What do nurse assistants do in Med/surg floor?

[healthstar, BSN, RN]

I am curious, can someone please help me by describing their work? Thank you.

[Otessa, BSN, RN]

Days-take vital signs, weights, assist with B,L,D tray set up which includes getting patients out of bed for these meals. Baths, showers, turning every 2-4 hours if they are unable to get out of bed. Helping with toileting ( a LOT). Walking patients in hallways, stocking rooms with supplies, recording accurate intake and output including urinals, commodes, catheters, etc.

Nights-the same (some bed baths were saved to the night/evening times)-wile trying to let the patients sleep as much as possible-you do a lot more in the semi-dark.

[healthstar, BSN, RN]

Thank you so much Otessa

[kathy313]

Everything Otessa said, plus in some places they do ekgs, insert/remove foleys, simple dressings...depends on the facility.

[Faeriewand, ASN, RN]

They are assigned a patient load. The first thing they do when they come in is get their assignment and start vital signs. Every patient (on our med/surg floor anyway) every single day is bathed, or offered a shower if they can walk. You can always tell when someone hasn't been bathed. They can remove IV's and foleys on our floor. We have no supplies in our rooms because that would be wasting the companies money (LOL)

They enter vital signs in the computer as soon as they are finished, and at the end of shift they enter all the I&O's for all their patients.

It's great working with a great CNA. I know my patients are clean and the vitals are up to date. If my patient has a high blood pressure or temperature they come tell me right away. Also, they let me know if the patient is in pain. All this is best for the patient and that is what is important :)

[healthstar, BSN, RN]

I have an interview for a job as a nurse assistant in med/surg that's why I am asking, I am nervous because I never worked in hospital setting before but I do know how to do most of the things you guys have mentioned, I learned them during my clinicals. Do employers accept applicants who have clinical experience or do they have to hire someone who has work experience in the hospital?

[April, RN, BSN, RN]

Do employers accept applicants who have clinical experience or do they have to hire someone who has work experience in the hospital?

My hospital hires nursing students with only clinical experience all the time. In my experience, the nursing students made some of the best techs. Maybe it's because they are new and enthusiastic and they really want to experience to benefit their career. I loved working with them!

The techs at my hospital do everything mentioned, and also do blood sugar checks and draw labs. They get trained on the job to do all these skills.

[healthstar, BSN, RN]

My hospital hires nursing students with only clinical experience all the time. In my experience, the nursing students made some of the best techs. Maybe it's because they are new and enthusiastic and they really want to experience to benefit their career. I loved working with them!

The techs at my hospital do everything mentioned, and also do blood sugar checks and draw labs. They get trained on the job to do all these skills.

During my clinicals I spent a lot of time following nurses around and asking them questions they were very helpful, friendly, and did not get annoyed, they never ignored you. I was sent to endoscopy to see a doctor do different procedures I could not ask a question because their answers were short and vague, they did not want to waste time to explain things to students. The nurses were all amazing.