What do CNA's really Do???

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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I am about to go to STNA classes (im pretty sure thats the same as CNA, correct me if im wrong). I was wondering what EXACTLY CNA's do. I know that they do the personal hygeine and stuff, but I want details... weird, i know. Also, where exactly can a CNA work... just Nursing Homes? Also, how much on average to they make in specific settings? Please give me ANY info you have... thanks!:bugeyes:

sorry about the title of this message... its supposed to say "do" not "to". typo.

CNA's do all hands on nursing care. We do vital signs, obtain speciums for the nurses. Assist with meals to patients. It really depends on the hospital policy to how much we can do. I know in some acute care hospitals CNA's do just about everything but any thing that deals with the medications.

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:Let me tell you new CNAS that I am now a graduate nurse but I still work as a CNA.We CNas are the heart of a facility!! (no offense nurses!!) you guys do alot of hard work,it takes care,tenderness,a loving person to do what we do!!!KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!!!

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Hello there.. I'm a CNA. I don't work, but attend the LPN program at my high school. I can tell you that CNA's can wark in a LTC faciilites, ALF, hospitals, home care, hospice, acute care places, and some DR. offices. I don't know how much you get paid as a CNA; it all depends on where u work. As a CNA you do the following: Vital signs, helping with ambulation, help with feedings, bathings, changing linens, transferring residents, collecting some specimens for the Nurse, assist pts to the bathroom, assist them with dressing and grooming needs, repositioning a pt, and monitoring I&O. I hope this helps... good lcuk and God bless:twocents::caduceus::):nurse:

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This post was very informative, I start class today and was wondering what it was really going to be like. I have heard good and bad things about it. Really, you have that in any career though. My goal is to get into school for my RN degree after I complete this CNA course and get working again.

This is going to be a big change for me. I just got out of the Army and back from Iraq 3 months ago. This is a 180 degree turn for me as for the past 8 years, I have been a helicopter crew chief. There is not much call for it in the civilian job force, so this is what I chose to get into. The ethics of doing a job right the first time will carry over into my new career. Its not an option to pull off the side of the road when your aircraft brakes down, and I cared a lot about my pilots. Attention to detail is a must.

Now living in Huntington Beach, there are many opportunities in southern Cali. I look forward to meeting some of you in the future. Good luck to all of you starting out in your new lives.

-Colin

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Specializes in Gastroenterology.

I worked as a medical assistant a few years ago so can tell you a bit about that. I don't know how typical the clinic I worked at was but all the medical assistants rotated between three different positions: phones, front office and back office. For example maybe monday I would do phones, tuesday and wednesday front office and Th, F back office. It would change each week.

On phones we would just answer the phone all day, schedule appointments, take messages for nurses to answer and answer any care questions we were trained to give advice on.

In the front office we would give paperwork to patients, enter their details in the computer system, find their notes, and get all the paperwork for the visit together in the notes before handing it back to the clinic rooms. We also handled payments, insurance, and scheduled follow up visits.

In the back we assisted RNs, NPs and MDs with visits. Make sure the exam room is stocked, clean and ready for the visit. Call patients back and get blood pressure, height, weight, maybe blood sample or urine sample. Ask them some medical history questions and write down the answers. Tell them to get undressed. Then during the visit find whatever paperwork or extra supplies the clinician wants. Sometimes we did patient education before or after a procedure like what to expect during and after the procedure, who to call if you have questions, etc. Same thing with some routine meds. "You're being prescribed drug A, you have to take it with food twice a day, these are the side effects..." After the visit clean the room. Usually one clinician worked two or even three rooms at a time so while they were in room 1 I was getting a patient ready in room 2 and maybe cleaning room 3. Working in the back was definitely the most potentially chaotic because you really had to manage your time well to keep up with some of the clinicians, but the patient contact made it the best. :redbeathe

Now I work as a hospital CNA and it's a whole other world...

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I'm a CNA at a nursing home and I work from 230-1030pm. A typical day for me goes as follows:

230-500 Toileting, showers, answer call lights, socialize with residents, pass water, vitals, weights

500-600 Downtime before dinner, pass clothing protectors

600-700 Dinner/Dinner Clean-up

700-900 Residents to bed

900-1030 Special Assignment, charting, clean up, garbage out, linen to laundry, smidge of downtime

And mixed in with all this are answering call lights, changing and toileting residents, and rounds as well as checking sounding bed and chair alarms. Then there's whatever else the nurses decide to throw at you. I typically have between 12 and 15 residents a night and some like to get into bed at the start of the shift so it's one less thing to do at the end of the night. Also depending on the unit there may be admissions. And we also have discharges (more common on days), residents being sent to the hospital for evaluation, or even deaths so those tend to take priority over the "routine".

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Specializes in 1.

Hi I was just certified, and got a job at my local hospital, in Med Tele, I work 12hr shifts, about 3-4 days a week. I noticed we had about the same schd. My concern is this, (I have only been on my job for a few days)

I have an average patient load of 30 or so. I usually do vitals and accucecks 2x shift, plus any new admits/discharges. I am a pre nurse student, and Pt. care is #1 concern for me, but the staff seem to be the opposite sp? They seem like the Pt is not there they go through all the motions of care, but with out care. I had questioned them about it and they all say you just develope a thick heart, because your so rush rush, that Pt can't even talk. Everything I learned in CNA class, is not applied in the Hospital, not even close. I love my patients so far, and I like to assist them in any I can, while I'm in the room, Like water, ice, toilet, I rarley see call lights, because I ask them of there needs, while getting vitals or accuchecks,just poking my head in a room. the other cna /nurses talk to each other while doing procedures, and not once did any of this conversation invole the patient!:angryfire :down: So I've only been there for a few days, we'll see. I just had to vent and I also want to know if this is normal, to have 24-30 pts per CNA? :uhoh3::uhoh3:

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Specializes in LTC.

Nursing home 3-11:

3-5: get report, pass out linens and stuff, toilet everyone at least once (some want to go like 12 times), walk ambulatory residents, take vitals, fill and pass water pitchers, take down beds, make sure everyone is sitting up for supper (ie not still napping or at the rec dept)

530-630: pass supper trays, feed and supervise, clean up. CNAs start going on lunch breaks at 6.

630-9: washing people up and putting them to bed, showers. Someone has to pass out snacks at 7 o'clock. This is the most stressful part of the night; trying to juggle it all, since there's a LOT of call bells and toileting, and most people want to go to bed at the same time and CNAs need to help each other out with 2-assists and hoyers. Plus the people with chair alarms start getting up constantly.

9-11: get the night owls washed and changed. Fold washcloths, empty trash, clean up rooms, do last rounds, empty laundry hampers, put away wheelchairs, stock linen cart, stock gloves and room supplies, and do paperwork (I&O, tx, behaviors, incontinence, rehab flow sheets). At 11 you give report to third shift and leave!

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Yeah very helpful thanks a bunch!!

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Thanks so much I was intrested in learning more about what exactly CNAs do on the job each day. I appreciate the imformation shared!!! Take care ladies!:)

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I work as a CNA in a pain management office, so let me tell you about my day

8:30 to 11:00 - I'm in nursing class

12:00 to 6:00 - I'm at work

Work consists of taking vitals on patients, contacting pharmacies, contacting other offices for records, we're a small office and pretty much everyone ends up answering the phones, signing in/out patients, making appointments, etc.

It's not that detailed, but it is what it is... No day is completely the same for me, and I like that. We do, of course, have our regular patients and some of them are so sweet that I can't wait to see them each month, and then theres the times when we dismiss people, those times can get intersting!

Oh, and CNAs and MAs aren't the same. For one, MAs can give injections, CNAs can't give any meds.

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Specializes in Geriatric.

My typical day....

5:45 AM: clock in, get assignment for the day

5:50ish AM: walking rounds with previous shift (checking on the residents on my assignment with the previous shift's CNA), fill clean laundry cart with linens, towels, incontinence pads, etc

6:00 AM: Start getting residents out of bed/dressed for breakfast/peri care and toileting/squeeze in a shower if possible

7:30 AM - bring people to dining room/make beds

7:45 - 9:00 AM - breakfast.pass out trays. feed people. etc.

9:00 - 9:10 AM - ten minute break if possible

9:10: More showers, peri care, toileting, put people back in bed that need to nap between breakfast/lunch

10:30 to 11ish: take lunch break if possible. (often I take a ten minute break or even just 5 minutes if that's all I can

salvage)

11 to noon: One last shower if one remains to be done, peri care, toileting, get people back up for lunch

12 noon to about 1:15 PM: Lunch. pass out trays. feed people. etc. Start getting tired and longing for a nap.

1:15 - "Last round": putting people back in bed, peri care, toileting

2 PM: Walking rounds with relief CNA, documentation (charting)

2:15 PM (often closer to 2:30) clock out and go home

additional things: pass out ice whenever possible. pass out snacks. help all 8 thousand CNAs and 3 thousand nurses who ask for my help. Run back and forth to laundry a million times to get more towels, pillows, Ms. So & So's favorite yellow sweater, etc.

It sounds like a heck of alot of peri care & toileting, but usually at least some of the people are either clean & dry and don't need to be changed, or decline using the restroom because they just used it the last time you took them. It depends on the particular group of people you are taking care of. You have people who constantly dribble urine & BM all day long, and those who go 5 hours between eliminating, and everyone else in between.

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