The Nursing Assistant

A registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse/licensed vocational nurse (LPN/LVN) who supervises the other nurses for a particular shift

An exam consisting of a written and a skills portion that must be passed at the end of the nursing assistant training course to obtain certification

To authorize another person to perform a task on your behalf

The registered nurse who directs all of the nursing care within a facility

A set of guidelines that help nurses to make good decisions about which tasks to delegate and to whom

A model for organizing the nursing team's efforts in which each member of the nursing team carries out the same assigned task for all patients or residents

A registered nurse (RN) who is in charge of a department or section

A specially trained person who is licensed by a state to provide routine care for the sick under the supervision of a registered nurse (RN); LPNs complete a 1- to 2-year program in a vocational school, community college, or hospital

Licensed vocational nurse (LVN) is another term for licensed practical nurse; used in the states of Texas and California

Cross-functional teams consisting of groups of professionals and assistive personnel that work together as a unit-based team to provide care to a given group of patients

A model for organizing the nursing team's efforts in which one nurse is assigned several patients or residents, and is responsible for planning and carrying out all aspects of care for those people

A mutual exchange of privileges; for example, when one state recognizes the validity of licenses or privileges granted by another

A specially trained person who is licensed by a state to develop nursing care plans and coordinate all aspects of patient or resident care, as well as to provide that care; RNs hold a baccalaureate degree from a college or university (4 years) or an associate degree from a junior or community college (2 years)

An official record maintained by the state of the people who have successfully completed the nursing assistant training program

The range of tasks that a nursing assistant is legally permitted to do

A model for organizing the nursing team's efforts in which a team leader (a registered nurse) determines all of the nursing needs for the patients or residents assigned to the team, and assigns tasks according to each team member's skills and level or responsibility