What do CNA's really Do???

TnKzMom · Jan 24, 2008

I was actually wondering the same thing, I did see on my hospitals website a posting for a CNA so maybe that's a no on just working in Assisted Living. I was wondering if you can also work in a Dr's office. I was told by one person Medical Asst and CNA are close to the same, but I dunno about that.

DreamyEyes · Jan 24, 2008

CNA's can work in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospitals, at home health agency's, etc.

I work at an assisted living facility on day shift (7-3) and here's a rundown of a typical day:

7:00-8:00- Run around like crazy trying to get everyone ready for breakfast. Help residents get washed up and dressed, or just remind them to get up for breakfast, depending on the level of care they need (We have independent, assisted, and complete care residents.) Help transport resident's down to main dining room (We have more than one dining room)

8:00-9:00- Help serve breakfast to resident's in dining room

9:00-11:00- This is when we normally do showers, vital signs, answer call lights, change beds, do laundry (ughh- we have to do laundry at my facility)

11:00-11:30- Generally downtime, besides answering call lights.

11:30-12:00- Transporting residents to dining room

12:00-1:00- Help out in dining room, take break.

1:00-2:00- Pass out linen, resident rounds, answer call lights

2:00-3:00- Downtime!! There's usually nothing to do besides answer call lights. This last hour goes by sooo slow.

And there's a lot more that I'm missing, this is just a brief overview and this is in assisted living. I tried working in a nursing home, but I didn't like it- it was way too depressing for me and stressful. If you can't get a job in a hospital after completing CNA training, try assisted living! There are some dependent residents that need a lot of care, but for the most part it's a lot more laid back.

Billsgirl, CNA · Jan 24, 2008

Hi! I am a cna (pca, patient care assistant) at a hospital. I work 3-11pm. My schedule is pretty much like this:

2:30 Receive report from day shift about patients

3:00-4:00 Do vitals and accu-checks

4:00-4:45 Change any briefs, reposition, assist to commode, etc., until dinner arrives at 4:45.

5:30-6:00 record input and trays

After that it's pretty much as needed care, except that in between all of this "scheduling" there are admits and discharges, helping other aides and nurses with care, running specimens to lab, and of course answering all call lites throughout the evening!

Dinner comes whenever I can, usually around 7pm, and I am entitled to 2 15 minute breaks which I never take because I am too busy, but that's my decision.

I usually start off a shift with 8-10 patients, but end up with more because of admits during the evening. In any "down" time there is restocking the rounds carts, and nurses stations in each room.

I also like to spend time with the patients who require complete care, who cannot feed themselves and may have dementia along with whatever brought them to the hospital in the first place, because to me that's an important part of my job.

Hope I helped!

I know cna's that work in nursing homes usually have a bigger load than hospitals, depending i suppose on the facility.

Take care!!:)

casi, ASN, RN · Jan 24, 2008

I’ve worked in both an Assisted Living and a Hospital on night shift.

Assisted Living

10-10:30: Get report

11-12: check residents, make sure dry, safe, and in bed toilet those that needed it.

12-4:30 do every one-two hour checks, toilet, change, reposition, set table for breakfast, do laundry

4:30-6:00: Get up residents, shower, do final toiletings

6-6:30: Give report and chart

Hospital

Answer Call lights, toilet, change, reposition, help the nurses where needed. File a little paperwork.

TnKzMom · Jan 24, 2008

WOW, thanks that does help a lot! you all are awesome!

Labor&DeliveryRN · Jan 24, 2008

:yelclap:Thank you both so much for your answers!!! They helped me imagine it a lot easier.

Sarah Bellum · Jan 24, 2008

Thanks from me too! I came on here today to ask this same question. I just finished my nurse aide training today and already have an interview for a night shift (6:30p-7a) med-surge position next week and was wondering what a "day in the life" looked like for a nurse aide.

Karen

Billsgirl, CNA · Jan 25, 2008

You are welcome!! keep posting!!

TnKzMom · Jan 25, 2008

Congrats Karen!

aundrea543 · Jan 26, 2008

First of all... Thank you. This is a great thread for those of us who have no idea what to expect.

I was wondering if anyone could give some examples of a typical day working in: Nursing Home (as opposed to Assited Living), Home Health, and Private offices/clinics/etc... though I'm not sure they even hire CNA's :confused:

any and all information would be much appreciated :specs:

JaredCNA, CNA · Jan 26, 2008

~futureOBnurse~ said:
I am about to go to STNA classes (im pretty sure thats the same as CNA, correct me if im wrong). I was wondering what EXACTLY CNA's do. I know that they do the personal hygeine and stuff, but I want details... weird, i know. Also, where exactly can a CNA work... just Nursing Homes? Also, how much on average to they make in specific settings? Please give me ANY info you have... thanks!
sorry about the title of this message... its supposed to say "do" not "to". typo.

CNA's can work in all departments of a hospital, nursing homes, subacute care facilities (Skilled Nursing), clinics, home health, Hospice, etc. Most places you can find a nurse, you can find a CNA...possibly with the exception of surgery or something highly specialized.

Pay varies depending on where you live. I believe you make more in a nursing home than in a hospital. I work nights at a local hospital in ortho (I'm trained by the facility to assist pts w/ ADL's that have had joint replacements.) Here is a typical night:

2300-0000: Arrive, get report, correct the report I'm given with accurate information, find out q4h V/S. Make first rounds during this time, check trash, linen, take vital signs, reposition people for comfort.

0000-0100: Finish up vital signs. Assist as needed with taking people to the bathroom. Make second rounds (if pts are asleep I just pop my head in the door.)

0200-0400: Answer call lights (and believe me in ortho there are a lot of them going off because EVERYONE usually needs assistance to the bathroom, with turning over, etc.) It seems like this time would be laid back but you are pretty busy. If time permits, I'll clean out the kitchen and the report room and try to stock the supply room.

0400-0600: Vital signs on every patient and intake/output for the shift. Empty foleys and urinals, ask pt how much they have had to drink, if they've had a BM, etc. I usually have to do vitals on 30 patients and everyone wants something when you come in there, so this will take up the whole two hours.

0600-0630: Assist nurses with printing vitals off the computer and putting them in the chart. Answering lights. Helping lab hold people still for their blood draws.

0630-0700: Ready my report. I usually just take a new report sheet and write it out in pencil so I don't have to wait for the next shift to write down everything I say. Report usually takes 15-20 mins because day shift has to figure out what aide is going to take what patients and if they have to float to another unit. I sometimes make a last set of rounds with the oncoming shift to be that everyone is changed and that all comfort measures are addressed before I leave. Also, during this time I'll bathe a few post-op joint replacements, change their TED hoses, dress them in there own clothes, and ambulate them to the chair for PT.

It doesn't seem like a whole lot, but I didn't mention that total care patients have to be turned q2h (well actually just anyone who has had surgery and can't move themselves), people have briefs that need to be changed every hour or two, you have to do mouth care on a few patients at various times during the night...and then there's always that patient with the high BP or temp that youll have to keep re-checking all night for the nurse.

It may sound overwhelming, but I enjoy it. I couldn't see myself working at a nursing home because I want to know that the patient I take care of will be healthy and walk out the door in a few days.

Hope this helps some.