Nursing Assistant - Community Living Centers

About the role

Bath VA Medical Center is seeking one full‑time Nursing Assistant (NA) for the Long Term Care unit. The Nursing Assistant may provide care across various healthcare settings – including outpatient, inpatient, home or community living care, as well as acute and sub‑acute environments. This position supports patients and residents with a wide range of needs – from acute to chronic conditions.

Responsibilities

• Maintain positive therapeutic relationships by displaying respect for human dignity with patients, families, and/or significant others utilizing communication skills.
• Utilize observation skills for data collection, reporting, and recording.
• Participate in patient‑centered conferences/shift reports and contribute information for the development and review of the nursing care plan.
• Maintain a therapeutic environment for patients according to established procedures and policies by reporting actual or potential accidents, fire hazards, and faulty equipment.
• Perform aspects of nursing care to meet patient/resident needs for personal hygiene, physical comfort, activity‑exercise, rest, nutrition‑elimination, prevention of skin breakdown, and rehabilitative aspects of care.
• Perform and document prescribed medical treatment and interventions (e.g., diabetic urine testing, blood testing, simple dressing changes).
• Learn to be proficient with rehabilitative principles to promote patient independence and recovery, encouraging and guiding patients/residents in bowel and bladder training.
• Engage in group activities such as off‑station trips, reality orientation, current events, and other therapeutic groups with direction and close supervision.
• Monitor patients according to levels of observation (one‑to‑one suicide watch, continuous observation, q‑15‑minute checks, hourly rounding).
• Monitor Veterans who may be at risk for harming themselves or others according to established policies and procedures and appropriately refer issues to the charge nurse or other health‑care professional.
• Utilize principles of proper body mechanics while caring for patients.
• Report patient status to the RN and document pertinent observations in the medical record according to established procedures.
• Safeguard the patient’s right to privacy by judiciously protecting confidential information.