what do CNA's do in a hospital?

jajwalker05, LPN · Oct 27, 2008

I'm a CNA at a hospital, did you take additional coorifices to learn the foley, and IV lock, NG tube placement? that stuff so far seems to be out of my scope of practice. I'm hopeing they will offer me classes to do more. I work in FL on the Telemetry floor.

I work on the surgical unit at my hospital. As techs we put in and remove foleys, remove IV's, do EKG's, draw blood, vitals, daily care, put in and remove NG tubes........ I also have my ACLS so I can do some things in a code

yousoldtheworld · Oct 27, 2008

I worked at a hospital up until just a month ago, and I think it was a great experience. The floor I worked on was called the Transitional Care Unit, and it consisted of patients that needed a while longer to heal before going home, but didn't need to be on one of the acute floors, and also patients who were preparing to go into LTC and needed a week or so for their families to get it sorted out. The duties were very similar to those in an LTC setting - helping out with hygiene, bathing, toileting, feeding, etc...but due to the setting, I got to see and experience a lot more than I have in nursing homes.

As for the pay, I know many hospitals pay more than nursing homes...however, in my case, I made the same or less than I've made in LTC. It just depends!

Most CNAs end up in LTC, so if you have a chance to work at a hospital, I recommend it. I think it's great to get all the experience you can. I also found that teamwork was a lot better at the hospital.

Billsgirl, CNA · Oct 28, 2008

Hi everyone! BOY, I NEED to do more at my job!!:) I'm a CNA at a hospital and I LOVE it! My nurses are wonderful on my unit, they try to teach me as much as possible, but I am the only CNA for 22 beds so there isn't always time! I'm going to start requesting to be taught more, because I am in my last prereqs. right now, nursing school just around the corner...I hope!! Ashley, I think that foley in/out is in a CNA's scope of practice.:nuke:

GigiNYC · Nov 2, 2008

I'm a CNA student right now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that we (CNA's) were NOT allowed to insert/remove foleys???

:typing:typing:typing

I guess it all depends on what state you live in, because I used to do it and now they banned all techs to insert or remove foleys.

:saint:

Amber_YOUNG_CNA · Dec 13, 2008

NOO. CNA's are definintely not allowed to insert or pull out foley catheters! ONLY NURSES are allowed! As a CNA, yes we learn how to do it through demonstration and the process of blowing up the balloon but the only duties we have regarding foleys are cleaning around the foley, emptying foley bags and putting on leg bags that is it! Any CNA's inserting or removing catheters be prepared to lose your license and also the nurses instructing them to do it! IN addition ALL CNAS never give meds! Once an LPN tried to get me to give a patient fiber medication by mixing it in their snack/nourishment that get between breakfast and lunch not thinking! Don't ever give meds no matter how harmless it may seem such as feeding a patient pudding sprinkled with fiber powdered medication only the nurse should be giving!!!! Take it from me, a CNA since I was 16 yrs old now going on 18 who got all the hard cases!

msladavey · Dec 14, 2008

Hi Everyone,

I am looking into changing my career (a little late in life) & I am wanting to get into the med. field. I want to start working right away & start making some good money & gain experience under my belt before becoming a LPN/LVN. I want to take a CNA proram. I need to do this online or in the evenings. I live in So. Calif. Does anyone know where I can take a CNA program online or in the evenings? Also, one that is not terribly expensive? I work P/T in the mornings. Your help & any advice on getting started would be greatly appreciated! THANK YOU! Lisa

Irishowl · Dec 17, 2008

I'm a patient care tech on a cardiovascular interventional unit of a hospital, I do a little bit of everything. I enter orders, watch the monitors and answer phones as needed. I discharge and admit patients and do ADL's. We ambulate and reposition patients. We pull arterial lines when patients come up from the cath lab with them. We also do vitals and pretty much whatever needs to be done.

Shannon

LMoonRN · Dec 28, 2008

I work in a hospital. I do House Float, which means I float between the Psyc/Behavioral Health Unit, Medical, Surgical, Telemetry, PACU and ED/ER. I was skeptical of being hired as a float, but I absolutely love it now. My job duties depend heavily on which unit I'm floated to that day. Pulling foley cath's, pulling saline locks, doing blood sugars are just a few job duties that differ from a LTC facility setting. In the ED/ER we have numerous job duties that differ from the PACU, it all depends on the unit.
At my hospital the Telemetry floor is also called "Cardiology" we admitt lots of observation patients with chest pain.
I strongly suggest workiing at a hospital if given the opportunity. I have learned so much from working around different atmosphere's, doctors and specialized nursing staff. I hope this helps.

May I ask what state you work in? I was a CNA this summer in a LTC and I am also an RN student. I live in Massachusetts but go to school in New Hampshire and no hospital I have ever been in would ever think about letting an LNA pull a foley out or a saline lock.

cjcsoon2bnp, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 28, 2008

I'm a CNA student right now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that we (CNA's) were NOT allowed to insert/remove foleys???

I know it depends on the state but I think that in most (if not all states) CNAs are not allowed to insert or remove foleys. That being said in many hospitals you will find CNAs inserting and removing foleys as well as doing countless other tasks that aren't in the scope of practice for CNAs. Is it a good idea? Not if you want to keep your license, but yes it does happen. I think the line gets even more fuzzy when you are working with CNAs that are nursing students because you will have nurses who want to teach the CNA skills that they will need as a nurse (which is great that they will want to teach them) but the CNA will be doing things (like inserting and removing foley caths.) which is not in their scope of practice, even in the presence of a nurse (at least that is the case in my state.) Not to mention it gets even more difficult to discern when it comes to SNAs but that is a whole other discussion. But back to the original question...

I just got a position as a CNA in a large hospital on a med. surg. floor and I can say that it is a difference between LTC or home health versus a hospital setting. On the med. surg. floors the CNAs will assist with the ADLs (feeding, cleaning, bathing etc.), perform EKGs, take vitals, draw blood, do blood sugar testing, monitor IVs and a bunch of other stuff (after being trained of course.) I think that in a hospital setting you get to see a lot more then in a LTC setting (which is really good for a nursing student) and usually get paid more to do it but its not for everyone.

!Chris :specs:

<3Medical · Dec 28, 2008

Hello, I'm new!

I work at a local hospital in Seattle as a hospital assistant float on 12 hr night shift. We are assigned, each shift we come in, to a floor (yes, any!) that needs us for 4/8/12 hrs depending on staffing levels. We are trained to do constant observation (CO) for patients that are confused/in restraints/suicidal. I also voluntarily trained to work on the Lift Team (help reposition, transfer, and sometimes ambulate pts) and Transport (transport pts to Radiology, different floor, morgue!).

In WA (according to WAC 246-841-405), CNA's cannot pull/insert lines and tubes, give meds, change sterile dressings, or clean central lines. At the hospital I work at we have RT's (respiratory therapists) that do suction/oral care for intubated pts. We do *almost* everything else.

I really love my job! :heartbeat But I'm ready to move up to BSN. I have learned so much and I'm a firm believer that it's always a good idea to get trained to do everything you can.

msladavey · Dec 30, 2008

I too am also looking to enter into a CNA program here in CA. Thanks for all this information that has been provided. Anyone out there living in CA & working as a CNA?? What does it pay here in CA & where could I get in the quickest & start working once I have completed the course? Thank you! Make it a great day!:wink2:

Bean79 · Dec 30, 2008

I'm a CNA student right now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that we (CNA's) were NOT allowed to insert/remove foleys???

I am in FL and learned this too when I was in CNA schools many years ago...However, in the Hospital setting things are very different. Also keep in mind that in Hospitals CNA's are referred to as Patient Care Techs. As a Tech you can do more as long as you have the appropriate training and competency in that skill area (with limitations of course). PCT is not a licensed position and there is no governing agency that regulates this position. CNA's are regulated by the State so their roles are defined. Hence the reason hospitals hire CNAs or nursing students (do not have to be cna) and call them Techs. As a tech I cannot start IVs but I can remove them, I can also insert and remove foley's. Nurse Tech's are a bit different than a PCT and are permitted to do even more skills since their curriculum goes over many of the skills.