CNA Emergency Department

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

Job Summary

The CNA demonstrates compassion, respect, and a caring attitude while providing quality patient care under the direct supervision of the licensed nurse. The CNA works in collaboration with other healthcare team members and communicates in an effective and efficient manner with coworkers, patients, visitors, physicians, and other disciplines and departments. The CNA will have completed the Oregon State Board of Nursing approved CNA training program and understands the scope of practice this level of training allows.

Essential Duties

• Assists patients with activities of daily living (ADLs), including AM and PM care, bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting by assisting in the use of bedpans, urinals, and commodes.
• Performs oral care, hair care, peri-care, and catheter care.
• Gives backrubs and special skin care as needed.
• Assists with repositioning, transfers from bed, chair, commode, or stretcher, and assists with ambulation and range of motion (ROM) activities.
• Obtains and records vital signs on adults, children, and infants as directed, including alternate blood pressure sites and orthostatic blood pressures.
• Assists patients by delivering and setting up meal trays and assists with feeding as needed.
• Measures and records patient height and weight.
• Assists the licensed nurse in the process of admission, transfer, or discharge of patients.
• Accurately documents care performed in the electronic health record (EHR).
• Assists with special procedures as directed, including admissions, discharges, pre- and post-operative care, and post-mortem care.
• Answers call lights for all patients in a courteous and timely manner and positions the call light within reach of the patient.
• Monitors and records accurate intake and output and reports to the licensed nurse.
• Reports pertinent patient information to the licensed nurse, including symptoms noted, response to treatments or medications, patient compliance with care plan, vital signs, and changes in patient condition.
• Maintains a clean, safe, and comfortable patient environment by keeping patient rooms neat and tidy and assuring side rails and other safety measures are in use.
• Maintains fall precautions.
• Maintains a safe and clean work environment in areas such as the nurse’s station, utility room, linen room, pantry, lounge, and other applicable areas.
• Changes and removes dirty linens as needed.
• Assists with coughing and deep breathing.
• Reinforces use of Incentive Spirometer.
• Transports patients in a wheelchair, specialized chair, stretcher, or bed.
• Demonstrates use of lift equipment for safe patient transfers.
• Changes catheter bags.
• Applies and removes external catheters.
• Collects specimens including sputum, stool, urine, and clean catch urine specimens.
• Is flexible in assignments and organized in work, even under stressful situations.
• Treats patients and their families with respect and dignity and ensures patient confidentiality.
• Manages and operates hospital equipment safely and correctly.
• Demonstrates knowledge of disease entities and infection control policies including hand hygiene, appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and disposal of hazardous waste.
• Responds to emergency situations and performs tasks within scope of practice at the direction of the licensed nurse.
• Serves on hospital and unit committees as assigned.
• Participates in the Continuous Quality Improvement activities of the unit.
• Re-stocks patient supplies.
• Orders supplies as directed.
• Applies and removes restraints.
• Assists with positioning devices.
• Applies, turns on, and turns off sequential compression devices.
• Performs capillary blood glucose levels including documentation and equipment quality improvement requirements.
• Applies and removes delivery devices and turns continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or bi-level positive airway pressure (BIPAP) devices on and off.
• Cleans equipment after use, including pumps, IV poles, and similar equipment.
• Assists with phone calls for CODE events and patient transfers.
• Answers phones in a courteous and professional manner and takes messages as appropriate.
• Performs end-of-shift tasks as needed, including emptying linen hampers, refilling ice waters, emptying trash in patient rooms, cleaning the breakroom and report room, and filling linen carts.
• Turns oxygen on and off or transfers oxygen between wall, concentrator, and tank at pre-established flow rates for stable individuals.
• Obtains pain level using facility-approved pain scale.
• Performs additional nursing support functions as defined in CNA scope of practice, within training knowledge, and as directed by the licensed nurse.

Additional Authorized Duties

The following additional duties may be performed when a LUH RN teaches performance of the authorized duty and validates that the CNA is competent to perform the duty. Once authorized, the CNA may be assigned to perform the authorized duty by licensed nurses at LUH.

• Obtains a urine specimen from a port of catheter.
• Assists with a chlorhexidine bath.
• Clips hair in preparation for surgical procedure.
• Changes the wound VAC canister.
• Administers enemas (mineral or saline).
• Discontinues a urethrally inserted catheter.
• Applies moisture barrier cream or ointment to treat topical skin irritation or non-intact skin due to incontinence or excess moisture.
• Adjusts oxygen rate of flow.
• Discontinues saline lock.
• Interrupts and reestablishes nasogastric (NG) suction.
• Obtains a throat swab specimen.
• Performs fecal occult blood test.
• Places electrodes or leads and runs electrocardiogram (EKG).
• Places electrodes or leads for telemetry.
• Scans bladder.
• Suctions nose or oral pharynx.

Additional Individual Authorized Duties with Education and Ongoing Competency

• Phlebotomy, when the CNA has a current phlebotomy certification from a nationally recognized certifying organization or successful completion of a phlebotomy-specific military education program, demonstrated ongoing competency, and is assigned the duty by nurses in the employing organization.
• Child safety seat check, when the CNA has successfully completed a national child passenger safety certification program, demonstrated ongoing competency, and is assigned the duty by nurses in the employing organization.
• Telemetry monitoring, when the CNA has successfully completed a dysrhythmia recognition course, demonstrated ongoing competency, and is assigned the duty by nurses in the employing organization.

Qualification Requirements

Education and License

• High School Diploma or equivalent, required.

Certifications

• CNA certification to practice in the State of Oregon, required.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) required; must be able to obtain within 60 days of hire.

Experience

• One year of acute care experience preferred.

Additional Qualifications

• Must have good reading and writing skills, as well as legible handwriting.
• Must have good communication skills, verbal and nonverbal.
• Must have adequate vision to read normal print and carry out essential duties.
• Must have adequate hearing to hear speech, call bells, buzzers, phones, and similar alerts.

Work Environment

Works indoors in an air-conditioned office environment.

Physical Demands

Frequent use of computers and phone, and standard office machines. Must be able to stand, sit, stoop, twist, kneel, reach, push, pull using proper body mechanics, and move or lift varying amounts of weight up to a maximum of 50 lbs.

Benefits Eligibility

This is a full-time position and is eligible for benefits.