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Description

GENERAL CHARGE:

 

            Goodwill Retirement Community is committed to provide for each resident the assistance and support which will help that resident to achieve and maintain the highest possible level of well-being and functioning.  So that we may fulfill our commitment to each resident every employee is required to abide by specified Work Principles and Performance Expectations.  Every employee is also expected to be fully aware of the information presented in Disclosure of Physical Requirements and Environmental Conditions and to make every effort to act accordingly while working at Goodwill.

            This job description is not a contract, express or implied, guaranteeing employment for any specific duration.  Although we hope that your employment relationship with us will be long-term, either you or the company may terminate this relationship at any time, for any reason, with or without cause or notice.  This job description in no way limits the authority of the Board of Directors to make amendments, corrections, additions, or deletions from these policies.

 

 

 

 

WORK PRINCIPLES

 

            Every employee is expected to abide by all the specified work principles at all times.  Violation of these principles will result in disciplinary action applied in accordance with the policies of Goodwill Retirement Community ranging from verbal reprimand to immediate termination.  The employee must:

 

1. Exhibit a strong commitment to excellence in every aspect of providing excellent care to the residents of Goodwill Retirement Community by word and deed and by Education and Training programs, Quality Assurance programs, and other improvement activities as may be conducted by Goodwill Retirement Community.
2. Exert every effort at all times to assist and support each resident, maintaining the dignity and independence of the resident to the highest degree possible and maintaining the confidentiality of the resident and his or her records in every respect.
3. Treat every resident, family member, member of the public and member of the staff with respect and dignity.
4. Obtain and maintain any and all required certification and/or licensure from the appropriate agency.
5. If a regularly scheduled employee, make himself or herself available to work as scheduled on an on-going basis.
6. Report to work on the day and at the time indicated on the posted work schedule in accordance with the policies and procedures on employee attendance, tardiness, and absenteeism.
7. Report to work dressed appropriately for the work assignment in accordance with the policy and procedures on employee attire.
8. Remain at the workstation throughout the tour of duty except when excused or sent by the supervisor to another location.
9. Take breaks and meal times in accordance with the policies and procedures on breaks and mealtimes.
10. Willingly cooperate with supervisor and with coworkers in the performance of his or her duties, complying with all appropriate standards and practices of the discipline and complying with all Goodwill Retirement Community rules, procedures, and policies at all times.
11. Encourage professionalism, mutual respect, and teamwork among fellow workers in order to achieve excellence of service; and work to maintain a positive atmosphere and attitude at all times in Goodwill Retirement Community, refraining from any activity, which encourages the development of a negative atmosphere or attitude.
12. Recognize problems, which interfere with excellent care, handling them in an open, honest fashion and through appropriate channels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

            The Geriatric Nursing Assistant is required to perform each of the following responsibilities to a performance level set by the immediate supervisor with input from the employee.  Both the employee and the supervisor monitor the employee's performance level for the purpose of improving performance and evaluating the contributions of the employee to the care of residents and to the overall operation of Goodwill Retirement Community.

 

 

 

 

Essential Functions and Marginal Functions

 

            Essential functions of a job classification are those functions which are performed very frequently, which require a high level of skill, which require licensure or certification, which cannot be assigned to others because of the unavailability of staff, or which are highly relevant to the nature of the job itself.  Marginal functions are those who can be performed by another person without significant limitations such as those posed by the essential functions.

 

            Because of the nature of the nursing home industry few functions can be described as marginal.  Goodwill Retirement Community, however, intends to make reasonable accommodations for those who have difficulty in performing a particular task unless such accommodations place undue burdens on the other staff members, residents, or Goodwill Retirement Community.

 

 

 

 

 

Essential Functions:

 

The Geriatric Nursing Assistant will:

 

1. Attend the shift report at the beginning each shift to review the condition of all residents and events of the last 24 hours using the oral report of the previous charge nurse and the written 24-hour report to ensure that appropriate care is given during the next shift.
2. Provide direct resident care as directed by the charge nurse and according to the resident's care plan to enable the resident to attain or maintain the highest possible level of physical, mental, and psychosocial functioning.
3. Maintain confidentiality of information about the resident following appropriate guidelines in order to protect the resident's right to privacy.
4. Explain to the resident and the family the physical environment, the routines, and the general rules of Goodwill Retirement Community using the actual equipment to be used to enable the resident to feel at home at Goodwill.
5. Maintain a safe environment for residents and staff with respect to resident rooms and hallways using safety guidelines, resident needs, and common sense to save residents and staff from accidental injury.
6. Maintain a safe environment for residents and staff with respect to infection control using infection control guidelines including but not limited to the prescribed hand washing technique, isolation techniques, personal and environmental cleanliness, and disposal of infectious waste to avoid cross-contamination and the spread of infection among residents and staff.
7. Participate as appropriate in care plan conferences using detailed knowledge of the needs of the resident to assist in providing an appropriate care plan for the resident.
8. Observe the resident closely and report any changes in the resident condition immediately to the charge nurse using the rounds schedule and personal observations, the 24-hour report, and any other appropriate documentation to ensure the delivery of appropriate care to the residents.
9. Ensure the resident's privacy using room doors, bathroom doors, and privacy curtains along with resident's personal wishes regarding privacy to maintain the dignity of each resident.
10. Get each resident out of bed and prepare the resident for meals using appropriate supplies for incontinent residents, and wheel chairs, geri-chairs, or other chairs as needed to prepare the resident for a comfortable and enjoyable meal.
11. Make meals available to each resident in the appropriate location using each resident's food tray and clothing protector, adaptive devices, and personal assistance as needed to provide each resident with required nutrition, a satisfying meal, and the opportunity to function at the highest possible level at meal-time.
12. Monitor and record each resident's food and fluid intake at each meal utilizing computerized kiosks located throughout the facility.
13. Return each resident's tray and all clothing protectors used to the appropriate place and clean up the resident as required using return tray carts, soiled linen receptacles, and soap, water, and washcloth as required to assist the resident to maintain dignity and a clean, neat appearance.
14. Provide morning care for each resident including skin care, mouth care, hearing aid and eye glasses care, and personal grooming using wash cloths, warm water, soap, shavers, hair brushes and combs, tooth brushes, and toothpaste, to assist the resident to be clean and comfortable in preparation for a new day.

 

 

1. Change bed linens each bath day using prepared linen packs and whenever bed linens are soiled using appropriate linens to eliminate odors and to keep residents clean and dry.
2. Take each resident to be bathed along with clean clothes to the tub room at the appropriate time using the bathing schedule and walking assistance or a wheel chair as appropriate to make the resident available for bathing.
3. Provide bathing, showering, or a bed bath for each resident using the bathing schedule, soaps, special shampoos as ordered by the physician, lotions for dry skin, other appropriate personal care items, and privacy curtains to assist the resident to be clean and comfortable in preparation for a new day.
4. Provide evening partial baths and back rubs for each resident not receiving a bath that day to eliminate odors and to maintain the resident's sense of well-being.
5. Using appropriate lifting procedures and the assistance of another person as necessary turn and position each resident who is unable to do so according to the turning schedule (at least once each two hours or as directed by physician orders) to prevent skin and circulation problems.
6. Toilet each resident as scheduled and as needed and appropriate using bathrooms or appropriate adaptive equipment to assist in maintaining continence and to help residents remain comfortable.
7. Obtain and chart temperature, pulse, and respiration readings for each resident using the TPR schedule, a temporal thermometer, and a watch with a second hand to ensure the appropriate care of each resident.
8. Obtain and chart the weight of each resident using the weighing schedule and the appropriate scale to ensure the appropriate care of each resident.
9. Assist with restorative therapy as needed.
10. Collect specimens from residents as directed by the charge nurse using appropriate collection devices to ensure accurate results and appropriate care for residents.
11. When it is appropriate initiate emergency procedures for cardiac/respiratory arrest using CPR in an attempt to save the resident's life.
12. Assist each resident who is able to do so to attend and to return from activity and other programs using walking assistance, wheel chairs, geri-chairs, or other appropriate devices so residents can enjoy programs and the company of other residents.
13. Assist all ambulatory residents with ambulation to maintain or improve ambulatory status and a sense of well-being.
14. Provide active and passive restorative exercises as appropriate to all residents to avoid joint contractures, to enhance circulation, and to promote a sense of well being.
15. Distribute morning, afternoon, and evening snacks to residents using prepared snacks and appropriate dietary guidelines to provide extra dietary nourishment and to provide an enjoyable time for residents.
16. Spot mop floors immediately upon noticing spills using the mop, bucket, and wringer left for nursing use by housekeeping staff members to prevent falls in wet spots and to prevent the accumulation of soil on the floors.
17. Keep resident rooms, closets, and drawers tidy using skills of observation and hands to provide a safe, tidy environment.
18. Collect water pitchers and send them to Dietary Services for sanitizing; distribute filled water pitchers at the appropriate times to provide a safe, tasty water supply for each resident.
19. Document in the computerized kiosk’s all activities related to the care of each resident each shift to ensure appropriate reimbursement for all care given.
20. Document in the “I&O” sheets all intake and output using observation skills, measurement skills, and specific directions from the charge nurse as necessary.
21. Assist with the orientation of new Geriatric Nursing Assistants using knowledge and experience to enable the new employee to adapt quickly to the Goodwill environment and job requirements.
22. Upon the death of a resident carry out post mortem care using appropriate utensils and cleansing agents so that the body is ready for removal from the premises.
23. Participate in resident rounds with the outgoing and oncoming staff and attend the shift report at the beginning of each shift to review the condition of all residents and events of the last 24 hours to ensure that appropriate care is given during the next shift.

 

 

Marginal Functions:

 

1. Perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Charge Nurse for the efficient and effective operation of the Nursing Department.

 

Qualifications

DISCLOSURE OF PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

 

            The physical requirements and environmental conditions associated with each job classification are disclosed to each employee of Goodwill Retirement Community upon employment and annually thereafter.  The employee is well advised to be aware of the physical demands and environmental conditions under which he or she works and to take sensible precautions at all times to avoid accidents.

 

            Most accidents are preventable; they often result from employee inattention to the physical requirements of the job and the environmental conditions under which tasks will be performed.  Goodwill is committed to disclose physical requirements and environmental conditions to employees and to teach employees how to work safely within those requirements and conditions.  The employee must do his or her part to learn and then to engage in practices, which ensure safety for all.  These practices include the use of appropriate body mechanics in all areas of work.

 

            Goodwill Retirement Community complies with the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration rule at 29 CFR Part 1910.1030, Occupational Exposure to Blood borne Pathogens; Final Rule.  This rule, which applies to all occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials, requires us to make available to each employee a current copy of our Exposure Control Plan.  The degree of exposure of an employee in this job classification to blood borne pathogens is defined in the Exposure Control Plan.  It is also reproduced below.

 

 

 

 

 

Physical Requirements

 

Nursing Department personnel must have the physical ability to:

 

1. Lift and/or carry light objects such as resident charts, thermometers, linen, resident care items up to 50 pounds without assistance.
2. Frequently manipulate with assistance up to 150 pounds while positioning and transferring residents to and from beds, bedside commodes, toilets, wheelchairs, and so on.
3. Manipulate up to and in excess of 250 pounds with the assistance of proper equipment and/or other employees while positioning and transferring residents to and from beds, bedside commodes, toilets, wheelchairs, and so on.
4. Push residents weighing in excess of 250 pounds in wheelchairs on tiled floors and on carpeted floors throughout the building.
5. Stand, stoop, squat, bend, reach to floor level, reach to up to 6 feet above floor level, and walk up to 16 consecutive hours per day with infrequent rest periods.

 

 

 

 

 

Environmental Conditions:  Exposure Determination

 

            The Administrator of Goodwill Retirement Community has made the following determination with respect to the exposure of Nursing Department employees to blood borne pathogens:

 

            Nurses:  Exposure may occur when the nurse is performing treatments or procedures in which potentially infectious body fluids or secretions are present.  Examples of such treatments or procedures are providing personal hygiene, changing dressings, performing hemocult or urinalysis, giving injections, giving medications orally, and performing venipuncture.

 

            Geriatric Nursing Assistants:  Exposure may occur when the CNA is providing care to residents while potentially infectious body fluids or secretions are present.  Examples of such care are changing bed linens, providing personal hygiene, feeding residents, cleaning the resident and/or the room after an episode of emesis or diarrhea, changing incontinence pads, and taking temperatures orally or rectally.

 

            Feeders:  Exposure may occur when the feeder comes in contact with potentially infectious body fluids or secretions while feeding residents or while cleaning residents after feeding them.

 

 

 

 

 

Other Environmental Conditions

 

Nursing department personnel will be exposed to:

 

1. The chemical compounds of medications and treatments.
2. Hazardous chemicals such as disinfectants, cleansers, and soap.
3. Potential bruises, scratches, and hits due to the unpredictable behavior of some residents.
4. Occasional loud and unpleasant noises due to the unpredictable behavior of some residents.
5. Unpleasant odors.
6. Tasks related to resident care, which some individuals may find unpleasant.
7. Potential unkind remarks at times from residents, family members, or visitors.

Potential stress symptoms resulting from the responsibilities of daily care for elderly, sick residents, and, for the Director of Nursing, from the total responsibility for resident care and nursing staff management 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

Salary : $18 - $21