Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

Certified Nursing Assistant

This position performs routine tasks, under the supervision of the charge nurse, to help care for individuals residing at the facility. This position must be able to work as part of a team, have good communication skills, and be willing to perform repetitive, routine tasks. CNAs should be healthy, tactful, patient, understanding, emotionally stable, dependable, have a desire to help people, and interested in a career in nursing. This employee should be dependable and reliable. Our facility operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and must be fully staffed.

Duties (not limited to):

1. Handle and serve the facility's residents in such a manner as to promote emotional and physical comfort, and follows the instructions of the charge nurse.
2. Answer call lights to determine residents' needs.
3. Provide maximum resident care with emphasis on oral hygiene, teeth and denture care, complete baths, perennial care, shaving, hair, nails, foot care, catheter care, and toileting.
4. Bathe, dress and undress residents, or assist the resident, as needed, to perform these duties; apply support hose.
5. Assist residents with meals, serve and collect food trays, feed residents requiring help, and record food intake.
6. Turn and reposition bedfast residents using supportive devices or a lift sheet, alone or with assistance, to prevent pressure sores, and provide care to the resident's back; assist residents to sit on the side of the bed.
7. Assist resident with transfers, positioning and walking. Lift residents onto and from bed, and transport them to other areas of the facility for meals, activities, etc.
8. Assist in the ambulating and transportation of residents who are too ill to help themselves, using transfer belts, walkers, wheelchairs, etc.
9. Assist with bowel and bladder retraining, and collect stool and urine specimens.
10. Report and chart care and treatment given to each resident, including their physical, emotional and mental status.
11. Make occupied and unoccupied beds, change bed linens, and take soiled linens to the laundry.
12. Put residents' personal laundry away as needed. Keep their closets straightened and personal items neat.
13. Take and record temperatures, blood pressure, pulse and respiration rates, food and fluid intake and output, and measure/record heights and weights.
14. Perform minor treatments to residents, such as whirlpools and ice packs.
15. Provide post-mortem care following the death of a resident.
16. Keep all resident information confidential.
17. Possess adequate knowledge of the nursing home fire and disaster plans.
18. Use proper body mechanics, lifts, transfer belts, etc., to avoid self-injury.
19. Assume responsibility for self-improvement by reading and attending in-service programs.
20. Assist in maintaining a safe, attractive environment for the residents.
21. Possess knowledge of job requirements, nursing home organization and current policies and procedures.

Qualifications:

1. High school graduate or equivalent preferred
2. Completion of the competency evaluation program for Certified Nursing Assistants and in good standing with the Nurse Aide Registry
3. Prior experience in a nursing home setting preferred

Note:

Federal regulations require that uncertified applicants complete a minimum of 75 hours of mandatory training, and pass a competency evaluation program within 4 months of employment. Applicants who complete the program are placed on the State registry of certified nursing assistants. This training is provided by the facility at no cost to the employee.

At the end of this training, the employee is placed on the regular full-time schedule, and works as a non-certified nursing assistant. Within thirty days from the employee's hire date, the mentor will complete an orientation program.

Nursing assistants that are performing at a satisfactory level will be scheduled for testing. When testing is complete, and results have been received, the employee will be eligible for a pay increase and the title of Certified Nursing Assistant.

Employees who have not passed the certification test within the first four months of employment, will not, under any circumstances, be allowed to work as nursing assistants.