JOB TITLE: NURSE AIDE

JOB CODE: 30320

DEFINITION: This is non-professional nursing work in the care and rehabilitation of individuals.

An employee in this job performs non-professional nursing work in the direct care and rehabilitation of individuals residing in state operated facilities, such as a veterans’ home, state restoration center, or state correctional institution. Work involves carrying out the daily routine of individualized care plans; assisting individuals with activities of daily living, personal care needs, and rehabilitative activities; maintaining individuals’ living areas; observing and reporting changes in individuals’ physical condition and behavior; and documenting daily care performed and information obtained in individuals' records. Work includes participating in on-the-job, in-service, and formal training in nursing care procedures to update and maintain non-professional nursing care expertise. Nursing duties are of limited scope and are performed in accordance with established regulations, rules, care plans, and specific instructions. While routine work is expected to be performed independently, all other work is performed under close supervision of a licensed professional supervisor who reviews work through reports, inspections, and observations.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: (NOTE: The examples of work are representative of the work, but every position classified to this job may not perform all examples of work listed. Conversely, this is not an all-inclusive list of work examples.)

• Assists individuals in prescribed therapeutic rehabilitative programs intended to improve their social and physical wellbeing.

• Assists individuals with activities of daily living and personal care needs, such as bathing, oral hygiene, shaving, hair care, nail care, dressing, walking, exercising, and getting in and out of bed using mechanical lifts or manual lifting techniques.

• Demonstrates and teaches individuals how to meet their daily living and personal care needs without assistance, within the limits of their physical capabilities, and in accordance with nursing care plans.

• Takes and records individuals’ temperatures, weight, pulse, and respiration rates.

• Records and reports indicative signs and symptoms of individuals’ behavior and conditions, and their responses to care and treatment in their clinical records.

• Performs daily activities for individuals such as making beds, changing linens, sorting laundry, giving rubs, lifting and repositioning, administering unmedicated ointments and lotions, and applying hot water bottles and ice caps as prescribed.

• Serves nourishment, meals, and liquids to individuals and assists them with feeding.

• Prepares and assists in applying unmedicated soaks.

• Applies comfort and control devices such as binders, supports, back rests, side rails, walking-assist devices, and other types of prostheses under the direction of licensed professional staff.

• Collects specimens, passes bed pans and urinals, empties and cleans drainage bottles, and records amount of drainage.

• Participates in multidisciplinary, nursing care, occupational therapy, and other types of meetings to discuss individuals’ needs, to report observations, and to receive recommendations and plans of rehabilitation, care, therapy, and treatment of individuals from medical and therapeutic personnel.

• Provides input to professional staff during the development of care plans.

• Observes and reports unusual incidents or emergency occurrences to supervisory personnel and assists as required.

• Assists with routine admission, transfer, and discharge procedures.

• Escorts individuals to recreational, rehabilitative, clinical, and other onsite and offsite appointments and activities.

• Makes rounds with professional personnel at the beginning and close of the tour of duty.

• Sterilizes and cleans medical equipment such as feeding pumps, nebulizers, IV pumps, and glucometers.

• Cares for an individual’s body after death and before arrival of the ambulance or funeral home staff.

• Follows fire, safety, and infection control policies and procedures.

• Performs related work as required.

ENTRY LEVEL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of non-professional nursing practices and techniques.

• Knowledge of first aid practices and procedures.

• Knowledge of common physical illnesses and their obvious signs and symptoms.

• Knowledge of the use and functionality of Microsoft Office Suite software.

• Ability to apply the principles and techniques of staff development and training.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

• Ability to communicate effectively orally.

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: (NOTE: Based on the Entry Level Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities)

• Active registration as a Nurse Aide in the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry;

or

• Six months of paid experience in the care and treatment of geriatric or physically ill patients or residents.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Positions assigned to a long-term or specialized care facility require active registration as a Nurse Aide in the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry.