Work Unit Overview: The Certified Nurse’s Assistant/Aide (CNA) provides nursing and nursing related services to residents consistent with each resident’s comprehensive resident assessment and plan of care. All resident care is provided in a manner that meets the resident’s physical, mental and psycho- social needs and enables the individual to attain or maintain the highest practicable level of functioning. The CNA maintains a “homelike environment for the residents, protects and promotes resident rights and assists the person to maintain independence and controls to the greatest extent possible.

Job Summary: A CNA works under general supervision of licensed professional staff, and performs a variety of nonprofessional nursing care services for patients in an inpatient or outpatient setting and performs related work as required.

• Provide personal care to patients in a health care setting.
• Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs. Communicate with patients to ascertain feelings or need for assistance or social and emotional support; document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses.
• Carries out all duties in accord with the facility mission and philosophy.
• Demonstrates knowledge of and respect for the rights, dignity and individuality of each resident in all interactions.
• Appreciates the importance of maintaining confidentiality of resident and facility information.
• Demonstrates honesty and integrity at all times in the care and use of resident and facility property.
• Able to understand and to follow written and verbal directions. Able effectively to communicate with staff members and residents through verbal and/or written means.
• Able to interact effectively with individuals who are cognitively and/or physically impaired.
• Knowledge of emergency and disaster procedures of the facility. Able to locate nearest exit, to understand and respond to written or oral instruction in case of emergency.
• Sufficient mobility, and strength to move freely through the building, to assure resident safety at all times and to assist, transfer or otherwise move residents of the facility out of danger in case of emergency.
• Demonstrates respect for co-workers and responds to needs of residents by complying with facility policies on attendance and punctuality and dress code. Able to arrive and to begin work on time.
• Working knowledge and ability to comply with facility policies and procedures for workplace safety including infection control procedures, application of universal precautions for blood borne pathogens, use of personal protective equipment and handling of hazardous materials.
• Demonstrates ability to prioritize tasks/responsibilities and complete duties/projects within allotted time.
• Able to respond to change productively and to handle additional tasks/projects as assigned.
• Able to carry out the essential functions of this job (with or without reasonable accommodation) without posing specific, current risk of substantial harm to health and safety of self and others.
• Able to meet the personal care needs for a number of residents during a shift.
• Demonstrates competence in performing all services required of a C.N.A. including providing nursing and nursing-related services to individuals with cognitive impairments.
• Able to recognize changes in resident’s conditions as evidenced by physical symptoms, verbal expression or observation of change in mental or psycho social status.
• Gather instruments and assemble supplies required for patient examinations or treatments; discard used supplies and dispose of soiled linens; prepare instruments for sterilization; clean patients and utility rooms, restocks supplies, and make beds.
• Observe condition of patients; observe and measure intake and output of fluids; observe and maintain the positioning of tubing in patients; elicit information from patients related to physical symptoms or medical history.
• Take and record vital signs including blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and respirations; may check vision using standard vision charts or administer audiograms.
• Record information including vital signs, test results, treatments, patient's symptoms, or observe patient irregularities on charts; report unusual conditions or abnormalities to supervisor.
• Explain standard medical procedures to patients as directed by professional staff; explain range or motion exercises, deep breathing exercises, and other standard patient care procedures.
• Collect specimens and other standard urine and stool tests; report abnormalities.
• Prepare patients for various treatments and examinations and assist with treatments and examinations under the direction of professional medical staff; may catheterize patients, give enemas; and shave and perform skin preparation and procedures.
• Provide general care services to patients including bathing, dressing, preparing patients for meals, and maintain patient's rooms; turn and position patients in bed, massages pressure areas; maintain proper alignment for traction. May feed patients or assist patients with eating or drinking.
• Lift patient on to gurneys and wheelchairs and transport patients. Maintain standard asepsis procedures, sterile fields, and isolation procedures in order to eliminate potential sources of contamination.

• May perform routine clerical duties including filing patient charts, processing and filing laboratory slips, maintain patient's files, answer phones and take messages, and may schedule patients for procedures.
• Comply with established department, care center and county policies, procedures objectives, quality assurance, safety, supply inventory and utilization regulations, environmental and infection control. Assist in efforts to ensure program compliance with laws and with the on-going goals of maintaining and promoting health for patients.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

High school diploma or GED preferred and functional literacy required

Certificate/Licensure: Acceptable verification of training and competency evaluation from Montana State Registry and no findings in the Registry concerning abuse, neglect, mistreatment of residents or misappropriation of resident’s property. Certification as a Nurse’s Assistant/Aide is required. Current CPR Certification required.

Any combination of education, training, or experience which would likely provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities required for the job. Some experience in an acute care hospital, or experience in a convalescent hospital would be desirable.

Must maintain a good citizen court record free of abusing, neglecting or mistreating individuals in a health care related setting.
This job requires knowledge of standard asepsis and hygiene procedures, basic nursing terminology, standard instruments used in routine patient examination and treatments, standard charting procedures, and how to take and record vital signs.

This job requires the ability to note irregularities in patients’ conditions, elicit information related to patient symptoms, explain procedures to patients, follow oral and written instructions, accurately record information, learn standard procedures used in inpatient or outpatient care, and work with sick patients and contaminated materials.