What Does a CNA Do
On the path to becoming a registered nurse or another medical professional, there are professionals who take on a lot of the daily tasks that have to be handled. Certified nursing assistants, also called CNAs, are trained in helping both patients and other medical professionals.
Here are just a few of the responsibilities that CNAs handle.
Takes Vital Signs Whenever Needed
Vital signs are pieces of information that doctors and nurses use to determine how a patient is doing. When taken at regular intervals, they can help medical professionals to see whether a patient is getting better or worse after specific treatments. The measurements that you would take as a CAN include your patient’s pulse, temperature, blood pressure, and breathing rates.
Assists Patients with Mobility and Activities
Very often patients need help because they’ve got limited mobility. This is especially true when patients are in a long-term care facility like a nursing home. Certified nursing assistants can help patients to move around, such as getting from bed into a wheelchair, or even shift positions. If the patient needs help getting to the bathroom or to another area, CNAs can help with that, too.
Observes Patients
Certified nursing assistants spend a lot of time with their patients. They’re also helping out in a variety of different ways, taking vital signs, and making plenty of observations. Often when something changes for a patient, the CNA is the first medical professional to notice the change. This can be a crucial part of ensuring that every patient has the help and the care that they need.
Cleans up Where Necessary
One important task that can seem unappreciated is that certified nursing assistants are often the professionals on the front line when cleaning up is necessary. CNAs often help with sponge bathing, with assisted bathing in a shower or tub, and personal care tasks like toileting and helping to change adult diapers. These are important tasks that require someone to be professional, thorough, and willing to help preserve a patient’s dignity. That’s a tall order and CNAs meet that goal.
Being a CNA isn’t all about glamour, but then few professions are. Certified nursing assistants make a difference every single day and with every patient. If you’re considering becoming a CNA, it’s important to make sure that you understand what you’ll be doing and how you’ll be contributing to the health and the well-being of all your patients.
