The Nursing Assistant and the Care Team

Vocabulary terms and definitions related to the healthcare care team, nursing assistant roles, professionalism codes, and organizational structure within a medical facility.

Assistive devices

Special equipment that helps a person who is ill or disabled to perform activities of daily living.

Charting

Documenting information and observations about residents.

Professional

Having to do with work or a job.

Personal

Relating to life outside one’s job, such as family, friends, and home life.

Professionalism

The act of behaving properly when working.

Compassionate

Being caring, concerned, considerate, empathetic, and understanding.

Empathy

Identifying with the feelings of others.

Sympathy

Sharing in the feelings and difficulties of others.

Tactful

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

Conscientious

Guided by a sense of right and wrong; principled.

Chain of command

The line of authority within a facility or agency.

Liability

A legal term that means someone can be held responsible for harming someone else.

Scope of practice

Defines the tasks that healthcare providers are legally allowed to do as permitted by state or federal law.

Administrator

Manages non-medical aspects of the facility, administers finances, and coordinates policy in consultation with medical professionals.

Medical Director (MD)

Reviews and consults on medical aspects of care, coordinating with attending physicians and nursing staff and encouraging quality care.

Director of Nursing (DON)

Manages the nursing staff at a facility.

Assistant Director of Nursing (ADON)

Assists the DON with management of nursing staff.

Staff Development Coordinator

Directs the training of employees at a facility.

Minimum Data Set (MDS) Coordinator

Manages the assessment of resident needs and delivery of required care in a long-term care facility.

Nursing Supervisor

Supervises and supports nursing staff of entire facility or multiple nursing units, assisting with resident care as needed.

Charge Nurse

Supervises and supports nursing staff of a particular unit and treats a limited number of residents.

Physical Therapist (PT)

Administers therapy to increase movement, promote healing, reduce pain, and prevent disability.

Occupational Therapist (OT)

Helps residents learn to adapt to disabilities and trains them to perform ADLs.

Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)

Identifies communication disorders and swallowing problems and develops a plan of care.

Assessment

The step in the nursing process involving getting information from many sources.

Diagnosis

The step in the nursing process involving identifying health problems.

Planning

The step in the nursing process involving setting goals and creating a care plan.

Implementation

The step in the nursing process involving putting the care plan into action.

Evaluation

The step in the nursing process involving examining to see if goals were met.

Delegation

Transferring responsibility to a person for a specific task.