Certified Nursing Assistant
Essential Duties of a CNA
Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are an important piece of medical care. You may not be familiar with the title CNA, but you have more likely than not worked with or been around one. Why? Well, CNAs are most commonly known as nurses aides home health aides, orderlies, and patient care technicians. They generally work under a nurse, and they provide assistance to patients who need help with things like their day to day living tasks. CNAs are an important piece of hospitals, psychiatric wards, hospice programs, and other medical-based programs.
The duties of a CNA vary, but they are linked primarily to taking care of a patient’s basic day to day care. Thus, CNAs assist patients with bathing, grooming, and, if necessary, with things like feeding and applying lotion and bandages. They also assist nurses by gathering, carrying, monitoring, and helping to administer various pieces of medical equipment. CNAs also help nurses and doctors keep an eye on a patient’s vital signs.
CNAs are one of the most important people a patient will meet because they are the person that the patient will see most often. Thus, CNAs provide something beyond their literal duties: They also give the patient emotional and social support. In fact, there might be days where the CNA is the only person the patient interacts with. Thus, if a nurse, doctor, or family member wanted to know how a patient was doing (i.e. if their spirits were up), the CNA would be one of the most important people to ask.
Becoming a CNA is a great way to get started in the health care career field. In fact, many RNs started out as CNAs. Going into this line of work is a great way to gain experience before moving up into another medical-related field. Working as CNA before becoming an RN, will make you even more competent and prepared than if you were going in with little to no patient care experience.
The regulations or guidelines for becoming a CNA vary by state, but most states require that individuals complete a certification exam. Most people take classes to prepare for this exam. Many CNA certificate programs range from 6 to 12 weeks in length and the person entering such a program will need a high school diploma or a GED.
Becoming a CNA is often the starting point for a person entering the medical world. The benefits and experience are invaluable. The senior population is only increasing with time, and because of this, there are even more job prospects for CNAs than in the past.
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