Nursing Assistant

Summary

Under the supervision of a Registered Nurse and in accordance with hospital and departmental policies and procedures, assists in the care of patients and/or families from admission through discharge.

Definition

A Nursing Assistant is a paraprofessional trained to provide personal care and related healthcare assistance to individuals who are sick, disabled, or infirm. This role applies to individuals residing in or receiving services from state-licensed healthcare facilities or agencies. The Nursing Assistant must hold a valid license issued by the Rhode Island Department of Health.

Brown University Health employees are expected to model the organization’s core values:

• Compassion
• Accountability
• Respect
• Excellence

Employees must also demonstrate the following Success Factors:

• Instill Trust and Value Differences
• Patient and Community Focus
• Collaborate effectively

Responsibilities

Under the direction of a Registered Nurse, the Nursing Assistant performs the following:

• Work Organization

  • Collaborates with the Registered Nurse to prioritize tasks and organize workflow.

• Personal Care

  • Provides direct personal care to patients.

• Basic Nursing Assistant Skills

  • Performs duties as outlined by the Rhode Island Department of Health Professional Licensing and Facility Regulation.

• Rehabilitation Support

  • Assists patients with activities of daily living (ADLs).
  • Supports patient mobility and ambulation as appropriate.

• Safe Environment Maintenance

  • Identifies and reports unsafe conditions or situations.
  • Removes malfunctioning equipment from service and reports issues to appropriate personnel.

• Patient Monitoring and Reporting

  • Observes and communicates patient conditions, signs, and symptoms to the Registered Nurse.

• Safety and Compliance

  • Adheres to infection control and quality assurance standards.
  • Documents patient care accurately in the electronic health record (EHR), flowsheets, and clinical documentation systems.
  • Demonstrates readiness to respond in emergency or code situations.
  • May serve as a patient observer.

• Additional Duties

  • Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Basic Knowledge

• Current Rhode Island Nursing Assistant license required.
• High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
• Basic computer proficiency.
• Current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) certification required.
• Demonstrated knowledge of caring for patients across the lifespan, including consideration of:
  • Aging processes
  • Developmental stages
  • Cultural differences

Experience

• One (1) year of Nursing Assistant experience preferred.

Working Environment & Physical Requirements

• Work settings may include:

  • Acute care hospitals
  • Physician offices
  • Other healthcare facilities

• Physical demands include:

  • Prolonged sitting, standing, and walking
  • Frequent bending, squatting, and stooping
  • Lifting and repositioning patients and equipment

Independent Action

• Works under the supervision of a Registered Nurse within established hospital policies and state regulations.
• Refers complex or unclear issues to a supervisor as needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• None