Taking Care

A Guide for Nursing Assistants, Sixth Edition

Written by: Christina Spencer, BSN, RN

About the Author…

Christina Spencer, RN, is a graduate of Seattle University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. Christina has spent much of her professional career working in long term care as a charge nurse, staff development coordinator, director of nursing and care consultant. She has been educating nursing assistants since 1980 when she started Nursing Assistant Training Institute in Seattle, Washington.

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This 304 page textbook is written in an easy to use manner for today’s nursing assistant. Complex information has been condensed into understandable basics that are essential for the student. Today’s nursing assistant is called upon to do important and challenging work. Having a comprehensive but easily understood textbook can help the nursing assistant meet these daily challenges.

Meets OBRA requirements for nursing assistant training programs.
Describes the 2007 Center for Disease Control “Standard Precautions” and “Transmission Based Precautions” guidelines.
Details care procedures according to competency testing requirements.
Prepares students for competency testing.
Presents detailed chapter on blood borne pathogens such as HIV and Hepatitis B and C.
Addresses stress management and workplace violence.
Emphasizes rehabilitation, resident’s rights and dementia care.
Provides students with ample opportunities to test their knowledge with end of chapter quizzes, thought questions, and a review test.
Instructors receive with each textbook a 64 page supplement containing additional tear-out quizzes for each chapter and two final exams. This makes implementation of your teaching program easy!

Chapter 1: The Role of the Nursing Assistant

The role and responsibilities of the nursing assistant
Desirable characteristics of a nursing assistant
Code of ethics
Legal aspects of being a nursing assistant
Health care team
Privacy and confidentiality
OBRA law

Chapter 2: Working in a Long Term Care Facility

Client’s bill of rights
Basic human needs
Sexuality and the elderly
Cultural and religious needs
Physical aging changes
Psychosocial losses
Workplace violence
Coping with stress
Depression and the elderly

Chapter 3: Communication/Observations, and the Medical Record

Verbal communication
Non-verbal communication
Communication with special needs patients (aphasic, hard of hearing, confused)
Communication with other health care team members
The medical record
Documentation
Observations and reporting
Observation regarding pain

Chapter 4: Medical Terminology and Abbreviations

Medical terminology
Abbreviations

Chapter 5: Safety and Emergency Procedures

Falls and other types of accidents
Fire prevention and what to do in case of fire
Accident prevention
Food & Safety
CPR
Abdominal Thrusts

Chapter 6: Restraints

Physical and chemical restraints
OBRA law and restraint use
Negative results of restraint use
Alternatives to restraint use
Restraint monitoring
Applying a vest restraint
Bed rails

Chapter 7: Body Mechanics, Positioning and Ambulating Residents

Preventing back injuries
Body mechanics
Assistive devices
Turning and transferring procedures
Proper positioning
Ambulation

Chapter 8: Infection Control

Microorganisms and their spread
The work environment and infection
Medical aseptic techniques
Standard precautions
Transmission based precautions
Personal protective equipment
Hand washing
Tuberculosis

Chapter 9: Blood Borne Pathogens

Blood borne pathogens
HIV/AIDS
HBV
Hepatitis C, D, and E

Chapter 10: Assisting with Personal Care

Activities of daily living
Bathing
bed bath
shower
tub bath
Back rubs
Shaving
Oral care
Fingernail care
Dressing
Foot care
Skin care
Decubitus prevention

Chapter 11: Vital Signs

What vitals tell us
Measuring body temperature
Oral, rectal, axillary, and tympanic temperature
Measuring blood pressure
Measuring pulse
Measuring respirations

Chapter 12: Nutrition

Proper nutrition
Therapeutic diets
Mealtime assistance
Feeding patients
Adaptive self feeding devices
Mealtime assistance
Dysphagia management
Alternate feeding measures
Tube feedings
Intravenous feeding
Progressive self feeding programs

Chapter 13: Fluids, and Intake and Output

Why fluids are important
Maintaining fluid balance
Edema
Dehydration
Measuring fluid intake and output
Calculating measurements

Chapter 14: Gastrointestinal and Urinary Systems

Anatomy and physiology of urinary system
Urinary system changes associated with aging
Urinary elimination
Bladder retraining program
Urinary tract infections
Catheter care
Anatomy and physiology of the gastrointestinal tract
Digestive changes related to aging
Bowel elimination
Constipation, impactions and diarrhea
Bowel retraining

Chapter 15: The Client’s Environment

The client’s unit and equipment
Bedmaking
unoccupied bed
occupied bed
Handling linen

Chapter 16: Rehabilitation and Restorative Concepts

Hazards of immobility
Rehabilitation
Adaptive/assistive devices
Rehabilitation team
Restorative programs
Contractures and their prevention
Range of motion
Restorative equipment
Prosthesis

Chapter 17: Dementia Care

Causes of dementias and cognitive impairment
Alzheimer disease
Communication with the dementia client
Conducive environment for the dementia client
Dealing with behavioral disturbances
Validation therapy

Chapter 18: Death, Dying and Grieving

Death and dying
Grief
Signs of approaching death
Meeting client’s needs
Maintaining comfort
Post mortem care

Chapter 19: Special Care and Procedures

Specimen collection
Applying elastic hose
Measuring heights and weights
Use of oxygen
Special needs of a resident with a cast
Pulse Oximetry

Chapter 20: Common Health Problems

Seizures
Osteoporosis
Congestive heart failure
Diabetes mellitus
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Cerebrovascular accident
Transient ischemic attacks
Mental Health Issues