Cna-ain?

[Michelle123]

I am an Aussie, and am currently employed as an AIN (assistant in nursing - Student Nurse) I am currently in nursing school to get my bachelors in nursing to become an RN.

I'm curious as to what the equivalent would be in USA?

I'm guessing CNA, but not sure.

I pretty much do most of the basic patient care stuff, including vital signs, wound care, assessments etc. The only things that I can't do in this role are medication administration and complex wound care.

(Oh and over here you can't to any venepuncture or IV sticks unless you are certified, and you can't do the IV stuff until you have your RN, and the venepuncture you can do if you do a venepunture course but it isn't part of the role of an RN (Generally) we have special techs for that.

So pretty much in an average day shift I would have 4 patients, and I would pretty much do all care for those patients except meds. If I have a query about any care they are recieving or whatever then I refer back to the RN, I'm not allowed to actually make any clinical decisions, so if someone has chest pain, I would do a set of vital signs, get the NP ready for the 02 and then speak to the RN. If she said to give 02 I would then do it, and if she wanted an ECG I would do that too.

I do also call the Dr's if there is something that warrants it. Usually, in the eg above of chest pain, once I have done all the nursing interventions and if/when the RN has given the GTN, (if needed) then I will call the Dr for further orders. They will usually suggest something and then come around and assess if needed.

Does that sound similar to what you guys do as a CNA?

There are also AIN's that work in aged care here, my position (in the hospital) is designated for those that are doing there RN at uni.

The AIN's in aged care have to go through a cert IV course, and do a lot of basic patient care. I'm not quite sure of the scope of practice though.