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. The position is in the Surgery Unit at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center and is listed as PRN/OCC, with variable hours per pay period and a day shift. Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center is a 444-bed hospital recognized for clinical expertise and advanced medical technology. It is a Joint Commission Comprehensive Stroke Center and provides specialized services in bariatric surgery, robotic surgery, minimally invasive spine procedures, and advanced orthopedic care. The hospital is part of Covenant Health, a nonprofit health system that includes nine hospitals and nearly 150 service locations.

Requirements

Must be a student in an accredited nursing education program.
Must 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.
CPR certification is required.

Responsibilities

Demonstrate competence in required Student Nurse Associate core skills and deliver care appropriate to the age-specific needs of the population served.
Take and record temperature, pulse, respiration rates, blood pressure, weight, height, and intake-output measurements; document oxygen saturation for patients on continuous pulse oximetry.
Follow infection-control policies, including standard and transmission-based isolation precautions, OSHA standards, safety measures, and proper body mechanics.
Complete designated patient-care activities while providing for 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 when 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, including treatments, diagnostic tests and results, patient responses, and nursing care actions.
Perform basic dressing changes and apply knowledge of the fundamentals of sterile technique.
Observe and respond appropriately to changes or complications in patient conditions and report significant changes to the RN.
Observe assigned post-treatment and 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 how to perform a procedure.
Communicate suggestions and complaints through appropriate channels.
Display cooperation, flexibility, and positive behavior toward patients and staff, and perform effectively under stress.
Follow policies, procedures, and safety standards.
Complete required annual education assignments.
Work toward goals and objectives and participate in quality-improvement initiatives as requested.
Perform other duties as assigned.