If you want to work in the healthcare industry, becoming a certified nursing assistant is one of the most popular ways. You don’t need to spend years studying in medical school or spend thousands of dollars. Different colleges and institutions offer CNA training classes all over the US. The training programs take between four weeks to 12 weeks.
It is important to remember that getting certified as a CNA is the first and easiest step. You need to have excellent people skills and a determination to work hard to be a professional certified nursing assistant. Here is a brief description of the duties and responsibilities of a CNA.
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
As the name suggests a CNA mainly assists the registered nurses by taking care of the patients. CNA Classes prepare the aspiring individuals for certification. They have to pass a written and practical exam to get certified. Once they are certified, they work in health care facilities such as nursing homes, hospitals, or home care centers under the supervision of registered or vocational nurses.
Job Description
The main role of a CNA is to assist the patients in their daily activities they might have trouble doing on their own. The CNA provides primary care to the patient such as feeding, bathing, cleaning, and moving.
The job description must also include excellent communication skills as they work as a bridge between the nurse and the patient. In most cases, they also have to work with medical technology such as medical record charting software, billing software, and health information software. An experienced CNA also administers medications according to the state regulations.
Let us dive into the details of the duties and responsibilities of a CNA.
Duties And Responsibilities
1. Bathe And Dress Patients
The most important duty of a certified nursing assistant is to help patients for their basic needs such as going to the toilet, eating, and bathing. The patients generally include people recovering from accidents, injuries, or surgeries. They might include stroke victims or elderly residents.
2. Feeding The Patients
Serving meals is an important part of the job. The patients who are unable to feed themselves are fed by the nursing assistant. Is home care settings a nursing assistant generally prepares the food for the patients. They have to keep track of the foods that are not healthy for the patient.
3. Keeping A Regular Record Of Vital Signs
Some CNAs are responsible for keeping a record of vital signs. In general, a schedule is designed to record blood pressure, temperature, or blood sugar levels. These are generally the initial steps of a patient visit. The doctor needs to check these signs before they diagnose any issue or write a prescription.
4. Help Keep The Environment Clean
Duties of a certified nursing assistant also include making beds and help keep the environment clean. This can mean changing soiled sheets and emptying the bedpans. They keep the room organized and make a bed on daily basis to provide a clean and clutter-free environment to the patient.
5. Set Up Medical Equipment
Different examination routines for each patient require different tools and medical equipment. Storing and setting up medical equipment is also part of the job. It also includes moving heavy equipment from one room to another. The job description of a CNA includes wearing different hats and you need to be a hardworking and diligent individual to keep tabs on all of these duties.
6. Assist With Medical Procedures
Some states allow CNAs to assist with some medical procedures that have had appropriate training. They can also perform medical procedures such as drawing blood under the supervision of the registered nurses depending on the state laws.
7. Answer Calls For Help
They are supposed to respond to the calls for help. A nursing assistant may also have to help move the patient from one place to another or help in exercise sessions.
8. Observing Changes And Reporting Them To Seniors
As the nursing assistants work so closely with patients, they not only observe the changes in the patient’s healthy but report them to senior authorities. They need exceptional observation skills.
Author Bio:
Ella James is a Ghostwriter & social media marketing expert. Based in the US, is an author and blogger. Her passion for helping people in all aspects of online marketing. In addition to writing Ella also provides technical SEO and copyright services for businesses of all sizes
