hey guys!

i just got hired at a few different hospitals as a temporary so i get sent to various sites. I just need some help as to what to expect. i have just had shifts to start as a sitter, but i need to know what do to when i have my own patients.

can you help, i know this all seems very basic like i should already know it, but i am questioning myself. i have never worked as a cna before this so it is all very new and seems alot different then my training that i received.

so once i get to the hospital i find out my patients, get a review from the last person on shift and start with the vitals.

(how do i know how many times i need to check vitals? one hospital it was once that shift and another it was every 4)

make sure they are okay and then.........

do i check their chart or how do i know if they need special care or cannot have liquids or what!!

so far at neither place did they give me a review they just told me it was my turn!!!! is this wierd, because at one of the places the patient was not supposed to have water but kept asking me to get some so when i went to get her some (thank goodness i asked the nurse) she was not able to drink any because of her condition.

i knwo that i am responsible for the bed baths, showers, changing their briefs, emptying their cathetors, and a few other basic things, but i still need a lot more tips... can some one that is a cna walk me through their shift so i can get a better understanding... i just dont want to make any mistakes and quite honestly i want to do my job great!

thanks in advanceeeeee

Sorry I can't help you. I work in a nursing home, not a hospital, so I'm guessing the routine is probably different. Mine is: do AM care, breakfast, showers, snacks, toileting, waters, vitals, ambulation (if I have time) and then another toilet round (if I have time), lunch, another toilet round + laying people down, finish ambulations, snacks. I think in the hospital the routine is less consistent and there's more of a priority on vitals and blood sugars.

First off; the nurses should indicate how often vitals should be done and let you know.

My routine (on a morning shift):

Get to work. Get shift handover from the nurses from previous shift. Check in with the previous NA if there is anything outstanding.

Start to get people up, walking and washed/showered/bathed. Stop for breakfast. Feed those who need feeding. Continue with washes/changing bed linens. Look at pressure areas as I go, inform RN of any changes. Turning people as I go.

After that is done, quick drink and start getting morning vitals if nurse is busy. Report abnormalities to RN. Update I+O's.

Blood glucoses before lunch. Help serve lunches. Feed those who need feeding. After lunch, check and change nightgowns that have food on them. Check for incontience in incontinent patients. Change briefs, etc as needed. Turns.

Afternoon vitals/I+O. Patients rest for a while after this. Normally the afternoon shift come on shortly after and between me and the oncoming NA we check for incontinence, turn people etc before I go home.

All day tasks: Encourage people to drink, mobilise/ambulate people, more frequent vital signs if needed, comfort control (temperature, blankets etc), remove IV lines and foleys, take bloods (the last 3 you may not be able to do, it depends on hospital policy).

I think thats pretty much it!

wow thank you both so much! this really helps me know what to do! i feel like i missed a step somewhere along the way and im just supposed to know it. lol

very helpful!

It depends what floor you work on I work on an ICU floor so they are hooked up to monitors that automatically take their vitals. I have gone to the med surg floors a few times and they take vitals depending on the patient usually once per shift but some patients are more than once. My day consists of basically of being a personal assistant to the nursing staff. I help with anything I can do within my scope of practice inserting foleys, helping turn patients, blood sugars, taking out Iv's, spiking IV bags, a lot of stocking, chest compressions, EKG's, etc. I hope that helps!

katiep86 really covered it well.

at my hospital vitals times are charted Q2= per two hours, Q4=per four hour, skilled= once a day. this info should be in the cardex and i haven't worked anywhere were i wasn't allowed to check the cardex. the best way to deal with the poor turn over is to give a proper turnover yourself when she come back on shift. it could be she hasn't been taught or shown how to do it. but remember when in doubt ask their nurse. if the nurse gets upset about your asking tell them you weren't given a proper turnover. and remember the cardex thats the first thing i ask for in the morning after turn offer just to double check the info i was by the out going cna.