Certified Nurse Aide

Description

JOB SUMMARY

The primary responsibility of this position is to provide direct care to residents, as well as assist them with activities of daily living, while maintaining resident safety and comfort. In addition, this position provides assistance to professional nursing staff.

JOB DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

The following job responsibilities will comply with the ADA and any/all applicable state and federal laws. Duties and responsibilities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

•  Ambulate and transfer residents utilizing appropriate assistive devices and body mechanics.
•  Routinely turn and position residents.
•  Make beds every day, changing linens per facility policy and as needed.
•  Measure and record residents’ heights and weights.
•  Take temperature, pulse, respirations, and blood pressure as directed by the nurse.
•  Care for incontinent residents.
•  Measure and record residents’ intake and output.
•  Collect sputum, urine, and stool specimens.
•  Assist residents in all activities of daily living.
•  Pass out trays and feed/assist residents as needed.
•  Observe and document food, nourishment, and fluid intake of each resident.
•  Keep assigned resident bedside area clean at all times and personal belongings in orderly arrangement.
•  Assist with room changes as needed.
•  Assist with development and review of the resident care plans in conjunction with nursing and other disciplines.
•  Ensure resident privacy, respect, and dignity.
•  Assist in orientation of new nursing aides.
•  Participate in in-services and mandatory meetings.
•  Exhibit and perform proper hand washing techniques.
•  Maintain proper infection control procedures when handling clothing and linens.
•  Detect, correct, and report to the charge nurse any unsafe conditions which may result in bodily injury or fire.
•  Receive oral reports and written assignments from charge nurse at beginning of each tour of duty.
•  Provide maximum resident-care services to assure well-being of resident to greatest degree.
•  Execute duties and responsibilities in conformance with established routine.
•  Assist with the execution of resident assessment and plan or care.
•  Assure physical comfort, safety, and mental well-being of residents.
•  Assist in daily requirements and tasks in care and treatment of residents, such as toileting, grooming, bathing, feeding, dressing, observing intake of food, care of hair and nails, moving residents from area to area, responding to calls, etc.
•  Detect and correct situations that have a probability of causing accidents or injuries to residents.
•  Observe and report symptoms, reactions, and changes of residents.
•  Possess knowledge of procedures and techniques.
•  Understand standard techniques in personal service-care of residents.
•  Be aware of sterile procedures and avoid contaminations.
•  Immediately answer the nurse’s call buzzer of each resident.
•  Encourage and motivate residents to participate in recreational, occupational, and physical therapies and other rehabilitative measures to promote activity of mind and body.
•  Foster self-respect and esteem by recognizing, accepting, and respecting those entrusted to his/her care.
•  Maintain resident confidentiality; be knowledgeable and follow all resident rights, including honoring resident requests and personal preferences.
•  Clean used equipment and return to proper place after using, such as wash basins, bed pans, urinals, enema cans, gloves, colon tubes, and any other equipment that may be used.
•  Record bowel movements and kidney output of assigned residents as directed by the charge nurse.
•  Check residents frequently, and before going off duty, to be sure that they are clean and dry.
•  Complete POC charting prior to end of shift.
•  Maintain cleanliness of work area and utility rooms.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

•  Occasional exposure to blood/body fluids as required for invasive procedures and treatments.
•  Frequent exposure to microbial bacteria and other infectious agents inherent to care of ill/dying residents.
•  Frequent exposure to chemical compounds of medication and treatments.
•  Continuous exposure to hazardous chemicals such as disinfectants, cleansers, soap, etc. as identified by SDS manual.
•  Continuous exposure to plastic and/or materials which are used for personal protective equipment.
•  Occasional exposure to bodily injuries due to unpredictable behaviors of residents.
•  Occasional exposure to loud and unpleasant noises due to unpredictable behaviors of residents.
•  Seasonal exposure to high humidity due to resident’s option to control their environment.
•  Employees may also be required to wear additional items as part of their uniform (ie: gait belts).

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:

•  High school diploma or equivalent required.
•  State of Illinois Nurse Aide certification required or has met the State of Illinois Department of Public Health waiver standards designating him or her a qualified Nurse Aide by virtue of past training, employment history, and on the job experience.
•  Required attendance of in-services and online training required to maintain certification.
•  1-2 years of experience in geriatric care setting, nursing home or other related health care facility preferred.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES

•  Time management and organizational skills.
•  Attention to detail in record keeping and in resident care; ability to observe and assess resident needs.
•  Ability to follow set rules and protocol and take direction.
•  Enjoy working with older people, have a caring attitude and sincere interest in others; alert to attitudes and feelings of residents.
•  Computer literacy a must.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

•  Lifts and carries light objects such as resident charts, thermometers, linen, resident care treatment items, appliances, etc., ranging from less than 10 to 25 pounds without assistance.
•  Sustained physical activity throughout the work period. Performs work tasks involving pushing, pulling, bending, stooping, carrying, transferring, and lifting various weight up to 25 pounds without assistance and over 25 pounds with assistance.
•  Pushes/pulls residents weighting 75-250 pounds in wheel chairs and geri-chairs on hard surfaces and carpeted floors.
•  Stand or walk up to 90 percent of assigned shift to provide resident care and assistance.
•  Perform tasks which require hand-eye coordination such as recording resident weights and food intake, temperature taking, adjusting bathtub temperature setting, etc.
•  Reaching overhead is required to obtain linens and stock from shelves ranging from floor to 6 feet, and to remove or replace resident items on closet shelves.
•  A sense of balance is required to safely transfer residents from one area to another, such as chair to bed, toilet to chair, etc.
•  Able to wear gloves and other protective equipment.
•  Clear speech, reading and hearing skills are required continuously to comprehend and communicate with residents and co-workers, to follow written plans of care and respond to emergency alarms.
•  Requires ability to identify residents, call lights, unusual occurrences on unit, at a distance of 50 feet.
•  Requires ability to read small print in typed and written materials, thermometers, observe changes in resident's condition, etc.
•  Concentrates on moderate detail with some interruptions necessary to perform variety of tasks related to nursing.
•  Comprehend oral and written instructions.
•  Memory capable of remembering task/assignment ranging from a few hours to long periods of time.