Nurse Attendant

Job Title

Under direction and supervision of Registered Nurse, assists patients with activities of daily living, provides basic nursing care, and assists in maintenance of a safe and clean environment.

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.

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.

Maintains patient care units in a neat and orderly condition:

• Changes and makes beds.
• Cleans and straightens bedside table and overbed 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.

Assists Registered Nurse by performing selected procedures and simple treatments:

• Takes and records temperature, pulse, respiration rate and B.P on 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).

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 overbed 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.
• Maintains non-patient rooms (i.e., utility rooms, linen rooms, kitchens, etc.) 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.

Takes part in Nursing'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.

Performs related duties, as required.

• 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.

* ADA Essential Functions