Introduction to Nurse Aide Responsibilities

Introduction to the Role of the Nurse Aide

• CNAs assist nurses in meeting the physical and emotional needs of residents, including hygiene, safety, nutrition, exercise, and elimination.
• The primary goal is to provide daily care, comfort, and support residents' health.
• Compassion and empathy are crucial qualities for healthcare workers.

Professionalism

• Treat each individual with respect.
• Be loyal by maintaining good attendance, being punctual, and giving notice for absences.
• Do not accept money or valuables from or on behalf of residents.
• Practice ethical behavior by being accountable, respecting others, and maintaining confidentiality.
• Earn trust by keeping commitments, speaking well of others, supporting the facility, and working as a team.
• Maintain a professional appearance.

Confidentiality

• Healthcare workers have a legal and moral obligation to protect patient information.
• The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) safeguards the privacy of health information (PHI).

Scope of Practice

• CNAs must know their permissible and prohibited duties.
• CNAs are not authorized to assess residents.

Communication

• Objective data relies on observations and sensory information.
• Subjective data relies on information that cannot be directly observed or verified.

Observing and Reporting

• It is crucial to report any changes in a resident's appearance, behavior, or condition.
• Routine reporting occurs at the end of the shift.
• Immediate reports must be made for dangerous or unusual observations.
• CNAs need to report to the nurse and document observations at the end of their shift.

Care Plan Participation

• CNAs are essential participants in the care planning process.
• Care plans address the resident's current needs.
• Healthcare Team members, including CNAs, have access to the Care Plan and medication list.

Healthcare Team/Chain of Command

• An interdisciplinary team collaborates to meet the resident's needs and provide a safe environment.
• Staff/charge nurses are the CNA's direct supervisors.
• Charge nurses report to the Director of Nursing (DON).
• The Ombudsman advocates for residents and aims to improve their quality of life.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

• Effective communication involves exchanging information and observing feedback.
• Positive interpersonal skills include empathy, tact, and courtesy.
• Verbal communication uses spoken or written words, including tone of voice.
• Nonverbal communication includes body language, facial expressions, and touch. It can convey positive or negative messages.

Barriers to Effective Communication

• Clichés, slang, and visual or hearing impairments can hinder communication.
• Even if a resident is unconscious, talk to them, as they may still hear you.

Call Lights

• Call lights must be answered immediately.
• Place the call light within reach on the resident's unaffected side.
• Withholding a call light as punishment is abuse.

Resident/Person-Centered Care

• Daily routines should be designed to meet the resident's specific needs and former lifestyles.
• Residents have the right to decide when to get up, go to bed, what to wear, when/what to eat, and when/how to bathe.
• When family visits, provide privacy and leave the room unless they request your presence.

Respecting Culture and Religious Preferences

• Respect the resident's cultural beliefs, including prayer times, preferred spiritual advisors, and dietary restrictions.
• If a resident asks you to read a religious book you disagree with, respect their personal choice and read it.

Resident Rights - OBRA

• The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) was created due to increased reports of abuse and neglect in nursing homes.
• It informs residents of their rights and provides an ethical code for healthcare workers.

Resident Rights

• Residents have the right to choose their physician and participate in treatment decisions and care planning.
• They have the right to privacy and confidentiality of all information.
• Residents should be treated with dignity and respect.
• Calling a resident "honey" or "sweetie" is disrespectful and violates their rights.
• Residents have the right to make personal choices, including refusing care.
• Resident Rights may also be referred to as Resident-Centered Care.
• Residents have the right to personal items, but not to other residents' items in the facility.

Confidentiality

• Avoid gossiping in the workplace.
• Do not discuss resident information in front of other residents.
• Do not give resident information to anyone except the nurse.
• Residents have the right to be involved in their own care.
• Residents have the right to make their own choices.
• If a resident is upset with the care received, they can file a grievance or contact an ombudsman.

Protection of Resident Rights

• CNAs are responsible for protecting residents and preventing abuse and neglect.

Types of Abuse

• Physical
• Sexual
• Mental/psychological (including leaving a resident in an embarrassing situation as punishment)
• Verbal
• Financial