Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are members of staff who work under the direct supervision of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and / or physicians to provide the majority of the routine care and activities of daily living for patients who require basic care.
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The certified nursing assistant (CNA) is a healthcare member of staff who works under the direct supervision of registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and / or physicians. Be mindful that CNAs are known by other titles including patient care assistants, patient care technicians, nurses aides, care partners, orderlies, and direct care staff members. Some states utilize different titles to refer to nursing assistants. For example, Michigan calls their aides competency evaluated nursing assistants (CENAs). On the other hand, aides in New Hampshire are known as licensed nursing assistants (LNAs). In addition, Ohio uses the title of state-tested nursing assistant (STNA) to refer to all aides who practice within the state.
Duties
CNAs provide the majority of the routine care and activities of daily living for patients who require basic nursing care. Depending on the policies and procedures of each healthcare facility, CNAs may perform direct care such as vital sign checks, finger stick blood sugar testing with glucometer machines, turning patients, repositioning, toileting, diapering, feeding, dressing, grooming, bed baths, showers, emptying urinals and urinary catheter drainage bags, performing oral care, cleaning bedpans, and making beds. CNAs answer call lights, report changes in patient condition to the nurse, help patients get into and out of bed, operate mechanical lifts to transfer patients, pass out meal trays, transport patients to and from appointments, record intake and output, maintain safety measures, document all the care they have provided, and complete a variety of other tasks that pertain to patient care.
Work Environment
CNAs usually work in climate-controlled settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, group homes, residential care facilities, inpatient hospice houses, and assisted living facilities. Virtually all of these workplace settings are in need of 24-hour patient care, so many CNAs work days, evenings, nights, weekends and holidays. Heavy lifting will be required because immobile clients will be unable to transfer themselves from the bed to a wheelchair. Contact with blood, urine, feces and other bodily substances might occur; however, the risk can be minimized through proper use of personal protective equipment when providing the types of direct care that are likely to result in exposure.
Educational Requirements
Every state has different requirements for the amount of training time and clinical hours that are required to become a CNA. In general, the training takes anywhere from a few weeks to several months. If you want certification, you will need to attain formal training regardless of where you reside in the US. Thankfully, a person who wants to become a CNA has several choices.
One option for CNA training is to reply to local advertisements at nursing homes that offer free nursing assistant training in exchange for a commitment to work at the same facility for a specified amount of time (typically six months to one year) after attaining certification. Another reputable option is to train to become a CNA at a community college. An additional choice is to receive nursing aide training at a local Red Cross program. Some state-owned adult education programs offer training to become a CNA. Finally, one can choose to obtain training at a private for-profit school or 'CNA academy' that offers the nursing assistant course, although this is sometimes the costliest option.
Personal Attributes
Ideally, CNAs should be patient, calm and able to deal with a variety of patients with different personalities, some of whom might be unfriendly at times. CNAs should also exhibit an accepting attitude toward unpleasant sights and smells. Additionally, the capabilities of multi-tasking and learning quickly will serve CNAs well.
Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual pay of nursing aides, orderlies and attendants was $24,010 in 2010. The median hourly pay rate in 2010 was $11.54 per hour.
