Temporary Nurse Attendant

Responsibilities:

The Nurse Attendant has the unique responsibility of directly enhancing patient experience and transforming care each and every day. In this role, you will be a key member of the nursing care team, assisting patients with activities of daily living. You will also perform basic nursing care functions and provide assistance in the maintenance of a safe and clean environment.Responsibilities Include:1. Functions as a co-worker to the nurse and a key member of the nursing care team:

• Organizes patient care assignment and sets priorities
• Alerts RN co-worker to changes in patient status, i.e. alteration in comfort, skin integrity, alterations in breathing pattern, etc.
• Documents patient care and patient status changes on the appropriate chart forms
• Communicates routine information to RN periodically during shift i.e., intake and output

2. Assists RN in providing for ADL needs of patients:

• Prepares patients for meals, and feeds or assists with meals
• Provides between meal nourishment and fresh water to patients
• Bathes or assists patient to bathe, provides oral hygiene
• Toilets patients as necessary
• Maintains patient's mobility with range of motion exercises and ambulation
• Grooms patient, including shaving, as needed
• Participates with the RN in the development of a plan of care for assigned patient
• Utilizes a plan of care in carrying out patient assignments

3. Maintains patient care units in a neat and orderly condition:

• Changes and makes beds
• Cleans and straightens bedside table and over-bed tables, as needed
• Strips patient units upon discharge of patient, in preparation for cleaning by Housekeeping Department
• Removes equipment from room, cleans and place it in appropriate area
• Prepares room for new admissions, transfers and post-operative patients

4. Assists Registered Nurse by performing selected procedures and simple treatments:

• Takes and records temperature, pulse, respiration rate, and B.P. upon admission and as assigned.
• Measures and records fluid intake and output; totals at shift end
• Obtains specimens, such as urine, stool and sputum
• Administers enemas, as directed
• Weighs and records patient weight on admission and as indicated
• Shaves patients as instructed in preparation for procedures
• Performs simple procedures utilizing aseptic technique (i.e. applying and changing simple dressings).
• Performs simple respiratory treatments, as required (i.e. suctioning).

5. Performs a variety of related duties:

• Assists patients in and out of bed, ambulates patients, lifts, turns and positions patients
• Assists with serving of meals; positions patient, cleans over-bed table, and helps distribute and collect trays
• Transports and accompanies patients to various departments, as directed
• Reports missing or damaged equipment to Unit Service Coordinator
• Ensures that non-patient rooms (i.e. utility rooms, linen rooms, kitchens, etc.) are in a neat and orderly condition
• Maintains cleanliness of patient care equipment
• Performs constant observation on selected patients as assigned
• Follows medical Center's policies and procedures to support QA/QI efforts in patient care and services
• Performs post-mortem care and transports body to morgue

6. Takes part in Nursling's continuing education policy by:

• Attending nursing attendant course during orientation program
• Participating and completing annual mandatory educational requirements
• Attending nursing attendant staff development programs offered throughout the year

Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or equivalent, required.
• Completion of Nurse Assistant course or equivalent, required OR Prior experience as a Nursing Attendant or equivalent, required.
• NYS Nurse Attendant certification, preferred.
• Ability to communicate effectively, and follow written and/or oral instructions.
• Ability to work in diversified settings.
• Ability to lift, turn, position, etc. Patients, as required.