Student Nursing Assistant

POSITION SUMMARY:

Works under direction and general supervision of the Nurse Director/Manager, Charge Nurse, or Registered Nurse as required and according to established hospital policies and procedures. Performs various duties to assist the professional nursing staff with routine patient care needs, communication, comfort, safety, documentation, and treatments. The role encompasses the provision of direct clinical and support services to patients and families across the health care continuum, ensuring quality and safe delivery of care to patients.

Position: Student Nursing Assistant       

Department: Med Surg Unit 9-2A

Schedule: Part Time

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

Under the direction of the registered nurse (RN), performs a variety of appropriately delegated patient care interventions for patients and their families.

• Collaborates with the RN throughout the shift to determine the appropriate work assignment and priorities and communicates the status of delegated task completion and outcomes of patient data findings to the RN throughout the shift.

• Maintains timely ongoing verbal communication with RN throughout the shift regarding patient condition. Notifies RN immediately of any significant change in a patient’s condition and/or monitoring alarms (for example: change in vital signs, change in patient’s mental status, abnormal blood sugar, patient fall, patient concerns with care).

• Upon initial contact with patients, visitors, and staff, identifies self as a Nursing student and introduces self to patient by name.  Wears appropriate name badge which identifies self as a Nursing Student II.

• Accurately collects and records patient data (vital signs, intake and output, blood sugar, weights, restraint care/monitoring, other) and complies with hospital documentation standards to ensure a complete and accurate patient record.

• Interprets & utilizes medical abbreviations and terminology in accordance with hospital policy.

• Initiates a prompt response to all patient call lights and seeks assistance from staff members as appropriate.

• Makes routine patient room rounds to address patient needs.

• Provides and/or assists with basic patient hygiene including but not limited to: basic oral suctioning, bathing, dressing, mouth care, shaving, whirlpool baths, perineal and bowel care, foley care, application of condom catheters, emptying urinals and ostomy bags and other associated hygiene tasks.

• Provides basic skin care including but not limited to:, back rubs, routine diabetic foot care, application of non-medicated ointments, application of elastic stockings, ace wraps, and venodynes, turning and repositioning patients every two hours, and other associated tasks. 

• Sets up patients for meals and assists them with feeding and opening food containers; maintaining calorie counts and recording intake/output measures (I and Os). 

• Assists nurse/health team members during simple and complex treatments or procedures.

• Provides basic preoperative care and readies the patient for the Operating Room in conjunction with the RN.

• Collects, labels, and sends/transports specimens with the appropriate lab slips/requisitions.

• When ambulating patients using safe and proper technique, applies safety devices using hydraulic lifts or bed scale as needed.

• Identifies emergency / crisis situations and initiates appropriate response as directed, including immediate communication of such events to the registered nurse.

• Performs basic patient testing, including but not limited to: EKGs and phlebotomy services, tests for guaiac, sugar and acetone, urine pH, glucose finger stick, O2 saturation, leg/girth measurements, visual acuity tests, peak flow tests, etc.

Maintains competence in relation to a variety of other technical skills which may include, but are not limited to:

• PD cycler set up

• Cast / splint care

• Application of external monitors

• GU irrigation set up

• Chest tube set up

• Arterial line set up

• Basic ostomy care. 

• Quad coughing

• Addresses patient comfort and information needs by providing informative, non-clinical information to patients and families, orienting patients/visitors to the hospital, unit, patient room services, distributing patient mail/flowers, arranging room to ensure necessary personal care items are available & accessible (includes call lights), distributes nourishments, changes linens & clothing, refill ice packs, run patient errands or other duties as assigned by the RN.  

• Answers the tel