Do you have Nurse Aides in your ICU?

TennRN2004 · Mar 13, 2006

We are getting an aide for our unit for the first time. There will be one aide for our 20-bed unit for each shift. So far, we've only hired one, though. The job description is incomplete yet. I'm supposed to be training our new aide tomorrow and I have a list of some things to show her but I was wondering -- if you have nursing aides/assistants in YOUR unit, what are their duties?
Thanks!

It varies from unit to unit at my hospital, but the basics are take temps Q4 hours, empty urinals at 0500/1700, daily weights on 7p shift, accu checks, baths, assist with turning/transferring pts out, stuffing charts with next days labs, stapling mars when they print out and handing them out, stocking rooms with supplies, picking up supplies/blood when we need it, in our ccu techs do the daily ekgs and lab draws that arent nurse draws, basically all the things that help the nurses have more time at the bedside.

christianRN · Mar 14, 2006

Tenn RN basically covered it all, I think! We also love it when we get an aide and he or she can help us transport/transfer pts to tests or to another unit. The aide should be proactive, initiate baths, turns, dumps, temps, etc. on his or her own, not have to wait around on instructions from the nurse.

Zee_RN, BSN, RN · Mar 16, 2006

Thank you for your input! I'm hoping our Aide will be pro-active, too. Our manager wants most of her duties to be patient care related although she will also do some room stocking, etc.

"Training" went well the last two days. She knows her stuff and can do accu-checks and EKGs. It's going to take the nurses some time to get accustomed to someone else being able to do these things!

tucker925 · Mar 17, 2006

Hi all...

I recently accepted a position as a CNA in the CCU of our local hospital. This is my first job as a CNA and I'm a little nervous as to what will be expected of me. I'm waiting to get into my clinicals so I thought this would be a great way to learn while I'm waiting to start. This is my second career and I've been a manager during my first career -- I'm hoping that experience will allow me to not take things personally -- like thinking that the nurses are out to haze me or something! (my prior experience will hopefully allow me to exercise humility!) The NM understands that I have no prior experience in a healthcare environment. I have a tendancy to be a self starter, but since I am stepping into a completely new area for me, I have some fear as well.

Any comments/advice would be appreciated!

nay537 · Mar 22, 2006

Our mix med/surg ICU has on PCA that works 3-11 mon- fri. We wish we had one of her on each shift. She helps pass food trays, baisc care, turning, transporting our patients up for transfer out of the unit. She also stocks gloves, and supplies in our rooms and med rooms and keeps our equipment room organized. Each shift could use someone to help with turning and stuff. When you have several 300+ pound patients it's hard for half the staff to be in the room at one time providing care.

millkay · Mar 27, 2006

Who doesn't love a pro-active aid! I worked in an 11-bed unit that got a new supervisor who thought out cardiac monitor techs didn't have enough duties, they were required to be cross-trained as an nursing assistants. I loved having an extra pair of hands to help when turning, lifting, bathing, etc. It sometimes offended some of them, but I prefer to get my own vital signs, i/o, and baths. ICU is total care and I prefer to always have a handle on what's going on with my patients. I look at them when I get vs, do the numbers match the way the patient looks?? Bathing is the best way to do skin assessment. Having someone else do patient care activities takes away that personal time with the patient, (mainly if they are conscious.) Conversation can bring out history and family information that doesn't always come out with the 40-question admission assessment session. I do like having an aid in ICU, but just as a go-fer and helper mostly. Anyone else share my view? Or am I just on a power trip?