How much cleaning should a CNA do?

Nursing Students CNA/MA

Published

Specializes in CNA.

In homehealth usually there is housework in the job description. Some of my patients don't need housework as they hire a cleaning service, but other times I have patients who rely on me heavily for all their cleaning... and the latter leaves me a bit bitter sometimes. I don't mind at all cleaning up after myself and my patient.. dishes, ironing, LIGHT housework etc

but sometimes I really feel like a maid and that they need to hire a cleaning lady to supplement what I do.

If I am there for 4 hours, I don't think I should be spending 3 hours cleaning every inch of the house several times a week....

Just wondering, how much is too much?

Don't get me wrong, I am happy to have a job and would probably never say anything anyway.. but I do get annoyed sometimes.

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Even when it says light housekeeping in your job description, it is only for the patient's area. Not the rest of the house. You clean up after yourself and you clean around the patient's bed and care area, usually his/her bedroom. If they have their own bathroom, that is included. You don't do the living room, the other bathrooms, the other bedrooms, the hallway, the kitchen. That is not your responsibility and you are not being paid for that. You are right. If the family does not want to clean their house, they need to hire a housekeeper. You need to discuss this with your nurse supevisor at the agency and get your responsibilities straight with the family/patient.

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Specializes in LTC.

Agreed. How are you supposed to do your job if you're... not doing your job? Tell your agency that the time they're making you spend cleaning is taking away from your patient care duties.

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I've worked some four hour shifts before and I would find it difficult to do everything I was supposed to do for the patient in four hours and still have time to clean the bathroom on the other side of the house.

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My agency said only 20 percent of your time should be spent cleaning

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yes 20% sounds reasonable, you dont want to be to exact about it but if you end up spending more than 50% 0f your time cleaning, you know there is somethng not right , id say

Noel

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Specializes in CNA.

If this comes up again I am going to get a more detailed job description from my work and then bring it up..

I am glad I am not nuts for thinking that..

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