Nursing Assistant

About the Role

The 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.

Responsibilities

• Reporting
  • Receives written/verbal report at the beginning of each shift from the registered nurse (RN) regarding care to be delivered to assigned patients or those needing constant observation.
  • Gives report when leaving the unit and at shift completion, including any abnormalities observed during the shift.
• Assessment
  • Identifies patients per hospital policy before performing care.
  • Assists with data collection for nursing history and physical (e.g., vital signs, height, weight, blood sugar results, functional status) and communicates changes to the RN.
  • Observes skin changes and reports discoloration, abrasions, infestations, or skin breakdown.
  • Participates in respectful communication with patients, families, and coworkers.
• Planning
  • Assists in setting mutually agreed-upon realistic patient goals.
  • Integrates the RN’s directions regarding the patient’s plan of care.
  • Reports patient responses to the plan of care, including abnormal findings (e.g., vital sign changes, pain, blood sugar results).
• Intervention
  • Promotes infection control through proper handwashing and adherence to standard precautions or isolation protocols.
  • Maintains a safe environment and protects patients from injury (e.g., fall risk, confusion, disorientation, wandering, or suicidal behaviors).
  • Applies and monitors patients in restraints per policy and medical order.
  • Monitors and reports patient behavior, health state, and responses to therapy, including:
    • Temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure
    • Neurological and vascular checks
    • Height and weight
    • Intake and output
    • Bowel and bladder function
    • Pain levels
  • Performs or assists with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as:
    • Bathing (bed, tub, shower), grooming, eating, feeding, range of motion, ambulating, transferring, and oral hygiene.
    • Prevention and treatment of skin breakdown.
    • Application of heat and cold therapy as directed.
    • Assistance with elimination needs (e.g., bedpan, urinal, bowel/bladder appliances, bowel programs).
    • Colostomy and vaginal irrigations.
    • Application of urosheath/condom catheters.
    • Removal of Foley catheters and monitoring of urinary output.
    • Administration of cleansing enemas as ordered.
    • Post-mortem care.
  • Assists physicians with physical exams.
  • Assists with oxygen therapy (does not regulate flow) and encourages pulmonary toilet techniques (e.g., incentive spirometer, coughing, deep breathing).
  • Utilizes appropriate equipment for patient lifting and transfer.
  • Reinforces health care instructions to patients as directed by the nurse.
  • Demonstrates competence in using the following equipment and reports findings to the RN:
    • Pulse oximeter
    • Bladder scanner
    • 12 Lead ECG
    • Data Scope
    • Electric Fetal Monitor (as applicable)
    • Glucometer
    • Foley removal tools
    • Lift and transfer devices
    • iStat Point of Care blood analyzer
  • Performs Point of Care Testing (POCT) for authorized assays based on training and competency validation, adhering to lab procedures for specimen handling, processing, and results reporting.
  • Performs proficiency testing and follows quality control policies, instrument maintenance, and safety protocols.
  • Recognizes and reports test problems affecting results and follows corrective action policies when test system performance does not meet specifications.
  • Performs continuous bladder irrigations as directed by the RN.
  • Performs phlebotomy as per protocols (after required training).
• General Duties
  • Ensures communication and collaboration with supervisors and coworkers to serve patients and customers.
  • Maintains professionalism in actions and appearance.
  • Anticipates patient/customer needs and acts accordingly.
  • Works to enhance patient satisfaction and analyzes problems from the customer’s perspective.
  • Honors patient/customer/employee confidentiality.
  • Seeks and provides constructive feedback for performance improvement.
  • Applies learning to improve performance and demonstrates ownership of role contributions.
  • Ensures a clean and safe working environment and uses resources wisely.
• Documentation
  • Documents findings, interventions, and patient outcomes (e.g., intake/output, vital signs, bladder scanner results, pulse oximetry, glucometer results).
  • Uses complete signature, status ("NA"), date, and time on all charted entries.
• Evaluation
  • Assists in evaluating nursing care by comparing the patient’s functional status day-to-day and discussing with the nurse.
• Patient/Employee Safety
  • Participates in safety initiatives and demonstrates awareness of patient/employee safety in daily responsibilities.
  • Validates annual competencies required for the position.
  • Identifies patients using two identifiers per policy.
  • Follows fire and safety regulations, including awareness of oxygen safety valves, radiation precautions, and chemotherapy precautions.
  • Demonstrates proper body mechanics for moving and lifting.
  • Alerts the nurse to alarms and does not change equipment settings or rates.
  • Follows HIPAA policies for protecting health information (PHI).
  • Knows limits of responsibilities and seeks guidance as appropriate.
  • Identifies emergency equipment on the unit.
  • Accepts reassignments to other units as directed.
• Operational Duties
  • Avoids wasting supplies and keeps work areas and patient rooms neat and organized.
  • Reports to work on time and adheres to break and lunch time policies.
  • Uses the time clock accurately for punching in and out.

Requirements

• High School Diploma required.
• Must be a nursing student matriculated in an accredited BSN nursing program, having completed the nursing foundations/fundamentals clinical course with a 3.0 GPA overall and in the nursing major. Must maintain a 3.0 GPA in all nursing major subjects.
• Nursing students must submit official transcripts documenting a 3.0 GPA each semester to the Nurse Manager within 60 days of course completion.
• Nursing students must immediately report (within 24 hours) to the Nurse Manager if they fail to sustain the academic GPA requirement or discontinue/withdraw from the BSN program. Failure to meet requirements will result in termination.
• If the Nursing Assistant completes a nursing degree and obtains licensure, they may continue practicing within the scope of this role until transitioning to a different position.
• Previous healthcare experience preferred.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) / CPR certification as a healthcare provider per the American Heart Association required.