Overview of Role
The certified nursing assistant (State-tested Nursing Assistant in Ohio) provides basic resident care under the supervision of a licensed nurse and assists in the maintenance of the unit environment.

Qualifications
• Fulfillment of federal and individual state requirements for employment as a nursing assistant.

Major Responsibilities
1. Receives reports regarding the status of assigned residents at the beginning of the shift.
2. Gives report to supervising nurse at the end of the shift.
3. Communicates and coordinates resident care with other caregivers.
4. Reports changes in status and unusual events when they occur.
5. Assists the resident to attain or maintain their highest practicable level physically, mentally and psychosocially
6. Attends to the physical, psychosocial, cultural, and spiritual needs of the residents
• learns about the resident’s preferences, needs, competencies, history, and cultural background through resident interaction, conversation, interview, and observation
• utilizes knowledge of individual preferences, needs, competencies, history, and cultural background in the planning and provision of care
• incorporates into residents’ daily life psychosocial, cultural, and spiritual components
• communicates information pertaining to residents’ unique physical, psychosocial, cultural and spiritual characteristics and preferences to the interdisciplinary team for inclusion in the plan of care
• implements strategies related to residents’ physical, psychosocial, cultural, and spiritual care
7. Assists residents to have a purpose to face each day
8. Provides supportive care to residents at end of life
9. Performs direct and indirect resident care activities as per the plan of care and consistent with the facility’s policies and procedures. Such activities include but are not limited:
• bathing residents (bed bath, tub, shower)
• feeding residents
• toileting residents (bedpan, urinal, bedside commode, bathroom)
• performing perineal care
• assisting residents in grooming (hair care, nail care, foot care)
• shampooing residents’ hair
• providing oral hygiene and denture care
• measuring intake and output
• giving enemas
• collecting urine and stool specimens
• transferring residents from bed, chair, wheelchair
• assisting residents with use of walkers, wheelchairs, canes, braces
• positioning residents in chairs, beds, wheelchairs, gerichairs
• turning and changing positions of residents
• lifting residents (manually and with mechanical lifts)
• performing range of motion exercises (active and passive)
• assisting with ambulation
• making occupied and unoccupied beds
• weighing residents
• taking vital signs
• providing post mortem care
• practicing universal precautions and special isolation techniques
• monitoring devices as per plan of care
10. Practices effective communication techniques with residents, visitors, and coworkers.
11. Utilizes resident-specific information as conversation topics
12. Assists residents to receive care in a timeframe and manner according to their preferences
13. Contributes to residents’ care plan by providing resident-specific physical, psychosocial, cultural, and spiritual information derived through caregiving activities
14. Protects residents from complications and injuries.
15. Respects residents’ rights.
16. Protects residents from abuse and neglect, and suspected and actual abuse to the supervisor.
17. Adheres to infection prevention and control procedures.
18. Assists with admissions, transfers, and discharges of residents.
19. Prepares rooms for new admissions.
20. Marks residents’ personal possessions; makes inventory of personal possessions.
21. Transports and escorts residents.
22. Documents care as necessary.
23. Participates in the development, implementation, and evaluation of residents’ care plans.
24. Keeps equipment, supplies, and resident furniture clean.
25. Keeps environment clean.
26. Reports to unit nursing manager / charge nurse:
• changes in residents’ status
• residents’ responses to care
• equipment and supply needs
• repair and maintenance needs
• safety hazards
• unusual occurrences or observations
• problems with completion of assignment

22. Directs resident and visitor complaints to unit nurse manager / head nurse or charge nurse.
23. Assists physicians and nurses with treatments and procedures.
24. Attends staff development activities to improve knowledge and skills and to maintain competency and certification
Core Competencies
• Provide age-appropriate care based on assessed need.
• Incorporate evidence-based gerontological knowledge into practice.
• Demonstrate sensitivity to persons who are frail, dependent, and/or with compromised health status.
• Communicate effectively and actively listen.
• Have the ability to utilize information and make role-appropriate decisions.
• Demonstrate a positive attitude.
• Show initiative in meeting residents’ needs and addressing problems.
• Demonstrate self-awareness and emotional maturity.
• Follow accepted policies and procedures.
• View residents holistically.
• Demonstrate skill and ability to effectively work with persons from diverse cultural and spiritual backgrounds.
• Function effectively as part of a team.
• Respond appropriately to residents.
• Recognize unusual or emergency situations that warrant intervention.
• Value and advocate for the rights of the individual and their decisions
• Demonstrate knowledge of working with person's with cognitive loss
• Value the psychosocial aspects of long term care
• Demonstrate initiative
• Be willing to support their beliefs and "stand up and be counted"