I have a random CNA Question

In nursing school sometimes we have to do patient care with family members in the room, so yes, sometimes you will probably have to do patient care with family members present.

Yes, you will do patient cares with family members present.

It's good to announce to them that you're going to help so-and-so with cares and sometimes they'll excuse themselves to let you do your thing, but others will usually just smile and say okay and remain there. You will get some family members that are extremely picky about their family members' care (understandable) and will often watch you like a hawk to make sure you're doing things right. As long as you do your job correctly, you don't have anything to worry about.

Kind of shocked that no one has yet pointed out that we need to be asking THE PATIENT if it's okay with them for family members to be present during personal care!

Kind of shocked that no one has yet pointed out that we need to be asking THE PATIENT if it's okay with them for family members to be present during personal care!

This is such common sense to me that I didn't even think to mention it lol.

I was more stating that it IS something that happens, but not that it happens for all residents/patients.

This is such common sense to me that I didn't even think to mention it lol.

True, but for newborn CNAs it may not be so obvious.

I sometimes have family members who help with positioning and moving the patient in the bed while I am performing cares. And RedKryptonite is so right, if the patient is cogent enough to tell you, ask him or her if it is OK with him or her that family be present. It is the right of the person receiving care to make that decision.

On a personal note, please, always ask family if they want to be present if the patient can't make that decision. During her final days in a nursing home, my mom couldn't be moved without incredible pain. I happened to be home the weekend before she passed, and my dad took me in to see her. While we were there, the CNAs came in to check, change, and turn her. They didn't ask us if we wanted to be present, and despite pain medication, my mom was in agony during all of this. She died a week later and my final memory of her is her crying in pain while being checked and turned; it's burned into my memory still now 15 years later.

I try to wait until family leaves before going in, but if it can't wait I just let the family know that I'm going to be doing care and they have always just excused themselves. It is rare that family have insisted on staying and that has always been when the patient is unresponsive and the family very protective.

That is an excellent question and shows you have a caring heart and the ability to be patient focused rather than task focused. The patient is the person directly receiving care. It is also their family. By thinking of them, you are thinking of your patient.

Your attitude and desire to protect your patient's dignity will make you a treasure to whatever RN you work with.

I let the family and resident know what I'm going to be doing before I do it, and it's up to them whether to stay or leave. Usually though, when I come in the room the family member says they'll see the resident later and leaves. Other times, the family member helps with cares.

As others have said, yes, you will have to do a variety of cares and other type of work (like transfers) in front of family members or other visitors. I've done it many times. I simply let the resident and family member(s) know what I am about to do and if they can stay without the resident's objection, I will not ask them to step out. I had a lady one time ask her family to step out, they didn't, so I asked them to please move to the hallway for a few moments and they did. That's the only time I've ever asked a family to step out and it went alright.