Registered Nursing Associate

Job overview

The qualified Registered Nursing Associate (RNA) will work as part of a team, planning, delivering and evaluating healthcare that focuses on the direct care of patients. The role will entail carrying out specific clinical tasks and responsibilities as delegated by a registered Nurse ensuring the highest standard of care is achieved whilst supporting patients, family and carers and the multi-disciplinary team. The Registered Nursing Associate has a required level of knowledge and skill beyond that of the traditional Nursing Assistant role. The Registered Nursing Associate will be able to deliver elements of health and social care and undertake clinical skills in domains that have previously been the remit of registered professionals.

Main duties of the job

The Registered Nursing Associate will function at an explicit competency level in line with the requirement of the post to delivering evidenced based individual patient care to the standards defined by the OUH NHS Foundation Trust protocols and policies. The Registered Nursing Associate will work as an unregistered member of staff from the multidisciplinary team, accountable to the Registered Nurse. They will contribute to the safe and effective delivery of quality care of patients, taking into consideration privacy, dignity, cultural and religious needs, maintaining equality and diversity at all times, respecting and maintaining confidentiality in all matters relating to the clinical area and patients. The Registered Nursing Associate will undertake care and tasks appropriately delegated by professionally registered practitioners and are involved in the support and informal teaching (with appropriate preparation) in a mentor/buddy role of newly qualified Registered Nursing Associates, Trainee Nursing Associates, Apprentices and Nursing Assistants. The Registered Nursing Associate is expected to maintain and continually develop specialist knowledge and practice relevant to individual clinical fields, e.g. Theatres, Endoscopy, Out-patients settings and Wards.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Work within clearly defined accountability frameworks recognising at all times the boundaries to the remit of the Registered Nursing Associate role.• Actively contribute to patient assessment from admission through to discharge, planning and delivering high standards of care to individuals and groups of patients under indirect supervision from the registered nurse and after appropriate delegation, who takes overall accountability and will sign off as agreed.• Undertake initial observations to inform holistic nurse assessments.• Undertake review of initial holistic nursing assessments, (having at first been undertaken by a registered nurse) and provide updates to a registered nurse with findings reflected in the individual’s care plan.• Review patient risk assessments, which have been completed by a Registered Nurse, (RN) and provide updates to an RN with findings reflected in the individual’s care plan.• Be responsible for designated aspects of care for a defined group of patients of all genders and to assist them with their personal care needs under the indirect supervision of the registered practitioner.• Assess and monitor the patient’s skin integrity and to report and document immediately any changes or concerns in their condition.• Demonstrate initiative and the ability to recognise/identify changes in a patient’s condition/treatment and seek advice and expertise from registered practitioners in accordance with Trust policy.• Perform, accurately record and interpret patient observations (following appropriate assessment of competence) and escalate any concerns appropriately to a registered practitioner.• Assist patients meet their food and fluid intake giving attention to special diets, supplements, enteral feeding and cultural requirements and to recognise and understand the importance of adequate nutrition and hydration. In order to avoid malnutrition ensure an age appropriate nutritional assessment is undertaken for example STRONG/MUST. All food, nutritional supplements and fluid intake should be recorded accurately as required.• Perform, understand and report patient risk assessments, e.g. nutritional assessment scores, falls assessment, moving and handling, pressure scoring tool assessment and bedside rails assessment as appropriate in line with Trust policy and timescales which would be reviewed and signed by a registered practitioner.• Perform additional tasks and clinical skills as directed by the registered staff following completion of relevant competencies.