A Typical Day As A Certified Nursing Assistant

The duties of a certified nursing assistant are many, as they are usually with the patients more than doctors and nurses, especially in a nursing home.

A typical day of a certified nursing assistant would go something like this: In the morning they would help the patients dress if needed, and assist them in any way to get ready for the day, including help in the bathroom if needed. They would also assist in feeding the patients breakfast if needed. Especially with the elderly or extremely ill patients, vitals usually need to be taken. Sometimes, depending on the patient, vitals can also mean listening to the heart and lungs and recording how the patient is breathing.

In the afternoon, nursing assistants would help with transferring patients to and from their different appointments if necessary, make their beds, and help feed them lunch if necessary. Vitals usually need to be taken yet again with the very old and/or sick patients. In the evening, nursing assistants would help put patients pajamas on if needed and help feed them dinner if needed as well. Vitals usually need to be taken again with the very old and/or sick patients. Nursing assistants also need to assist with baths too either during the afternoon or evening if the patients are unable to do so themselves. So, as one can see, nursing assistants are there for the patient for all their basic needs during the entire duration of the day.

Nursing assistants are also responsible for changing diapers on patients if used. If the diapers are non-disposable, nursing assistants are responsible to clean them out in places called Hopper Rooms, which is basically cleaning by water pressure, then the diaper is thrown in a container to be washed later. Other random duties that nursing assistants are expected to perform during the entire duration of the day is to empty catheters for patients that have them. Also, to empty bedpans as well if used.

If nursing assistants work during the night shift (or, the graveyard shift), they are expected to check on their patients often, and if needed, take their vitals, help them to the bathroom, or change their diapers. Nursing assistants are also expected to run errands for their patients such as getting them drinks and such.

Usually, to get trained as a certified nursing assistant, one must attend classes, usually offered in various locations close to one’s residency. At the end of those classes, if the tests are passed adequately, then the certification is issued. One must have a certification to work as a nursing assistant, just as one must be licensed to work as an LPN (licensed practical nurse). Just as one cannot work as a nurse without the proper training, neither can a nursing assistant, or shouldn’t anyway!

There are many jobs for certified nursing assistants. Part of that reason is because there are always people who get sick, there are always people who get into terrible accidents, and there is always the elderly who need extra care that they cannot do themselves.

In summary, nursing assistants are there to help the nurse with the basic care of their patients. They basically do everything to care for the patients except for the things beyond what they are trained to do. Therefore, the nurses patients also become the nursing assistants patients as well. Just as doctors report to nurses at the end of the day, nursing assistants report to the nurse they have been working for at the end of the day. Nursing assistants go through a complete summary of each patient. Not only that, but nursing assistants also have to update the newcomer taking over for them on their shift, meaning that they have to also give a complete summary of each patient to the nursing assistant replacing them.

Then, the final task for nursing assistants at the end of the day is to fill out everything that was done for the patient in a very specific and organized fashion. Each location will have a different way of having their employees fill out the necessary paperwork, whether it be on paper or on a computer.

Article Source: Certified Nursing Assistant