Nursing Assistant

Nursing Assistant Duties

The duties of the Nursing Assistant include, but are not limited to:

• Performs activities of daily living and provides a range of care that contributes to the Veteran's treatment plan, recovery, and wellness under the direction of a licensed health care provider.
• Cares for patients/residents with acute to chronic conditions.
• Utilizes glucose monitoring machine to receive glucose readings for Veterans and refers deviation to appropriate health care staff.
• Provides direct care for complex Veterans.
• Makes observations of subtle changes in resident's condition, i.e. behavior shifts, mood, skin coloring, appetite, etc. and takes action accordingly within the NA's assigned role.
• Documents care given, observations and responses on appropriate tools or forms.
• Responds appropriately to subtle patient changes by contacting the appropriate nursing personal.
• Administers complete tracheostomy care, including suctioning.
• Monitors and documents patient intake and output reports deviations timely and accurately.
• Performs nursing procedures within scope of practice and according to policies and standard procedures to care for the veteran for such procedures but not limited to enemas, catheterization, colostomy care, skin care simple dressing, application of braces and prosthetic devices.
• Works on small group activities with patients/residents according to the patients/resident treatment plan.
• Recognizes the residents' autonomy and promotes independence by means of respect, limit setting and individualized treatment.
• Participates in Treatment Planning Meetings.
• Utilizes equipment to promote self-care.
• Provides patient information verbally to the treatment team for inclusion in the veteran/residents' plan of care, participates in treatment team meetings for resident care planning.
• Enters information about the residents' condition in the chart, utilizing appropriate formats.
• Participates in maintaining a clean, safe environment for the patient/resident.
• Removes defective equipment, reports hazards, observes safety regulations, contributes to infection control, and utilizes proper aseptic technique in performance of duties.
• Serves as preceptor and mentor to other NAs.
• Orients members of the health care team to the units as appropriate.
• Manages distributed patient behavior and intervenes and requests assistant from other health care members.
• Initiates basic life support, takes appropriate action.
• Completes all mandatory training within appropriate timelines.
• Actively participates in annual competency assessment and validation.