Chapter 3, The Nursing Assistant Flashcards
Certification :
Official recognition by a state that standards or requirements have been met.
Delegate :
To authorize another person to perform a nursing task in a certain situation.
Job description :
A document that describes what the agency expects you to do.
Nursing task :
Nursing care or a nursing function, procedure, activity, or work that can be delegated to nursing assistants when it does not require a nurse’s professional knowledge or judgment.
Endorsement :
A state recognizes the certificate, license, or registration issued by another state; (reciprocity or equivalency ).
Reciprocity and Equivalency :
See “endorsement”.
What is the OBRA ?
The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA) is a Federal law.
It applies to all 50 states.
OBRA sets minimum requirements for nursing assistant training and evaluation. Each state must have a nursing assistant training and competency evaluation program.
What does OBRA require?
OBRA requires at least 75 hours of instruction. Classroom and at least 16 hours of supervised practical training are required.
To protect the patient from harm, you need to know :
- What you can and cannot do.
- Rules and standards of conduct affecting your work.
- Your role limits.
How many attempt does OBRA allow to successfully complete the evaluation ?
It allows three attempts to successfully complete the evaluation.
What information are in nursing assistant registry ?
- Full name.
- Last known home address.
- Registry number and the date it expires.
- Date of birth.
- Last known employer, date hired, and date employment ended.
- Date the competency evaluation was passed.
- Information about findings of abuse, neglect, or dishonest use of property.
Before performing a nursing task make sure that :
- Your state allows nursing assistants to do so.
- It is in your job description.
- You have the education and training to do so.
- A nurse is available to answer questions and to supervise you.
What is the scope of practice or range of function ?
You must understand what you can do, what you cannot do, and the legal limits of your role.
Rules for nursing assistants :
- You are an assistant to the nurse.
- A nurse assigns and supervise your work.
- The nurse decides what is done or not done for a person.
- You report observations about the person’s physical and mental status to the nurse.
How can you lose your certification ?
- Abandoning, abusing, or neglecting a person.
- giving unsafe care.
- substance abuse or dependency.
- violating a person’s privacy.
Do not take a job that requires you to :
- Act beyond the legal limits of your role.
- Function beyond your training limits.
- perform acts that are against your morals or religion.
Your Role limits as a CNA :
- Never give drug.
- Never take oral or phone orders from doctors.
- never supervise others including other nursing assistant.
- Never insert tubes or objects into body openings. Don not remove them from body.
Who can delegate ?
RNs can delegate nursing tasks to
LPNS/LVNS and nursing assistants. In some states, LPNS/LVNS can delegate nursing tasks to nursing assistants.
What is the delegation process ?
- Assessment and Planning.
- Communication.
- Surveillance and Supervision.
- Evaluation and Feedback.
Step 1-Assessment and planing :
The nurse needs to understand the person’s needs.
Step 2-Communication :
This step involves the nurse and you. The nurse must give clear and complete directions.
Step 3-Surveillance and supervisions :
Surveillance means to keep a close watch over someone or something. Supervise means to over-see or manage.
Step 4-Evaluation and Feedback :
Evaluate means to judge. The nurse decides if the delegation was successful.
Your role in delegation :
You must protect the person from harm. You have two choices, either accept or refuse a task.
You should refuse to perform a task when :
- The task is beyond the legal limits of your role.
- The task is not in your job description.
- you were not trained to perform the task.
- The task could harm the person.
- The person’s condition has changed.
- you do not know how to use the equipment.
- Directions are against agency policies.
