Purpose of Your Job Position

The primary purpose of your job position is to provide each patient with routine daily nursing care and services in accordance with the patients assessment and care plan, and as may be directed by your supervisors.

Delegation of Authority

As a Certified Nursing Assistant you are delegated the administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability necessary for carrying out your assigned duties.

Job Functions

Every effort has been made to identify the essential functions of this position.  However, it in no way states or implies that these are the only duties you will be required to perform.  The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or is an essential function of the position.

Duties and Responsibilities

Administrative Functions

• Record all entries are informative and descriptive manner.
• Use only authorized abbreviations established by this facility when recording information.
• Report all changes in the patients to the Nurse Supervisor/Charge Nurse as soon as practical.
• Report all accidents and incidents you observe on the shift that they occur.

Admission, Transfer, and Discharge Functions

• Ensure that the patients’s room is ready for receiving the patient (i.e., bed made, name tags up, admission kit available, etc.).
• Greet patient and escort them to their room.

Personnel Functions

• Perform all assigned tasks in accordance with our established policies and procedures, and as instructed by your supervisors.
• Follow work assignments, and/or work schedules in completing and performing your assigned tasks.
• Cooperate with inter-departmental personnel, as well as other facility personnel to ensure that nursing services can be adequately maintained to meet the needs of the residents.
• Create and maintain an atmosphere of warmth, personal interest and positive emphasis, as well as a calm environment throughout the unit and shift.
• Meet with your shift’s nursing personnel, on a regularly scheduled basis, to assist in identifying and correcting problem areas, and/or the improvement of services.
• Report all complaints and grievances made by the resident.
• Notify the facility when you will be late or absent from work.
• Report occupational exposures to blood, body fluids, infectious materials, and hazardous chemicals to your supervisor.

Personal Nursing Care Functions

• Participate in and receive the nursing report upon reporting for duty.
• Follow established policies concerning exposure to blood/body fluids.
• Assist patients with daily dental and mouth care (i.e., brushing teeth/dentures, oral hygiene, special mouth care, etc.).
• Assist patients with bath functions (i.e., bedbath, tub or shower bath, etc.) as directed.
• Assist patients with ADLs necessary.
• Keep patients dry (i.e., change gown, clothing, linen, etc., when it becomes wet or soiled).
• Change bed linens, make beds.  Keep linens tight to avoid wrinkles from forming under the patients.
• Put extra covers on beds as requested.
• Maintain intake and output records as instructed.
• Assist patients in preparing for medical tests (i.e., lab work, x-ray, therapy, dental, etc.).
• Assist patients in preparing for activity and social programs (i.e., church services, parties, visitors, etc.).
• Assist in transporting patients to/from appointments, activity and social programs, etc., as necessary.
• Assist with lifting, turning, moving, positioning, and transporting patients into and out of beds, chairs, bathtubs, wheelchairs, lifts etc.
• Assist patients to walk with or without self-help devices as instructed.
• Perform restorative and rehabilitative procedures as instructed.
• Change dressings, bandages, binders, etc., as instructed.
• Weigh and measure patients as instructed.
• Measure and record temperatures, pulse, and respirations (TPRs) as instructed.
• Answer calls promptly.
• Ensure that patients who are unable to call for help are checked frequently.
• Check each patientes routinely to ensure that his/her personal care needs are being met in accordance with his/her wishes.

Special Nursing Care Functions

• Observe and report the presence of pressure areas and skin breakdowns to prevent decubitus ulcers (bedsores).
• Report injuries of an unknown source, including skin tears.
• Assist with the application of slings, elastic bandages, binders, etc.
• Turn all medications found in the resident’s room/possession over to the Nurse Supervisor/Charge Nurse.
• Watch for and report any change in room temperature, ventilation, lighting, etc.

Food Service Functions

• Prepare patients for meals (i.e., take to bathroom, wash hands, comb hair, raise bed, position tables, place bibs, take to/from dining room, etc.).
• Serve food trays.  Assist with feeding as indicated (i.e., cutting foods, feeding, assist in dining room supervision, etc.).
• Assist patients with identifying food arrangements (i.e., informing patient with sight problem of foods that are on his/her tray, where it is located, if it is hot/cold, etc.).
• Record the patients food/fluid intake.  Report changes in the patient’s eating habits.
• Keep patient’s water pitchers clean and filled with fresh water (on each shift) and within easy reach
• Perform after meal care (i.e., remove trays, clean hands, face, clothing, take to bathroom, brush teeth, clean dentures, etc.).
• Check rooms for food articles (i.e., food in proper container, unauthorized food items, etc.).

Staff Development

• Attend and participate in scheduled training and educational classes to maintain current certification as a Nursing Assistant.
• Attend and participate in scheduled orientation programs and activities.
• Attend and participate in annual OSHA and CDC in-service training programs for hazard communication, TB management, and bloodborne pathogens standard.
• Attend and participate in advance directive in-service training programs as scheduled.
• Maintain Relias learning

Safety and Sanitation

• Participate in appropriate in-service training programs prior to performing tasks that involve potential exposure to blood/body fluids.
• Wash hands before and after performing any service
• Keep the nurses’ call system within easy reach
• Immediately notify the Nurse Supervisor/Charge Nurse of elopement
• Follow established safety precautions in the performance of all duties.
• Keep patient’s personal possessions off the floor and properly stored.
• Keep floors dry.  Report spills immediately.
• Keep excess supplies and equipment off the floor.  Store in designated areas.
• Wash wheelchairs, walkers, etc., as instructed.
• Clean, disinfect, and return all patient care equipment to its designated storage area after each use.
• Perform routine housekeeping duties (i.e., clean bedrails, overbed table, night stand, etc., that relate to nursing care procedures).
• Before leaving work area for breaks, or at the end of the work day, store all tools, equipment, and supplies.
• Report all hazardous conditions and equipment to the Nurse Supervisor/Charge Nurse immediately.
• Report all safety violations.
• Follow established smoking regulations.  Report all violations.
• Report any communicable or infectious disease to the Director of Nursing Services and/or to the Infection Control Coordinator.
• Follow established isolation precautions and procedures.
• Follow established procedures in the use and disposal of personal protective equipment.
• Wear and/or use safety equipment and supplies (e.g., back brace, mechanical lifts, etc.) when lifting or moving residents.
• Report missing/illegible labels and SDSs to your supervisor.

Equipment and Supply Functions

• Use only the equipment you have been trained to use.
• Operate all the equipment in a safe manner.
• Use only the equipment and supplies necessary to do the job.  Do not be wasteful.
• Report defective equipment to the Nurse Supervisor/Charge Nurse.
• Inform the Nurse Supervisor/Charge Nurse of your equipment and supply needs.

Care Plan Functions

• Review care plans daily to determine if changes in the resident’s daily care routine have been made on the care plan.
• Inform the nurse Supervisor/Charge Nurse of any changes in the patient’s condition so that appropriate information can be entered on the care plan.
• Ensure that your notes reflect that the care plan is being followed.

Resident Rights

• Maintain the confidentiality of all patient care information.
• Ensure that you treat all patients fairly, and with kindness, dignity, and respect.
• Ensure that all nursing care is provided in privacy.
• Knock before entering the patient’s room.
• Report all grievances and complaints made by the patient to the Nurse Supervisor/Charge Nurse.
• Report all allegations of resident abuse and/or misappropriation of resident property.
• Honor the patient’s refusal of treatment request.  Report such requests to your supervisor.

Working Conditions

• Works throughout the nursing service area (i.e., drug rooms, nurses’ stations, resident rooms, etc.).
• Moves intermittently during working hours.
• Is subject to frequent interruptions.
• Is involved with patient, personnel, visitors, government agencies/personnel, etc., under all conditions and circumstances.
• Is subject to hostile and emotionally upset residents, family members, personnel, and visitors.
• Communicates with nursing personnel and other department personnel.
• Works beyond normal working hours, on weekends and holidays, and in other positions temporarily, when necessary.
• Is subject to call-back during emergency conditions (e.g., severe weather, evacuation, post-disaster, etc.).
• Attends and participates in continuing educational programs.
• Is subject to injury from falls, burns from equipment, odors, etc., throughout the work day, as well as to reactions from dust, disinfectants, tobacco smoke, and other air contaminants.
• Is subject to exposure to infectious waste, diseases, conditions, etc., including TB and the AIDS and Hepatitis B viruses.
• May be subject to the handling of and exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Experience

Must be a licensed Certified Nursing Assistant in accordance with laws of this state.

Specific Requirements

• Must be able to read, write, speak and understand the English language.
• Must possess the ability to make independent decisions when circumstances warrant such action.
• Must possess the ability to deal tactfully with personnel, residents, family members, visitors, government agencies/personnel, and the general public.
• Must possess the ability and willingness to work harmoniously with other personnel.
• Must have patience, tact, a cheerful disposition and enthusiasm, as well as the willingness to handle difficult residents.
• Must be willing to seek out new methods and principles and be willing to incorporate them into existing nursing practices.
• Must be able to relate information concerning a resident’s condition.
• Must not pose a direct threat to the health and safety of other individuals in the workplace.

Physical and Sensory Requirements

• Must be able to move intermittently throughout the work day.
• Must be able to speak and write the English language in an understandable manner.
• Must be able to cope with the mental and emotional stress of the position.
• Must be able to see and hear or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately to ensure that the requirements of this position can be fully met.
• Must function independently and have flexibility, personal integrity, and the ability to work effectively with residents, personnel, and support agencies.
• Must meet the general health requirements set forth by the policies of this facility which include a medical and physical examination.
• Must be able to relate to and work with the ill, disabled, elderly, emotionally upset, and, at times, hostile people within the facility.
• Must be able to lift up to 10 pounds.  Requires lifting more weight up to 100 pounds with assistance.  Occasional pushing of carts and wheelchairs.
• May be necessary to assist in the evacuation of residents during emergency situations.

Acknowledgment

I have read this job description and fully understand the requirements set forth therein.  I hereby accept the position of Certified Nursing Assistant and agree to perform the identified essential functions in a safe manner and in accordance with the facility’s established procedures.  I understand that as a result of my employment, I may be exposed to blood, body fluids, infectious diseases, air contaminants (including tobacco smoke), and hazardous chemicals and that the facility will provide to me instructions on how to prevent and control such exposures.  I further understand that I may also be exposed to the Hepatitis B Virus and that the facility will make available to me, free of charge, the hepatitis B vaccination.

I understand that my employment is at-will and thereby understand that my employment can be terminated at will either by the facility or myself and that such termination can be made with or without notice.