Nursing Assistant

1. Nursing Assistant Unit 1 Ch 2: The Nursing Assistant

2. Nursing, Past and Present • Nursing involves caring for others • Work to keep people healthy through education and prevention • Florence Nightingale • British nurse • Founder of modern nursing • Started training for nurses • First time nurses regarded as professionals • Early nursing assistants did not have any training

3. Education of the Nursing Assistant • OBRA requirements for certification • Vocational schools, community colleges, or private training academies • Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation Program (NACEP) • All programs must submit proof that they meet stadnards • State specific standards • Minimum of 75 hours of training • Classroom and clinical • Competency Evaluation • Written and hands-on test • Some states (FL does) allow people to challenge the test without training

4. Education of the Nursing Assistant • Registry • OBRA requires every state to maintain a registry of everyone who has completed the nursing assistant traingin program • Full name, including maiden name and any married names • Last known home address • Social security number • DOB • Date competency evaluation was passed • Reported incidents of abuse, neglect, or theft • Employers check this registry

5. Education of the Nursing Assistant • Reciprocity • Some states will accept certification from other states • May be required to apply and pay for new certification

6. Education of the Nursing Assistant • Continuing Education • Must complete a minimum of 12 hours per year • Some states require more • Most employers provide this training • IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

7. Responsibilities of the Nursing Assistant • Vary according to setting • All perform basic nursing functions • Most responsibilities relate to physical needs • Hygeine • Safety • Comfort • Nurtrition • Exercise • Elimination

8. Responsibilities of the Nursing Assistant • Emotional needs as well • Kind words • Gentle touch • Willingness to listen • Observe and Communicate • Most opportunity to interact with patients • Changes, canges, changes

9. The Nursing Team • Subset of the Health Care Team • Mimimum members of a nursing team • Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN or LVN) • Registered Nurse (RN) • Charge Nurse (usually RN) • Director of Nursing (DON)

10. The Nursing Team • Nursing Team Organizational Models • Primary Nursing • One nurse assigned to several patients • Nurse performs all duties • Functional (modular) Nursing • Each member of team carries out the same assigned tasks for all the patients • Team Nursing • Team leader (RN) determines all of the nursing needs and assigns team members • Patient-centered • Designed around the needs of the patient • Members of the team cross-trained

11. Delegation • Have another person perform a task on your behalf • Nurse may delegate to the nursing assistant • Nurse still responsible • Delegated task MUST be in the Nursing Assistan’s SCOPE OF PRACTICE • Hygeine • Comfort • Exercise • Data collection • Documentation • CANNOT delegate tasks to nursing assistants that require professional judgement

12. Delegation • Nursing Council of State Boards (NCSBN) Five Rights of Delegation • Right Task • Right Circumstance • Right Person • Right Direction • Right Supervision • YOU are the final decision maker • PROTECT YOUR LICENSE!!!!