Pressing Issue - Nursing Assistant

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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Hi, I am about to enter my senior year of nursing school and I recently took a job as a nurse extern/nursing assistant. I have worked as a nursing assistant before and now this current job wants to validate my skills. I have since gone on the internet and pulled a skills checklist. I am wondering what the top 5 skills I need to know for this job. Granted I was a nursing assistant several years ago and all I can remember is making beds, lots of them. Please tell me what you think the top 5 skills are - one of which is bed making I am for sure. And let me know if these checklists are accurate. And what do you do for PM CAre? Thanks alot

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Moved to the CNA-Nursing Assistant forums for more focused feedback. Good luck to you!

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Specializes in Psychiatric nursing.

Hi. I work as a nursing assistant on the weekend while I am going to nursing school. The top skills I would recommend that you have are:

1) vital signs

2) personal care (ex. shaving, washing, dressing)

3) transfers (ex. bed to wheel chair, bed to stretcher)

4) know how to calculate an accurate I+O

5) making beds

6) checking blood glucose levels

Also, try asking an aide at the facility you are working at what your responsibilities will be. Some place have aides doing EKGs and phlebotomy, dry sterile dressings, and tube feedings while other places just have them doing basic personal care.

At the facility I work at, PM care consists of a quick wash (under the arms, hands, face, and pericare), putting people in johnnies, and getting them into bed. It differs place to place however.

If you have anymore questions feel free to ask. Good luck!

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fluffing pillows-

Telling time-

smiling-

well that's all I can think of for now- Good Luck :yeah:

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Specializes in ..

I think it depends where you work. I'm a nursing student and I have two AIN jobs. One in a nursing home and the second in a very laid back children's hospice. At the nursing home I've never even taken vital signs! At the hospice I do tube feeds!

1. Personal care - i.e. sponges and showers and associated bits and pieces, like shaving, oral care, lipstick and hair brushing! (That also means you need to be able to assess the pt's mobility, pain etc)

2. Beds. Lot's and lot's of beds.

3. Vitals, observations and charting (basic vitals, charts e.g. bowel chart, observations i.e. pt X did Y and Z today)

4. Feeding. The whole spectrum. From hand feeding to NG and G/J tubes.

5. Pressure care. We have two-hourly "bed changes" at the nursing home!

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Specializes in Student VN | Critical Care.

Don't forget Hand Hygiene and Infection control!

I'd put that down.

If you were an employer what would YOU like to see?

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