Description

The certified nursing assistant position provides quality nursing care to residents; implements specific procedures and programs; coordinates work within the nursing department, as well as with other departments; reports pertinent information to the immediate supervisor; responds to inquiries or requests for information; and assists the immediate supervisor with tasks to support department operations.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Provides quality nursing care to residents in an environment that promotes their rights, dignity, freedom of choice and individuality as illustrated by the following:
• Provides individualized attention, which encourages each resident’s ability to maintain or attain the highest practical physical, mental and psychosocial well-being.
• knowledgeable of the individualized care plan for residents, and provides support to the residents according to their care plan. Contributes to the care planning process by providing the charge nurse or other care planning staff with specific information and observations of the residents’ needs and preferences.
• Attends to the individual needs of residents, which may include assistance with grooming, bathing, oral hygiene, feeding, incontinent care, toileting, colostomy care, prosthetic appliances, transferring, ambulation, range of motion, communicating or other needs in keeping with the individuals’ care requirements.
• Maintains the comfort, privacy, and dignity of residents in the delivery of services to them. Interacts with residents in a manner that displays warmth and promotes a caring environment.
• Fully understands all aspects of residents’ rights, including the right to be free of restraints and free of abuse. Is responsible for promptly reporting to the charge nurse or administrative staff incidents or evidence of resident abuse or violation of residents’ rights.
• Assists in maintaining a safe, neat and clean environment; reports environmental deficiencies to the charge nurse such as lighting or equipment problems.
• Protects the personal belongings of each resident, including eyeglasses, dentures, hearing aids, furnishings, jewelry, clothing and memorabilia. Promptly reports missing items according to established policy and participates in efforts to locate missing items.
• Observes residents for changes in condition or behavior and promptly reports these changes to appropriate licensed nursing personnel.
• Provides care that maintains each resident’s skin integrity to prevent pressure ulcers, skin tears and other damage by changing incontinent residents, turning, repositioning immobile residents and by applying moisturizers to fragile skin and other areas.
• Answers residents’ call bells promptly and courteously.
• Performs various tasks assigned by the charge nurse, including checking vital signs, weighing residents, applying creams/ointments and collecting specimens.
• Assists with orienting residents and their families to the nursing home on admission and to the unit when transfers occur.
• Lifts, moves and transports residents, using proper body mechanics or lifting devices for accident prevention. 
• Communicates and interacts effectively and tactfully with the residents, visitors, families, peers and supervisors. 
• Assists and escorts residents for appointments such as at the beauty shop or attending activities or 16. church services. Participates in activities and functions as directed.
•  Practices careful and efficient use of supplies and linen and follows established charge procedures for resident charge items.
• Completes certified nursing assistant records documenting care provided or other information in keeping with department policies.
• Performs all job responsibilities in accordance with prescribed safety and infection control procedures, including thorough hand washing, use of disposable gloves where indicated and proper disposal of soiled materials.
• Walks extensively to and from various locations of the unit while making rounds and transports residents within the facility.
•  Promotes a homelike environment for residents.
• Responds to inquiries relating to his or her particular area or to requests from residents, visitors and other personnel within given time frames and established policy.

Requirements

Competencies

Customer/Client Focus; Ethical Conduct; Flexibility; Initiative; Personal Effectiveness/Credibility; Stress Management/Composure; Teamwork Orientation; Technical Capacity; Multi-tasking; Medical Teamwork; Bedside Manner & Compassion; Infection Control; Health Promotion and Maintenance; Creating a Safe, Effective Environment; Informing Others; Judgment; Pain Management.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to fumes or airborne particles and some mechanical equipment. The employee is occasionally exposed to a variety of patient conditions and elements. The noise level is moderate to quiet.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear.

This position is very active and requires standing, walking, bending, kneeling, stooping, crouching, crawling and climbing all day. The employee must frequently lift or move objects and patients weighing over 50 pounds.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This position requires a certification and is a non-exempt hourly and regularly requires long hours and frequent weekend work.