STUDENT NURSE ASSOCIATE

Covenant Health•Knoxville, TN

About The Position

The Student Nurse Associate performs a wide variety of patient care activities and supportive services under the supervision of a registered nurse. This position is in the Step-Down Unit and is PRN/OCC with variable hours and shifts. The associate provides care appropriate to the age-specific needs of the population served, documents care and patient responses, and collaborates with registered nurses on patient care plans. The role also requires following infection control, safety, and facility policies and completing required annual education.

Requirements

Be a student in an accredited nursing education program.
Have junior or senior year status and have successfully completed the program’s fundamental clinical skills portion, or complete the program within the same semester as hiring into the position.
CPR certification is required.

Responsibilities

Demonstrate competence in critical skills listed in the Student Nurse Associate Core Competency checklist, including age-appropriate care.
Measure and record temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, weight, height, and intake and output; document oxygen saturation when the patient is connected to continuous pulse oximetry.
Follow established infection control policies, including standard and transmission-based precautions, OSHA standards, safety measures, and proper body mechanics.
Complete designated patient care activities while ensuring patient comfort and privacy.
Identify and assist patients who need help with nutrition or hydration.
Empty drains, canisters, urine bags, bedpans, and emesis basins, and record intake and output.
Help maintain a clean and orderly patient and work environment.
Collaborate with the RN to revise and update the plan of care as problems change or new problems are identified.
Assist the RN in obtaining a thorough nursing history for assigned patients.
Use effective therapeutic communication skills.
Document and maintain patient records as appropriate, clearly, concisely, accurately, and legibly.
Perform basic dressing changes and apply the fundamentals of sterile technique.
Evaluate nursing care actions and patient responses, and document each shift.
Observe for changes or complications in patient conditions, respond appropriately, and report significant changes to the RN.
Document treatments and diagnostic tests, including results and patient responses.
Observe assigned post-treatment or postoperative patients immediately upon their return to the floor and initiate appropriate nursing actions.
Obtain the RN’s review and co-signature for all entries.
Complete assigned tasks with minimal supervision and seek guidance when uncertain about a procedure.
Communicate suggestions or complaints through appropriate channels and demonstrate cooperation, flexibility, and positive behavior with patients and staff.
Perform effectively under stress.
Follow policies, procedures, and safety standards; complete required annual education; work toward goals and objectives; and participate in quality improvement initiatives as requested.
Perform other duties as assigned.