A Certified Nursing Assistant, or Certified Nursing Aide, is responsible for supporting medical staff in administering care to patients with various injuries, illnesses or disabilities. Their duties include helping patients bathe and maintain proper hygiene, feeding patients or ensuring they take their medication and assessing their patients’ vital signs to notify staff of any changes.
CNA Certified Nursing Assistant duties and responsibilities
Certified Nursing Assistants are responsible for many patient care tasks to ensure that each patient receives the comprehensive and personalized care they need. CNA’s often have the following responsibilities:
- Grooming and bathing patients with low mobility
- Preparing each patient room with necessary items like blankets, pillows, medical equipment and bathroom needs
- Helping patients eat and take medications
- Making sure they have regular meals and proper medication dosages
- Monitoring vitals and patient behavior and reporting them to the nursing and medical staff
- Assisting patients with mobility needs, transferring them from wheelchair to bed
- Turning or adjusting patients in bed to prevent bedsores or other discomfort
- Exercising patients by helping them walk
Certified Nursing Assistants typically work for hospitals, assisted living facilities, medical clinics and home aide services to assist patients in daily tasks. They work closely with other medical professionals like Doctors and Registered Nurses to monitor their patients’ conditions and help them feel as comfortable as possible.
Their job is to help clean their patients’ living quarters by making beds and cleaning surfaces. They also help their patients by changing bandages and helping them sit up or move around. They may be responsible for acting as companions to patients and accompanying them on walks or other activities they enjoy.
CNA Certified Nursing Assistant skills and qualifications
Certified Nursing Assistants use many soft skills and patient care best practices to provide a safe, comfortable and healing environment for all patients. Common required skills and qualifications include:
- Excellent interpersonal skills, including customer service, patience, empathy and compassion
- Effective communication skills, including active listening, writing, speaking and reading comprehension
- Good collaboration and teamwork skills
- Fast and adaptive problem-solving abilities
- Keen attention to detail
- In-depth understanding of patient care policies and regulations
- Familiarity with symptoms and signs of improvement for a number of medical conditions
- Comfortable working with specific populations of patients, including elderly patients and those with special needs
- Physical strength and stamina
Each hospital, care center or healthcare facility will have specific roles and responsibilities for CNAs and nurse technicians. State regulations can also vary, so be sure you know your state and local rules.