Feeds patients requiring assistance
• As directed by clinical staff, moves, positions, lifts and transports patients using a variety of lifts and other aids in order to make patients comfortable, prepare patients for treatment, deliver patients to treatment areas, and to prevent contractures
• Buys bedpans and urinals to patients requiring assistance and attends to incontinent patients
• Talks and listens to patients and responds by encouraging patients to cooperate and participate in treatment activities
• May transport patients and supplies on occasion
• May perform a variety of limited housekeeping and cleaning duties related to direct patient care in order to ensure that treatment and patient areas are clean, sanitary, orderly, and properly supplied

Nursing Assistant 2

• Positions may assist with training new staff in assigned treatment areas

Nursing Assistant (Certified)

• Participates in required quarterly in-service education to maintain certification and meet all necessary requirements to be re-certified every two years

Communication

Nursing Assistants have frequent face-to-face communication with patients and visitors for the purposes of conveying treatment procedure and visitor information. Incumbents attempt to encourage and support patients who may be despondent or apprehensive, and regularly communicate with clinical staff to convey information on patients’ physical conditions and responses to treatment. This information includes items such as observable physical behavioral changes, fatigue levels, and general behaviors and responses to routine treatments, such as foot soaks.

Qualifications

Nursing Assistant 1

• Non-Competitive: possession of or ability to acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities during the probationary period

Nursing Assistant 2

• Non-Competitive: one year of satisfactory full-time experience in the provision of simple treatment and other patient care services under professional supervision
• Possession of current certification as a New York State Certified Nursing Assistant may substitute for the required experience

Nursing Assistant (Certified)

• Non-Competitive: possession of current certification as a New York State Certified Nursing Assistant