PSYCH CARE & NURSE AIDE WORKER

Psychiatric Care/Nurse Aide Worker

Under direct supervision from a Registered Nurse or other designated supervision, this position will be staffed for 1:1 care of patients with acute mental illness and/or behavioral disturbances and perform direct patient care as a Nurse Aide II as part of the Central Staffing Resources nursing department. The Psychiatric Care/Nurse Aide Worker will work with unit staff and Consult Liaison Group to assist in managing patient behaviors and to assist in the maintenance of a safe environment that supports patient care needs as needed.

As a member of the Central Staffing Resource Department, this position may be assigned to staff any inpatient unit in UH/CVC (including ICUs), or Mott (including ICUs), and assignments may include occasional use of video monitoring technology.

Observation/Monitoring

• Assist the patients to control aggressive or destructive behavior by providing therapeutic and/or physical intervention under supervision
• Participate in patient assessment and patient care planning by communicating oral and written data and behavioral information to nurse assigned to patient.
• Assist patients to curb aggressive behaviors by first providing therapeutic interventions.
• Function as an attendant by providing constant, alert observation of patient as assigned by nurse.
• Assist with restraint application or placing the patient in seclusion and the subsequent monitoring and documentation thereof, as directed by nursing.
• Assist with the ECT treatment as directed by Attending Physician.
• Obtains vital signs, temperature, height/length, weight, oxygen saturation and pain scores; reports abnormal values to RN. Obtains other measurements (i.e., head circumference, abdominal girth) per unit standard.
• Responds to monitor alarms.
• Utilizes palpation/auscultation and Doppler to determine heart rate and blood pressure.
• Observes, monitors and reports the overt physical condition of assigned patient(s).
• Responds to physiologic monitor alarms based on unit training and competencies. Alarms should be silenced or paused prior to an activity that will trigger an alarm such as bathing, drawing blood or getting a patient out of bed as delegated by RN. Ensures that alarms are?on? when activity is completed and/or before leaving the patient.
• Measures and records intake and output.
• Assists physician/provider during diagnostic procedures; assists and supports patient before and during procedures; assists in specimen collection.
• Applies and changes ECG electrodes and pulse ox probe; attaches patient to travel (ECG and A-line) monitor.
• Places monitor strips on inpatient records.

Specimen Collection-

• Performs point of care testing; maintains and calibrates equipment and supplies.
• Collects specimens, including urine, stool, sputum and swabs, and performs urine determination including sugar, acetone, specific gravity protein, pH.
• Performs finger/heel stick blood collection and chemstick test.
• Initiates, maintains and records 24-hour urine collection.

Intravenous Lines-

• Discontinues peripheral IV?s.
• Removes peripheral IV dressings.

Patient ADLs:

• Assists patients with, or administers routine personal hygiene including baths, oral care, and skin care.
• Performs preventative skin care, pre-operative preps, perineal care.
• Provides toileting/bedpan/urinal; remove/empty foley catheters; weighs diapers.
• Accompanies, escorts, ambulates, moves, turns, dangles, lifts, transports and attends/holds/positions patients.
• Assists with range of motion; applies rehabilitation equipment; releases and applies devices, i.e. wheelchair seatbelt, adaptive equipment, etc., in accordance with specific instructions, to position patients to limit movements.
• Provides patient nourishment by performing such duties as passing and collecting trays, providing snacks/beverages, assists with ordering meals/snacks; feeds patients.
• Double check breast milk with RN.

Urinary Catheters

• Connects, drains and disconnects urinary catheters.
• Assembles intermittent bladder irrigation supplies.
• Discontinues urinary catheters.
• Applies condom catheter.
• Determines bladder status with Bladder Scanner.

Enemas/Suppositories:

• Administers cleansing enemas that do not contain medication.
• Applies external Fecal Incontinence Device (FID) bags.

Wound Care

• Cleanses and redresses non-sterile wounds.
• Applies binders, ACE wraps, hot and cold applications; provides soaks and special baths.
• Assists RN with complex dressing changes.

Respiratory Care

• Assist with tracheostomy care on stable tracheotomies including such duties as cleaning and redressing area; assisting with tape and tie changes.
• Assist with P&PD by holding the patient.
• Coach/prompt patient to use incentive spirometer, and in coughing and deep breathing.
• Perform routine nasal and/or oral suctioning.

Other Interventions

• Measures and obtains TED hose; applies Sequential Compression Devices.
• Performs post-mortem care and transports deceased patients to the morgue/pathology.
• Responds to alarms
• Empties and measures drainage collection and emesis.
• Assists RN with admissions, discharges, and transfers.
• Provides skin care at the direction of the RN, applying select topical emollients containing medication (i.e., cortisones, tar, silvidine, butt cream, and dermatology lotions).
• Initiates emergency care utilizing the?ABC?s??Airway, Breathing, Circulation.
• Transports materials, supplies, medications, specimens, patient belongings, equipment and medical records when patient is moved or transferred
• Assists with application and maintains restraints.
• Documents care provided.
• Care for permanent drainage sites and apply appropriate collection device, i.e., ostomy, G-tube, etc.
• Position patients by performing such duties as the limiting of movements using special restraints and braces.
• Transport, ambulate, move and lift patients.
• Perform emergency first aid measures, such as the handling of convulsions or fainting.

Environment

• Stocks supplies and equipment in patient care spaces.
• Sets up patient rooms for admission or procedure.
• Makes up beds with linen, changes bed linens and linen hamper during patient stay.
• Maintains orderliness of the patient room, including equipment/cords, linen, trash, patient belongings, etc.
• Cleans and maintains inventory and outdates of equipment and supplies in patient care spaces.
• Cleans assigned equipment and areas of work.
• Obtains, opens and arranges sterile instruments and supplies for specific procedures.
• Checks emergency equipment.

Required Qualifications*

• High school diploma, GED or equivalent
• Progressively responsible experience working with adult or pediatric psychiatric patients, or an equivalent combination of education and experience working in an adult or pediatric inpatient psychiatric facility within the last 2 years
• Effective writing and verbal communication skills
• Must be able to perform a wide range of physical activities

Desired Qualifications*

• Experience as certified nursing assistant, medical assistant, or patient care technician is desired.
• Experience with electronic health record, demonstrated ability to work effectively under mental/emotional pressure