County of Alameda

DESCRIPTION

Under close supervision, to receive working experience and instruction in one of the various para-medical disciplines or in vocational nursing; and to do related work as required.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

Positions in this class provide students with limited-term employment to gain practical experience in their area of study. This includes student vocational nurses, as well as persons who have completed their academic requirements but are working toward profession certification or registration and are required to have a specific number of hours of residency and practical experience.

Most Student Professional Workers do not receive compensation and consequently are in the unclassified service; however, at times compensation may be authorized for the performance of related duties which brings them into the classified service.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

NOTE: The following are the duties performed by employees in this classification. However, employees may perform other related duties at an equivalent level. Each individual in the classification does not necessarily perform all duties listed.

1. Receives classroom instruction in Vocational nursing procedures; assists in administering medications and treatments to patients; assists physicians in physical examinations and in the less complex medical procedures; and provides bedside care for patients.
2. Receives instruction in medical social work and assists the regular medical social worker staff in providing social casework services for patients; assists in evaluating the psychosocial implications of an illness; assists patients to adjusting to hospitalization; and assists in discharge planning.
3. Receives instruction in clinical psychology and assists clinical psychologists in diagnostic testing; assists in interviewing and counseling patients, assists in experimental and research work, gathers data; and makes studies and reports.
4. Receives instruction in speech therapy and assists therapists in evaluating patients' communicative abilities by administration of routine diagnostic tests; assists in treating communicative disorders; and assists in instructing patients in home treatment.
5. Receives instruction in occupational therapy and assists therapists in planning diversional and functional therapeutic programs for physically disabled patients; assists in teaching patients craft activities; assists in teaching self-care and activities of daily living.

6. Receives instruction in physical therapy and assists the therapists in evaluating the physical capacities of physically disabled patients; assists in administering motion exercises and instructing patients in walking and balancing; assists in administering other forms of physical therapy involving the use of hydro, electro, light, and heat therapy massage.
7. Receives instruction in public health social work and assists the regular public health social work staff in providing case consultation services to Public Health Nurses; Sanitarians and cerebral palsy therapists; attends inter-agency conferences or cases; and makes studies and reports.
8. Receives instruction in public health nursing and assists the regular public health nursing staff in providing public health nursing services to families; assists in setting up clinics and in providing services to doctors and patients; and participates as an observer in nursing conferences.
9. Receives instruction in health education and assists health educators in providing health education services to departmental personnel and the public; assists in the development of health education materials, such as brochures and teaching units; assists in conducting surveys.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Approval for training or residency by an accredited school in the appropriate field of study.

Special Requirements:

In compliance with the Administrative Simplification provision of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), employees in this classification are required to possess a National Provider Identifier (NPI) number prior to their first day on the job.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

CLASS SPEC HISTORY

WAM:er 7/ll/62
Retyped: 3/l5/77
tce
Updated: 8/29/86
LB:pb
Old doc: 0466h
New doc: 5400N.doc
ys/7/01
SG:po revised 7/8/09
CSC Date: 7/29/2009