Question

[mg1303]

Studying strategies on Nursing Assistants and UPN's, have 2 questions about it and need to provide short answers. Would appreciate inputs to my answer... THANK YOU!

-Describe strategies that you use to determine if a nursing assistant/UPN has the skills needed to perform a task.

-What are the most important factors/criteria that support a decision to delegate to these staff?

So far I came up with this brief:

I will consider checking if the nursing assistant is ready to perform based on the qualifications, license and experience. When a nursing assistant can demonstrate her skills by following instructions and properly demonstrate procedure and effectively follows instructions. Taking into consideration the patient safety and perform in the capacity of her license, documenting properly according to the service provided.

[Episteme]

Not sure what a UPN is. But in our state, the board of nursing retains control over the training of CNA's and their certification. That makes a huge difference. At least they are all starting at the same point.

What should worry everyone is when the hospital gets the right to utilize "Unlicensed Assistive Personnel" which means, we pick any high school drop out off the street, teach them whatever we want for as long as we want (or teach them nothing) then throw them at staff nurses and tell them the floor is well staffed because they did a body count and there were x staff members per patient

I think at that point, the position of the nurse is very shaky. How do I know the aide knows how to properly take vital signs? Or turn a bed-fast patient? or not to leave a bed in a high position? or not to leave a weak patient in the bathroom while doing other chores? I don't. And if I'm taking care of 6-7 tele patients (or neuro, or ortho, or post-surgical) I honestly cannot run this "assistive" person through an exam complete with bedside demonstration.

Hope your generation of nurses is ready to be activists in your state legislatures, and when contract time comes along in y our hospital.