The life of a Certified Nursing Assistant

A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), each day on the job will bring new challenges.Working as a CNA usually entails working twelve hour shifts; although some nurses work eight hour shifts. Each shift will have different responsibilities, but many tasks will be the same.If you are considering becoming a CNA, the following information will give you an idea of what a typical day is like in an acute care setting.  

 

When you arrive at work, you will begin your day by receiving your assignment and a pass on giving you information about the patients you will be working with.You may get this information directly from another Certified Nursing Assistant, or you may be part of the overall nursing report.

Once you have received your pass on, your first responsibility  will be to take and record vital signs on patients and to assist with serving either breakfast lunch or dinner.In many cases, you will need to record how much and what a patient ate at meal time.Depending on where you work, you may record vital signs directly into the patient’s chart, or you may just write them down for the nurse to review and add to the chart.You will probably record the intake and output of fluids by the patient, and record that information on a chart that is kept in the room.  While serving meals, you will often be responsible for ensuring the patient gets correct meal items including special diets. 

In many facilities, and particularly in an acute care setting, the bed linens are changed every day.The CNA will be responsible for completing this task to help the patient stay healthy.The CNA will also assist the patient with taking a bath, shaving, oral care, and any other personal hygiene needs the patient may have.

In most cases, the nurse will be responsible for giving medications or providing ordered treatments and performing assessments.The nurse will also help the Certified Nursing Assistant with any duties that require a second person.However, since the CNA often spends far more time with individual patients than anyone else. in the CNA plays a vital role in keeping other medical staff informed of changes in the patient’s condition.The information provided by the CNA can often prevent the patient from developing more serious conditions or complications. 

Regardless of the facility you work at, your services will make your patient’s life easier and more comfortable as he or she recovers.

If you want to become a CNA, we can help. Visit www.covenantcna.com and get started on your new career path today!