Chapter 2: The Nursing Assistant and the Care Team

Nursing Assistant (NA) Tasks

• Measuring vital signs, assists w/ personal care, helping with elimination needs

• Observing & reporting changes of residents conditions

Registered Nurse (RN) Tasks

• Coordinates, manages, and provides skilled nursing care

• Ministers treatments and medications prescribed by physicians

• Supervises daily care from NA

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) Tasks

• Coordinates, manages, and provides skilled nursing care

• Ministers treatments and medications prescribed by physicians

• Supervises daily care from NA

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Tasks

• CRNA, NP, CNM, and CNS

• Make diagnosis and prescribe treatments

Physician or Doctor (MD or DO) tasks

• Diagnosis disease or disability and prescribes treatments and medications

Physicians Assistant (PA) tasks

• Works under a doctor

• Diagnosis disease or disability and prescribes treatments and medications

• Develops treatment plans

Physical Therapist (PT or DPT) tasks

• Evaluates a person

• Develops treatment plan to increase movement and administers therapy through exercise & etc.

Occupational Therapist (OT) Tasks

• Helps residents adapt to disabilities

• May help residents to perform ADLs using assistive devices

Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) tasks

• Identifies communication disorders, address factors involved in recovery, develops plan of care

• Teaches exercises to help improve to overcome speech issues

• Evaluates a persons ability to eat, drink, and swallow

Registered Dietitian (RN or RDN) tasks

• Supervise prepping of food

• Creates plan to treat or improve residents health/manage illness

Medical Social Worker (MSW) Tasks

• Determines needs & helps get them the support services

Charting

• documenting, noting, or recording important information about the resident

Professional

having to do with work or a job

Personal

having to do anything outside of work

Professionalism

behaving properly when on the job

Compassionate

being caring, concerned, considerate, empathetic, and understanding

Empathy

Identifying with the feelings of others

Sympathy

Sharing feelings and difficulties with another

Tactful

showing sensitivity and having a sense of what is appropriate when dealing with others

Conscientious

• trying to do your best

• guided by a sense of right and wrong

• alert, observant, accurate, and responsible

Proactive

Anticipating potential problems and needs before they occur

Chain of Command Order

Physician/Other Member —> Nurse —→ Nurse Assistant

Liability

someone can be held responsible for harming someone else

Scope of practice

defines the roles, responsibilities, and procedures that are within the knowledge, training, and legal definition of a profession

Delegation

transferring responsibility to a person for specific tasks. Nurse Assistants DO NOT delegate tasks.