Basic Certified Nursing Assistant

CNA's work in a hospital, clinic or in a nursing home. With their direct interaction to patients, they are considered as an essential link between the patient and the registered nurse. Because of the complexity of their roles, training is essential to become a certified nursing assistant.

1. Assist with patient's assessment and care planning

Check and record vital signs

Test urine

Measure height and weight

Observe patient response to care

Report and record observations of patient's conditions

Collect specimens

2. Assist patients in meeting nutrition and elimination needs.

Check food trays

Pass food trays

Feed patients

Provide fresh drinking water and nourishments

Assist with bed pans, urinals and commodes

Empty urine collection bags

Assist with colostomy care

Give enemas

Observe faeces and urine

Monitor intake and output

3. Assist patients with mobility

Turn and position patients

Provide range of motion exercises

Transfer patients to wheelchair/stretcher

Assist with ambulation

4. Assist patients with personal hygiene and grooming

Bathe patients

Provide nail and hair care

Give oral hygiene

Provide denture care

Shave patients

Assist with dressing and undressing

5. Assist with patient comfort and anxiety relief.

Protect patient privacy and maintain confidentiality

Keep call signal within patient's reach

Answer call signal promptly

Provide orientation to the room or unit and to other visitors and patients

Assist patients with communication

Protect personal possessions

Provide diversional activities

Give backrubs

Prepare hot & cold applications

7. Assist with unit management and efficiency.

Admit, transfer and discharge patients

Transport patients

Take specimen to lab

Assist with special procedures

Telephone answering

Document and assist in unit record-keeping.

Where Do CNA's Work?

Not every single individual can be a nursing assistant. CNA's are truly special people; they genuinely care for others, take great pride in their work. Skilled nursing assistants who are diligent make a valuable contribution to a patient's comfort and safety when they are at their most vulnerable.

CNA's can work in a hospital, residential facility or private home setting.
In the hospital setting, the work of a certified nursing assistant is very physically demanding. There is also a constant turnover of patients. That means, the patients you took care yesterday may not be the same patients you will be dealing with tomorrow. The range of patients you are going to interact with will surely vary from day to day.

You may also work in a private home set up. In this type of setting, you will be interacting one-on-one with the same patient each day. It allows you to be more like a trusted friend to your patient, rather than just a nursing assistant. Your duties in this setting are slightly different from your duties in a hospital setting. In here, you may be tasked to do laundry or light cooking. If you are lucky enough to take care of a nice patient, then this can be a rewarding experience for you.

You may also opt to work in a residential facility, like assisted-living facilities, retirement homes, and the like. Just like a private home set up, the work environment in this setting allows you to be closer with your patients and some of them may become your friends. You can get to know them thoroughly by studying their moods, medical needs, as well as their likes and dislikes.

Whether you choose a hospital setting, private home, or residential facility, your duties can be rewarding and at the same time very challenging. Because of that, it is essential that you weigh your options first before considering where to work as a CNA. You should consider the work environment that you think that offers the most rewarding tasks.

The number of hours a certified nursing assistant can work will vary. But full-time CNA's are working 40 hours a week. Some of them may work in the evenings and weekends. They may also be required to work during the holidays.