Role of Nursing Assistant at State Hospitals

[mamayogibear]

So I just found out I live down the street from Western State Hospital and decided to look into CNA jobs and they pay $15/hr instead of $10 like nursing homes and even the General Hospital do. Why is this? What could I expect working in a psychiatric hospital as a CNA? I've taken three courses in psychology but really know nothing about psychiatric hospitals so any advice or opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Davey Do]

mamayogibear;

It has been my experience that CNAs hired at the State Institution I worked were utilized as Techs. According to Medicare/Medicaid guidelines, in Home Health, actual hands-on care needs to take place in order to bill for CNA services. Such services are not typical in State Psychiatric Hospitals, from my experience. But, ya never know.

Let's just say for a moment that you will be hired for you CNA. I can see some uses for such a role: Monitoring VS of Admissions, assisting the Nurse in the Medical Dept. in providing care to Inpatients, or perhaps merely general monitoring and/or care of patients. That would be great. But probably not likely.

Chances are, you'll be working as a Tech and called on for you CNA expertise PRN. Don't get too concerned. State Hospitals have to follow the guidelines of Governmental and Acreditation Agencies, so you'll probably have a relatively good orientation process.

It'd be nice to hear what happens. Keep us posted.

Until then, good luck in your new postion!

Dave

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

They take vital signs, clean patients who are incontinent of stool and/or urine, feed those who need help, keep track of patients (make rounds every 30 minutes or so, per hospital policy) for safety,

deal with violent patients, escort patients to Group or to work or to outside appointments or to family/home visits, sometimes escort them to funerals of their loved ones,

sit 1:1 with patients on this status, check weights on water intoxication and other patients, measure abdominal girth of patients,

keep records, such as ADL's (how much did the person eat? how many hours did he sleep? report concerns or observations to the nurses, make sure patients don't cheek their meds

spend time with patients to help pass the long hours - play cards, board games, run movies for them, this sort of thing. A lot of aides don't seem to want to get involved with patients, want to just sit at the desk or goof off or disappear or sleep on duty or take extra long breaks. don't develop these terrible habits.

Do laundry for patients who need help, shave patients, help bathe them if they need personal care; search rooms and clients when necessary; monitor visitors;

There's probably a lot more. It's a busy job and you will be doing, in my view, God's work of caring for your fellow man when said fellow is ill.

The job can be dangerous. you can get fired for being violent, abusive, or neglectful. (Is that a word?)

On the other hand, the pay sounds decent and you will also have benefits, I assume, including a real pension perhaps.

Best of luck to you.