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Sitters Vs. Safety Attendants in Healthcare

Both sitters and safety attendants stay at the side of patients in the hospital and attend to them. A sitter, often called a nurse sitter, is paid by the patient for extra personal attention. A patient safety attendant (PSA) is paid by the hospital for surveillance of confused or agitated patients. PSAs are primarily used instead of physical restraints, which are limited by law. Sitters perform more patient care duties and may act as patient advocates.

  1. Patient Safety Attendants

    • A job description at the Jefferson Healthcare website reads, "The PSA assists the nursing staff in observing and following direction from the RN with the goal of keeping the patient safe." Another description elaborates that the PSA maintains "constant supervision as directed by the patient's assigned nurse to provide a safe, comfortable environment to identified high risk patient(s) who may be agitated, impulsive, disoriented and/or at risk of falling or self-injury." While it's safety first, PSAs do often also provide personal care.

    Nurse Sitters

    • Sitters, also called private-duty nurses, personal care attendants or patient companions, must usually be registered nurses (RNs). They are hired by the patient or the patient's family to be present when family can't and to provide the extra attention and comfort that busy staff nurses may not be able to provide consistently. They can help make sure patients are coughing and doing deep breathing to help recover after anesthetics. A nurse sitter may even administer medications.

    Certified Nurse Assistants

    • Some hospitals or employment agencies require PSAs to be certified nurse assistants, or CNAs. CNAs have additional medical training and are often employed by nursing homes or home health care agencies. A PSA, usually only required to have a high school education or GED, may perform more than guard duty, especially if he has CNA training. Depending on experience, attendants and sitters may be paid from $8 to $50 per hour.

    Services

    • Services from the above assistants may overlap. In most cases, any attendant will be able to walk patients to the bathroom, keep them from pulling out tubes and keep them from getting out of bed and wandering around, according to NurseWeek. Attendants may also turn patients, rub their backs, help with baths and brushing teeth and get patients walking, if appropriate. They may assist patients with eating and read to them. PSAs take direction from the hospital's RNs. Nurse sitters can be more independent.

    Hospital Staffing

    • Regarding either nurse sitters or safety attendants, some worry that these caregivers are making up for inadequate nursing staff at hospitals. Nursing staff, regarding safety attendants, worry that these people may not be qualified and that perhaps they should be watching the watchers in addition to the patients. Nurse sitters provide relief for patients and worried families. They can speak up for the patient. Usually they also provide relief for busy hospital staff.

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