We have probably all dealt with nursing assistants at one time or another in our life. However, we probably do not fully understand what duties and tasks their job involves. The day of a nursing assistant can be quite busy which makes essential for him or her to make prompt decisions about
how much time they allocate to each duty. Should they invest time into doing a job of better quality or should they try to get as much work done as possible even if they have to compromise the quality of the work? This is why makes it critical for the certified nursing assistant to develop a strong work ethic.
The Duties of a CNA
The importance of communication skills for a CNA cannot be stressed enough. The use of these skills is an integral part of a CNA’s work day. He or she is going to put these skills to use when communicating with patients, the patient’s family and their colleagues. Having a good grasp of such skills can greatly improve the quality of their work and help them manage their interactions with the different parties much more effectively.
Providing basic care for patients such feeding, dressing and bathing is commonly known as part of a CNA’s job. However, the duties of a CNA include many other tasks in addition to these ones. The responsibilities given to a CNA can usually differ from one healthcare facility to another. However, there are some duties which can be found in almost every medical facility.
Bathing is one of those basic needs that a CNA needs to perform for patients who are severely ill and cannot bathe by themselves. The sort of bathing needed may differ from one patient to another. For some patients, a shower would do but for others a bed bath may be required. Personal hygiene is another basic need that the nursing assistant will need to take care of. This could include combing hair, cleaning dentures and applying makeup. Again, this may not be needed for all patients. Some patients can handle this for themselves. Shaving is another task that the CNA may need to help the patient with.
Nursing assistants are typically required to take patients’ vital signs on a daily basis. Temperature, pulse, respiration and blood pressure are some of the vital signs that need to be taken regularly. This information is recorded on the patient’s chart for other medical staff to review.
Some patients are too ill to feed themselves; in cases like these, the CNA is expected to handle this for them. This routine can take from twenty to sixty minutes; it all depends on the abilities of the patient being fed and how much food they consume per meal. The type of food and drink consumed by the patient and the quantities of each need to be documented on the patient’s chart. The nursing assistant is also required to help patients with their medication; some patients for instance need to take vitamins and other nutritional supplements.
As I said earlier, some patients can feed themselves without the need for a nursing assistant to help them. However, in many medical facilities, it is the duty of the nursing assistant to prepare these patients to be taken to the dining room or area. The CNA may only need to help them with the grooming or in some cases get them into a wheelchair and take them to the dining room.
A CNA is also supposed to change any bedding or other soiled materials if found on the patient. As a CNA you need to pay attention to details and document patient behaviors as you interact with him or her. If any unexpected changes in behavior are observed, you should notify the nurse; you will usually get trained and instructed about what changes to watch for.
Attention to details is one of the skills that medical facilities look for when hiring nursing assistants. This skill can help the CNA perform their duties more effectively. The certified nurse assistant will need to keep up with the changes that occur with regards to their patients’ needs.
The CNA duties are not limited only to the physical needs of patients; they also include the psychological needs. Providing emotional support to patients and their relatives is one important aspect of a CNA’s job. This type of support can be done in various ways. The nurse assistant can for example help the patient get comfortable in their new environment, assist them with writing a letter or hand a photo on the wall in the patient’s room.
Adapting Your CNA Job Description
To some people, the duties of a certified nursing assistant may seem like chores. However, in order to perform your duties efficiently, you need to practice, organize daily tasks and be willing to help others. On some days, the CNA may get fully exhausted and drained and may end up not getting a single word of gratitude from some patients. However, it is all about having pride in what you do and enjoying it. The CNA provides valuable services and assistance to patients and medical staff on a daily basis. This is in short what a certified nursing assistant job description look like. But you need to keep in mind that the duties of a CNA may slightly differ from one medical facility to another. You should be willing to adapt and adjust to the workflow of whatever facility you decide to work for.
