Job roles of Nurse Assistants in the CVICU..

Specialties CCU

Published

Hey guys and gals!! Newly created an account on this awesome site, though, I've been a lurker on here for a couple years now! Anyways, I am a second semester nursing student at the moment! I'll be finished August of next year! It has been extremely challenging as well as extremely interesting! I had heard that it is a good idea to try and get "your foot in the door" somewhere prior to graduation so better the chances of getting a job right out of school, and since I don't have any prior hospital experience as of yet. A friend of the family is a Nurse Educator at a local hospital ICU and said that he has secured me a job as a patient care tech. in the CVICU! I am super excited about it! ICU or some other critical care setting is what I'm leaning towards and he said that if I am able to get on now and begin my career as a nurse there that it could open up many opportunities for me in the future! My question is what does a Nursing Assistant actually do in the CVICU setting? I apologize for the long winded post! Thanks! 80)

Specializes in ICU.

That is a fantastic opportunity and will be an eye opener. Duties will vary with institution naturally, but expect to help with activities such as turns, getting patients in and out of bed to the chair or commode, -maybe- going for walks (if they are that healthy, then they will probably be transferring out ASAP), doing or helping with bathing, perhaps dressing changes, being a 'sitter' for confused and impulsive patients (there are a LOT of them. Not to be rude, but Google "Pump head" :blackeye:). Also look forward to stocking rooms, setting them up for new patients, maybe watching telemetry. Definitely assisting during direct admissions from O.R., codes, checking in blood products with nurses. You will never forget the things you learn in a CVICU. Good luck! ;)

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

Good answer. ^^^ Ours check BG's, help transport off the unit for testing and such, and act as runners during codes also. (I don't work in a dedicated CVICU at the moment, but have; the CNA role has been pretty standard across my ICU experience.)

ETA--congrats on the job! This will be a great learning opportunity for you! Keep your feelers out for RNs who like to teach, and when things aren't crazy ask why they're doing the things they're doing. :yes:

Specializes in Quality, Cardiac Stepdown, MICU.

Find out if the facility has a position called a "nurse tech," or there are different names for it; it's a CNA who is partly through nursing school. These have a slightly wider job description. At my facility, nurse techs could do a few things under the nurse's supervision, I forget what at the moment, but I know inserting foleys was one of them.

Specializes in ICU.

I believe that as your experience grows, so do your duties ... such as pulling radial art lines, simple sterile dressing changes, etc. That doesn't mean you get out of cleaning bed pans! (nurses get to do this too of course :arghh: )

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

Vital signs, I & O, glucose checks, trach care, dressing changes, setting up tube feedings, flushing gastric tubes, ambulating patients, turning, bed changes, incontinence care, answering phones, stocking, running to the blood bank or the pharmacy or central stores, running to the lab with specimens when the tube system is down, holding hands, herding visitors, going to Outback to pick up the lunch order, teaching the nurse how to do any of the above, sitting with confused patients.

And the really, really good techs remind me what I've forgotten in my prolonged medical leave.

Vital signs, I & O, glucose checks, trach care, dressing changes, setting up tube feedings, flushing gastric tubes, ambulating patients, turning, bed changes, incontinence care, answering phones, stocking, running to the blood bank or the pharmacy or central stores, running to the lab with specimens when the tube system is down, holding hands, herding visitors, going to Outback to pick up the lunch order, teaching the nurse how to do any of the above, sitting with confused patients.

And the really, really good techs remind me what I've forgotten in my prolonged medical leave.

uhm, where do you work and are they hiring?! in my hospital a ncp/ care partner basically stocks supplies (to keep busy) and if i manage to find one i'll ask for help turning a pt. that's it.

This is compared to a med -surg floor where a care partner is responsible for so many tasks: vitals, I&O's, baths, bedpans etc. And yet we can't seen to keep a position filled.

*I have to clarify my post*

Everything depends on you and the unit that you're on. On my current floor, the care partner has very few responsibilities outside of stocking supplies in our carts. None of them want to learn anything past that and no one is willing to teach them. THis is a very stressful unit on s many levels, and most care partners and nurses do not stay longer then they have to.

I have worked other ICU's where a care partner knows so much about their unit that I can easily go to them if I need assistance with absolutely anything. This was a unit with a great manager and staff that wanted to be there.

we currently have a care partner that is going through nursing school, and I don't know if she feels that she is to good for her job, but you will find her reading a magazine instead of helping out. Don't be that person.

Ooo you guys and gals have me even more excited about this opportunity!! Do you think this type of job will be too overwhelming whilst being in nursing school still? My main worry is that i don't want to get overwhelmed and my grades suffer as a result! But It would be nice to have this amount of experience and the opportunity to get hired on there after I graduate! I just messaged my friend this morning and he said he would give them a call today and let me know what they need as far as hours and availability for the position! I'm hoping it will be minimal like prn or part-time! I just really want to be seen and begin to get to know some of the staff there and let them know I'm very interested in being hired on there as a nurse after graduation!! I'll keep eveyone updated as to what happens! Thank you for all the knowledgable responses!! Any other significant pieces of information that anyone can think of that might help me in this endeavor is always welcome! I'm trying to remain a sponge and be forever teachable!! Thanks!

Were you working before? If you have not worked and gone to school at the same time, it will be an adjustment. A BIG adjustment, it is really hard balance family, school, home and work BUT it is completely doable. I worked full time as a tech in the ICU and completed byte hardest program in my area. The experience you gain is amazing! And you get to seebid it would be for you once you graduate or if you would prefer something different. How many hours will you be working? And are you ok with telling them no when they call for the second time this week asking you to pick up a twelve hour shift? Congratulations! You will learn sooooo much!

thanks for the response.

uhm, where do you work and are they hiring?! in my hospital a ncp/ care partner basically stocks supplies (to keep busy) and if i manage to find one i'll ask for help turning a pt. that's it.

This is compared to a med -surg floor where a care partner is responsible for so many tasks: vitals, I&O's, baths, bedpans etc. And yet we can't seen to keep a position filled.

*I have to clarify my post*

Everything depends on you and the unit that you're on. On my current floor, the care partner has very few responsibilities outside of stocking supplies in our carts. None of them want to learn anything past that and no one is willing to teach them. THis is a very stressful unit on s many levels, and most care partners and nurses do not stay longer then they have to.

I have worked other ICU's where a care partner knows so much about their unit that I can easily go to them if I need assistance with absolutely anything. This was a unit with a great manager and staff that wanted to be there.

we currently have a care partner that is going through nursing school, and I don't know if she feels that she is to good for her job, but you will find her reading a magazine instead of helping out. Don't be that person.

is the care partner the same as a cna or pct?
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