Medical-Surgical CNA?

[carrieebridges]

There are so many categories, I truly couldn't figure out where this would be a good place to ask. I have an interview this week for a position at a hospital, night shift, on the medical-surgical floor. I've never been on this floor or known anyone who has. Can some of you tell me what kind of things and duties I can expect to do if I get the job? Thank you!

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

Hi Carrie. Welcome to AllNurses! First of all, if your username is your legal name, I suggest you change it. Although you may not post anything that you find incriminating, it's always a good idea to enjoy a degree of anonymity on the internet.

Now, I know the duties of a CNA vary from state to state, as do the duties from institution to institution. But, in my area, what a CNA would do on a MedSurg floor would include: vital signs, blood glucose checks, measuring and recording of intake and output, personal care, including bathing, grooming and dressing, turning patients, assisting with transfers, answering call lights and bringing patients items as indicated (not medicines, of course!), assisting with feeding patients, and most importantly - reporting any concerning findings to the nurses! As a CNA, you may very well get to know what "normal" is for a patient more readily than a nurse, and by alerting a nurse that something is "off" is honestly the most important thing. It may sound obvious and simple, but a lot of healthcare workers (not just CNAs!) feel no need to report changes.

I wish you the best. Keep us posted!