A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), and can also be identified as a Nurse Aide, is a non-technical staff who works in a health facility, hospital, clinic or a nursing home. Sometimes, they can also worked or be found at a mental health facility. Some of CNAs are also tasked to provide care and assistance to the patients at their homes as well. A nursing assistant’s duties are important link between the patient and the registered nurse for CNAs provide all important information about the patient to the nurse. CNA also assists the registered nurse in conducting his/her duties well.
Some of the roles, duties and responsibilities of a CNAs include:
The responsibility of helping the patients on their personal hygiene
- CNAs assist patients to stand on their feet and assisting them in having a shower or if they needed a wash. This followed on getting the patients dresses, combing their hair. They also assist once the patients are ready for the day, like taking care of their meals and in other activities.
The responsibility to patient’s dietary care
- CNAs have to oversee the diet and if the patient is getting the right and proper nutrition through monitoring their meals. They even keep a written record of the patient’s food intake. And, if the patient if unable to eat by himself, which happened frequently, it is the duty of CAN to feed them properly.
The duty of administering medicines and treatments to patients
- CNAs administer medication and certain treatments like catheterizations, enemas, suppositories and even massages to patients as directed by the doctor.
The duty if keeping the medical record of patients
- CNAs are in-charge of taking a daily stock of the patient’s health by checking and taking down the temperature, pulse, respiration as well as blood pressure. They keep and maintain the medical record of patients on a daily basis.
The duty in providing emotional support and other duties
- CNAs also provide emotional support to the patients. In some instances, they may be the only one accompany them, therefore increasing their responsibility towards them manifold.
Other duties of CNAs may sometimes include assisting the patient in exercising, assisting them in having their laboratory exams, cleaning their rooms, making their beds and other activities that require may physical assistance.
