Certified nursing assistant is also known as nursing assistants, nursing aids, patient care technicians, home health aids, hospital attendants and orderlies. They provide basic nursing care to patients with daily living procedures. CNA training work under a registered nurse, licensed practical nurse’s and medical staff in a variety of settings such as a nursing home, assistant living facilities, private nursing and hospitals.
Certified nursing assistants are the general caregiver and assist patients in helping them with daily living activities such as bathing, eating, dressing, walking, and other procedures such as taking vital signs, Intake and Output, other activities as well as specialized and routine care and other activities during a 24/7 shift rotation. They also give patients emotional and social support along with telling the nurse in charge about each of their assigned patients and other vital important information on a patient’s condition.
Patients are usually in nursing homes for a long time and certified nursing assistants are with them more than any other members of the medical personnel. They develop a rapport with the patients daily and establish a relationship with them in a caring and positive way. Certified nursing assistants have many various activities including taking vital signs, give nursing assignments, formulate patient care plans, shower and dress patients, assist with procedures, escort patients to other rooms, help patients exercise, set up equipment and straighten and clean patient rooms.
Certified nursing assistants must have keen observational skills and report any change in their patient’s condition and if anything is out of order that might endanger someone, act correctly or report an emergency, remain calm at all times, have patience, compassion and a sense of humor.
Certified nursing assistants need certain skills such as being aware of how other react and understand why they react a certain way, look for ways to help others and to be an active listener which means giving your full attention to what others are saying. You also need certain abilities such as seeing details at a close range and to communicate to others so they understand what you and they are saying. As a certified nursing assistant, you must be able to care for others, communicate to others, obtain and document information, perform general activities such as moving, stooping, lifting, handling objects, and inspect equipment for defects, such as wheelchairs and other patient equipment.
Certified nursing assistants need to be able to communicate with their patients, their family, staff members and others, stand for long periods of time, stoop, lift patients, escort patients to other areas of the building, clean rooms and equipment and check for defects, store and move supplies and observe their patients physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Certified nursing assistant is not an easy field and you must be able to work with people and to give care to patients. Because nursing is such a demanding field there is a high turnaround but with experience and confidence, you find that taking care of patients in need is a very rewarding job.
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