Certified Nursing Assistant

Provides basic nursing care in Nursing Department to non-acute and acutely ill patients while maintaining a safe and clean environment.

SEARHC is a non-profit health consortium which serves the health interests of the residents of Southeast Alaska. We see our employees as our strongest assets. It is our priority to further their development and our organization by aiding in their professional advancement.

Working at SEARHC is more than a job, it’s a fulfilling career. We offer generous benefits, including retirement, paid time off, paid parental leave, health insurance, dental, and vision benefits, life insurance and long and short-term disability, and more.

Key Essential Functions and Accountabilities of the Job

• Promotes the SEARHC Seven Standards of Excellence.

• Obtains nursing data through interviewing and observing patients under a RN’s direction and review.

• Documents observation findings under a RN’s supervision

• Provides general nursing care for the pediatric, adult, and geriatric populations.

  • General nursing care may include but not be limited to bed bath, oral hygiene, combing hair, back care, dressing, application of appliances for heat and cold, pre-operative and post-operative care, and application of anti-embolism stockings or SCD’s.

  • Monitors and records temperature, pulse, respiration, weight, height, blood pressure, pulse oximetry, and intake-output measurements.

  • Collects and transports specimens to correct departments.

  • Distinguishes between normal and abnormal findings as identified in the patient care plan or data collection tools, reports abnormal findings to the RN, and records findings as appropriate.

  • Reports (and when appropriate, records) any changes observed in condition or behavior of patients and unusual incidents.

  • Performs other tasks as specific to unit specialty and training (i.e., EKG’s and telemetry monitoring of patients both in unit and remote; is responsible for giving telemetry report to RN with patient on remote telemetry under the RN’s review and signature).

• Provides bed-side care.

  • Bed-side care may include but not be limited to positioning patients, lifting, and turning patients, and assisting in use of bedpan, urinal, or commode.

  • Answers patient call lights.

  • Makes rounds to assigned patients.

  • Ambulates patients, transporting to and from various departments as required.

  • Assists patients with meals, or feeds patients.

  • Aids in handling and care of patients' belongings (including dentures, glasses, contact lenses, hearing aids, prosthetic devices, etc.) throughout their stay.

  • Changes bed linen, cleans bed table and bedside stand, straightens room, and performs other general care as needed.

  • Assists RN with readying a patient for medivac transport from the department, which may include but be not limited to making phone calls, copying papers and chart, and providing direct patient care.

  • Provide 1:1 care/sitting for patients when indicated for patient safety.

• Maintains a safe and clean environment.

  • Prepares nursing areas and/or patient rooms and beds for receiving patient admissions.

  • Returns surgical patients, transfers, emergencies, or discharges.

  • Assists in cleaning Utility Rooms, cleaning equipment, and preparing for disinfection or sterilization.

  • Reports when equipment is out of order as well as other problems to nurse manager or charge nurse.

  • Appropriately handles clean/dirty linens and stores supplies on the service area.

• Performs supply duties daily.

  • Distributes and orders supplies to maintain adequate stock levels in assigned units.

  • Floats as needed to other departments in the hospital under nurse manager, charge nurse, or staff RN’s discretion.

• Disposes of all solid waste and infectious waste according to hospital’s policies and procedures.

  • Replenishes supplies in patient rooms and bathrooms as needed.

• Performs other duties as assigned by nurse manager, charge nurse, or staff nurse in a responsible, respectful, caring manner to promote the most effective nursing staff relationships.

• Participates in in-services and educational programs in the department, hospital, and/or community as assigned.

  • Completes all mandatory training.

  • Completes annual competencies and evaluation materials.

  • Maintains current certifications and licensure.

  • Participates in patient care conferences with nurse agreement as applicable.

  • Attends and participates in at least 50% of staff meetings.

• Other duties as assigned.

Additional Details:

Education, Certifications, and Licenses Required

• High school diploma or equivalent

• Certified Nursing Assistant certificate from an accredited program

• Current full, unrestricted CNA license in the state of Alaska or have current license in another state and obtain Alaska license within 6 months.

• Current Basic Life Skills (BLS) certification must be obtained within 3 months of hire and prior to completion of clinical orientation; biannually thereafter.

• Must take and pass courses as specific to unit needs (i.e., telemetry course with 80% or better within 3 months, plus have 80 hours supervised RN clinical monitoring of telemetry; POC/waived testing, etc.)

• Clinical Competency required within 3 months of hire and every three years

Experience Required

• 1 year of prior experience as a CNA preferred.

• See additional requirements below for Critical Access Hospital and/or Long-Term Care.

Skills/Training Checklists Required – Trained on and performs other tasks as specific to unit specialty:

• Critical Access Hospital

  • Obtain 12-lead Electrocardiograms (ECGs). (SKILL SHEET)

  • Train and perform the mechanics of Telemetry monitoring of patients within the inpatient unit. (SKILL SHEET)

  • Become a Point of Care trainer within 3 months of obtaining CNA II. (SKILL SHEET)

  • Cross-train to additional areas of the hospital (Emergency Department, Labor and Delivery, and Surgical Department) for fluidity of staffing.

  • Cross-train to the Senior Office Specialist (SOS)/Ward Clerk positions to understand and be able to perform the position in times of high census or vacancy. (SKILL SHEET)

  • Initiate and participate in a Performance/Process Improvement (PI) project within the unit.  The CNA II will identify a process that needs improvement in their home department.  Then, they will work with the manager to propose improvement, initiate the agreed-upon plan, and provide ongoing monitoring of the PI project for length of employment in the CNA II position. (DOCUMENTED PI PROJECT)

  • Serve as preceptor for incoming CNA staff and CNA students.

• Long-Term Care (LTC)

  • Pass all requirements to drive residents in the LTC van. (SKILL SHEET)

  • Perform daily Restorative Aid/Activities under the guidance of Therapies in LTC. (SKILL SHEET)

  • Actively participate in the LTC QAPI program. (DOCUMENTED PI PROJECT)

    Oversee, at the minimum, 1 quality project in a 12-month period.

    Attend at least 80% of all QAPI meetings.

  • Be able to perform the duties of the LTC Informational Specialist (in their absence). (SKILL SHEET)

  • Be able to obtain AHA BLS Instructor certification. (CERTIFICATION)

    Conduct necessary LTC employee BLS skill evaluations.

Knowledge of

• Correct use of equipment.

• Normal and abnormal patient findings as identified on the plan of care with a nurse’s agreement.

Skills in

• Oral and written communication.

• Transcribing and retrieving telemetry and other nursing data accurately.

• Verbally communicate finding with the healthcare team.

• Maintaining a safe patient environment with appropriate infection control measures.

• Maintaining a clean work environment with proper infection control measures including equipment cleaning.

• Providing general nursing care with minimal direction under the supervision of a registered nurse.

Ability to

• Work cooperatively with others by establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships with patients, visitors, and other healthcare team members.

• Always assure confidentiality of patient information.

• Use aggressive patient management techniques to diffuse any patient/visitor/peer volatile situations.

• React in a calm, functional manner.

• Make sound judgments within scope of duties when taking care of critically ill patients and in emergencies.

• Demonstrate relevant scope of practice when caring for patients by maintaining a safe environment with appropriate infection controls measures.

• Follow instructions.

• Clean equipment.

Position Information:

Work Shift:OT 40

If you like wild growth and working with happy, enthusiastic over-achievers, you'll enjoy your career with us!