Nurse Aide (Med Surg) in Grants, New Mexico at Cibola Hospital

The Nursing Assistant is responsible for providing direct patient care and performing other duties as needed to ensure optimal patient care, under the direction of a licensed Professional Nurse.

Under the supervision of the Nursing Supervisor, Staff Nurse, or Director of Nursing, the Nursing Assistant helps provide treatment and care to patients according to established hospital procedures.

• Provides daily personal care (AM/PM care, back rubs, shaving, dressing/undressing, bed changes, and catheter care).
• Assists with mobility, ambulation, positioning, and turning.
• Helps with elimination needs (bedpans, urinals, commodes).
• Performs treatments as assigned: vital signs, intake/output, specimen collection, skin care, warm/cold compresses, pre/post-operative care, enemas, and other duties.
• Provides emotional support to patients and their families.

B. Team Collaboration

• Observes patients and immediately reports changes in condition.
• Documents patient status and gives accurate reports to nurses.
• Assists with admissions, transfers, and discharges.
• Responds promptly to call lights.
• Transports patients as needed.
• Completes unit support tasks (linen, water, cleaning, etc.).
• Cleans and inspects equipment.
• Helps other team members willingly.
• Acts as a preceptor for new Nursing Assistants.
• Attends required staff meetings (75% for full-time staff).

C. Patient Safety

• Follows all hospital safety policies and procedures.
• Maintains constant patient vigilance (hourly checks) and safety measures (bed rails up, call light within reach, low bed position).
• Keeps patient rooms neat and safe.
• Participates in CPR and emergency response.
• Assists with safe patient discharge.

D. Professionalism

• Maintains a professional appearance and behavior at all times.
• Follows the chain of command.
• Protects patient confidentiality and privacy.
• Maintains excellent attendance and punctuality.
• Uses sick time appropriately.

E. Professional Growth

• Demonstrates willingness to learn new procedures.
• Participates in in-service education and mandatory training.
• Helps in other areas as needed.

F. Support Role Relieves professional nurses of clerical and non-technical duties when possible.

G. Required Task Proficiency Must demonstrate competence in:

• Answering call lights and phones courteously
• Serving meals and feeding assistance
• Oral hygiene, hair/nail/skin care, and bathing
• Bed making (occupied/unoccupied)
• Patient positioning, turning, and ambulation
• Vital signs (temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure)
• Specimen collection and intake/output recording
• Catheter and Foley care
• Infection control and isolation procedures
• Pre- and post-operative care
• Care after death
• Emergency and disaster response
• Restraint application and monitoring
• All other assigned duties

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED required.
• Requires combination of education and experience with knowledge, skills and abilities essential to the performance of duties assigned.
• Must possess good interpersonal skills and the ability to deal tactfully with staff, physicians, patients and their families.
• Must be willing to assist staff with various tasks as assigned, including floating to other areas of the hospital.
• Must have knowledge and abilities to take care of patients of different age categories.
• Requires current BLS certification or required to receive within 90 days.