Certified Nursing Assistants Jobs and Tasks

A CNA needs to have the ability to work closely with people, because they offer intimate levels of care such as grooming, bathing and feeding, its imperative that they are able to communicate with and strike a bond with their patients. If you are a service orientated person who derives pleasure from helping others, and are capable of providing comfort and reassurance to those who are in distress, then becoming a CNA might be the perfect career choice for you.

Alongside providing a high level of physical, emotional and social care for your patients, you will also need to pay a great attention to detail. A certified nursing assistant is responsible for taking a patients vital signs, and they must also relay important info on their patients condition directly to their superiors.

Being a CNA can be a bit of a juggling act at times. Yet, if you are capable of multi-tasking and you have strong organisational skills, then you’re off to a great start. Becoming a CNA is a great way to introduce you to the medical proffesion as a whole. From the point you become a CNA, you will be able to choose if you would like to progress further by becoming an RNA, an x-ray technician, or a multitude of other choices. You will also be able to take a good look at your advancement opportunities, or, like a great many certified nursing assistants, being a certiied nursing assistant might be exactly what you want to be, and no further advancement is neccessary.

Certified Nursing Assistant Training

CNA Training and CNA Certification will be your first step into the field of medicine. In order to become a bonafide, certified CNA, you will need the following things:

• A High-School Diploma (or its equivalent GED)
• You will need to complete a 6-12 week CNA Certification (CNA Training) Program.
• You will have to have a clean criminal record.

CNA training programs are widely available, and can be taken in most states in the US. Requirements for each state may vary,  but you’ll easily find classes that are available via community colleges, medical facilities, and also some adult education facilities. Some of these CNA training programs are sponsored by employess, while other courses guarantee you a placememt once you’ve completed your cna training and recieved your cna certification. Before you make your final choice, be sure to check out all the training options.

CNA Training Cost

The price for certified nursing assistant training can vary depending on where you take your course. The national ‘average’ cost to complete your cna training, take the cna exam, and recieve your cna certification is between $400 and $1000, which is not a huge amount, considering once your complete your training you’ll imediately be able to become employed as a certified nursing assistant.

Note: Be vigilant!. Some training facilities list their CNA training programs as all inclusive, total amount. Where other places list the cost of training materials needed, exam fees, and other costs seperately. Be certain your fully clued up on the total cost before you enroll in a cna course.

What does CNA training entail?

You’ll partake in classroom lessons which go over physiology, anatomy, nutrition, food handling and other basic nursing skills. You will also learn proper and sanitary ways to handle a multitude of different substances in order to help prevent the spreading of infection and disease. Don’t be frightened by this though, you will not be sent out into the field of nursing without being fully prepared for it. Through your cna classes, you’ll gain vital hands on experience and your confidence levels will rise as your knowledge does, and you’ll soon gain all of the qualities needed to become a certified nursing assistant.

Once your training has ended, you will be required to take your cna certification exam, which is offered/provided by the National Association of Home Care. When you do your cna training, you’ll likely partake in one, or a multiple pre-tests, or mock tests, which will help you become more aware of what will be required in the actual exam, and what points you need to focus on etc.

CNA Salary, how much does a CNA earn?

As a fully qualified Certified Nursing Assistant, you will work in a proffesional environment and earn a comfortable living. The latest salary data taken in 2009 states that the medium level income for a CNA is in-between $20,000 and $25,000 per year. For those who have more experience and more ‘years’ on the job, you can easily earn from $35,000 upwards per year.

Becoming a certified nursing assistant is a rewarding and fulfilling career choice, and after taking and passing the cna exam the career choices are limitless. So what are you waiting for? get started with your cna training now!

New York is one of the top states in the US that employs CNA’s (Certified Nursing Assistants). The city of New York has undergone numerous steps to provide increased funding and educational training in the CNA discipline. It’s been estimated that New York will experience a shortage of roughly 38,000 Certified Nursing Assistant’s by the year 2015, most of these jobs will all be available within the New York City area. This estimate is set to grow in number over the coming years, so needless to say if you are a CNA, or considering CNA Training and live in the New York area, this could not be a better time to get a job and further your career in the field.

Additionally, the Health Care Association of New York State (HANYS) estimates that at least 4 out of every 5 hospitals in the state are experiencing nursing staff shortages.

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) – What is a CNA?

A certified nursing assistant (CNA) is trained to assist patients with their daily living activities. CNA’s are also known as Nurse Aides, Patient Care Technicians, Orderlies, and Home Health Aides. A CNA works under the supervision of a trained Nurse, and are responsible for providing their patients/clients with basic care services, eg; Grooming, Bathing, Feeding Patients, and also checking their vital signs and fluid input/output.

In order to become a qualified CNA, you must first complete the CNA Training program (specific for each state, so if you live in NY and plan to work in NY, then make sure you become certified in NY and according to that states standards). The length of each CNA program varies from state to state, but it generally last from 6 to 12 weeks. After which you need to sit a CNA Certification Exam.

The role of a CNA is a very important one, and should not be underestimated. Certified Nursing Assistants are thought of as the ‘Eyes and Ears’ of the nursing staff, and being so close to their patients and working with them daily means that normally a CNA will be the first to spot if anything is wrong with their patient, so they can quickly report this to their superiors. CNA’s can be found in many different types of institution, including Medical Hospitals, Group Homes, Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities, Sheltered Housing (on-call CNA’s) and many more. Becoming a CNA can serve as a great career move and stepping stone for those who are interested in moving on to becoming a Nurse at a later date.

You can find a list of CNA Jobs Available in New York Here

Board members include 1 in all 50 states, Washington DC and all US territories. The NCSBN was founded in 1978, as organisers realised the need for regulation within nursing, excluding organisations representing professional nurses.

The main goal and responsibilities of the NCSBN is to inform about, and enforce a set of nursing standards, while keeping the Nursing Assistive Personnel Registry up to date. Licensees in this database include Certified Nursing Assistant I (CNA), Certified Nursing Assistant II (CNA II) and Medication Assistant Certified (MA-C). The NCSBN operates as a national ‘watchdog’, which co-ordinates issues that arise relating to discipline, education, and certification. Certain info, such as warnings and disciplinary actions taken against a CNA or nurse by a state board is shared with the NCSBN, which then compiles and stores the info, providing background resources for disciplinary issues and other actions taken.

When a complaint is made against a Certified Nursing Assistant, they may then become the subject of an investigation, which can then lead to an informal conference, and then when necessary a formal hearing. Actions addressing the issue of complaint might simply be resolved by re-educating the nurse, or restricting their practise in some way, however each action will carry certain specific probationary conditions. Where necessary, and in extreme cases where a CNA is found liable, a nursing assistant can have their license revoked. In this instances, all disciplinary actions will then become public record. In addition to this, any nurse or CNA holding a criminal conviction related to the functions of their work is obligated to report this to the board. The board will then proceed to determine if the offenders license should be revoked. In most cases, applicants convicted of a criminal offense will not be eligable for certification.

Federal regulations are also put in place, in order to help combat abuse and fraud, both in the health insurance industry and the health care delivery system.

In accordance to the NCSBN Standards for Assistive Personnel, CNA I  (certified nursing assistants) are bound by law to conform and practise to the following standards and regulations:

• Performs nursing tasks and functions within the range of functions authorized in the Nurse Practice Act and rules governing nursing.
• Demonstrates honesty and integrity in performing nursing tasks/functions/activities
• Bases nursing tasks/functions/activities on education, training and the direction of the supervising nurse.
• Accepts accountability for one’s behavior and actions while assisting the nurse and providing services to patients.
• Performs delegated aspects patient’s nursing care.
• Assists in observing patients and identifying patient needs.
• Communicates progress toward completing delegated nursing tasks/functions/abilities, as well as any problems or changes in a patient’s status.
• Seeks clarification if unsure of expectations.
• Uses educational and training opportunities as available.
• Takes preventive measures to protect client, others and self.
• Respects client’s rights, concerns, decisions and dignity.
• Functions as a member of the health care team, contributing to the implementation of an integrated health care plan.
• Respects client property and the property of others.
• Protects confidential information unless obligated by law to disclose the information.

In addition to this, employers that are found to deliberately or irresponsibly ignore board protocol and standards, eg: expanding the functions of a CNA, will be subject to disciplinary action. Institutions violations are recorded into the various public health databases, such as the HIPDB, just the same as an individual nurse found to be in violation would be.

This includes training for Certified Nursing Assistants, who by law, must complete a competency test. Usually, although not ‘always’ the case, a home health aide will receive free training before taking the state exam. In addition to this, the National Association for Home Care and Hospice offers voluntary certification, particularly in states that require nursing aides to be licensed.

Some high schools also offer free training to prepare individuals for the CNA certification test. While most home health aides and nursing assistants are not required to hold a high school diploma, most do anyway.

You can also do your training and your CNA certification test via The American Red Cross. This method of training is relatively inexpensive compared to other programs you have to pay for, however the Red Cross CNA Class is not free. Another alternative is to look for some free CNA Classes Online , but it is worth taking into consideration that some of these courses only cover specific topics and skills, and may not cover absolutely everything you need to pass the exam.

Some states, like Florida for instance, require that Certified Nursing Assistants complete a minimum of 12 hours of in service training each year. Certain exemptions may apply if the applicant can prove that he/she was on active duty in the Armed Forces for a period of 6 months or more during the calendar year. In addition, he/she must have been in good standing with the Board of Nursing and Certified Nursing Assistant Council at the time they began their active duty.

Some of the basic topics covered in CNA training classes include body mechanics, physiology, anatomy, nutrition, communication, hygiene, basic use of equipment, taking vital signs, how to bathe patients, how to groom them, and also how to instruct and teach the patient to do all or some of the above, depending on their own ability. As a CNA you will obtain additional training while on the job under the supervision of registered nurses, other experienced nursing aides and doctors.

Federal law dictates that aides who work in nursing care homes/facilities are required to complete a minimum of 75 hours of state approved training, in addition they must also pass a competency test. CNA certification is awarded upon successful completion of the medicare funded free cna training course. After CNA certification is obtained, the CNA will then be listed in state registry of nursing aides.

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There are a variety of things that can cause bedsores, the main culprit is prolonged pressure on a specific area on the body. Because of the pressure the affected area is under, it soon becomes deprived of oxygen causing the muscle and tissue to deteriorate. Another cause  of bedsores is repeated friction on specific areas on the body, incotinence (causes a rash) and improper cleansing of the area. People who have diabetes and suffer from circulatory problems are at an increased risk of getting bedsores, as their circulation is already affected by their pre-existing condition.

Other high risk patients are those who are paralysed. A paralysed patient cannot feel the pain and discomfort bedsores can cause, therefore it is vital that the patients assigned Certified Nursing Assistant spots the appearance of bedsores early, and treats them as promptly as possible.

Of course, preventing bedsores from happening in the first place is a CNA’s main objective. Bedsores are very painful, and can be hard to treat depending on the patients condition and range of movement, so prevention is key. As a CNA, you will be trained and shown how to prevent bedsores, and because you will provide around the clock care to your patients, you should be able to prevent them from happening relatively easily.  The main prevention method is to rotate and move the patient regularly, allowing the circulation to flow around all parts of the body. For patients that are immobilised, and possibly too large to move on your own, teams of CNA’s should work together to achieve this.

Proper rotation will  ensure that all areas of the body are receiving proper circulation, preventing pressure from building up on one particular area for too long. Placing a sheet underneath the patient that can be grasped from both ends can sometimes assist you when rotating. Another method for preventing bedsores is to try to keep the moisture on the skin to a minimum, and it goes without saying that patients should never be allowed to lie in their own waste, for even the shortest periods of time. Not only would this be unacceptable practise, it is also inhumane, and Certified Nursing Assistants should be diligent in changing and cleaning their patients regularly. Failure to clean your patient properly can lead to a breakdown of the patients skin, causing rashes and inflammation. The use of petroleum jelly or A&D ointment can help prevent this.

When drying a patient after changing them, its better to blot the wet area with a dry cloth instead of rubbing, as this may cause irritation. Other methods of preventing bedsores include the use of medical pads to reduce friction from movement, and the provision of proper nutrients to keep the skin as healthy as possible.

A Certified Nursing Assistant must have the ability to carry out routine directions given to them by a registered nurse or doctor, in relation to their patients or residents they care for. They must be willing to follow a prescribed routine with due care and technical apt, while maintaining patient privacy and discretion. CNA’s should have the ability to get along well with others, and to work hard to gain co-operation from patients and residents. Certified Nursing Assistants must be punctual, neatness and personal cleanliness are paramount.

However, that said, the main duties of a Certified Nursing Assistant will always be the care of their patient(s). This will likely include basic daily care of a patient, giving assistance where appropriate such as helping with eating, getting dressed, movement, toilet, exercise, etc etc.

As a qualified CNA, your duties are likely to also include taking and recording patient information, which includes taking their vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, respitory rate,temperature), assessing your patients level of pain, and monitoring their weight.

Nurse Assistants are also required to report on their patients. Depending on the location and type of facility you work in, you may need to report to a registered nurse, doctor, or supervisor. A CNA is expected to be the eyes and ears for their superiors.

CNA’s need to be a special blend of person. They need to be patient, caring, responsive, punctual, aware, and most of all, responsible and work with professionalism. A Certified Nurse Assistants role may vary, but your #1 function will always be the welfare and wellbeing of your patient, and as such a CNA cannot afford to be distracted or dis-interested, otherwise the patient will suffer.

Here are some ‘real life’ examples of duties of a Certified Nursing Assistant, taken from a ‘Help Wanted’ classified ad:

• Assists in walking, feeding, bathing and related restorative and rehabilitative care activities for
  patients and/or residents and aids in caring for their personal needs and comfort;
• Assists nurses in lifting and turning patients and/or residents, in restraining disoriented patients
  and/or residents, in holding patients and/or residents for treatment, in care of involuntary patients
  and/or residents and may assist in preparing them for surgery;
• Helps regulate number of visitors and gives information to visitors in accordance with instructions from
  the nurse in charge;
• Assists professional nursing personnel in carrying out assigned range of motion, promotion of self-help
  and independence activities and reality orientation;
• Assembles information concerning the patient’s and/or resident’s condition and enters reports on the
  patient’s and/or residents record;
• Cleans and sterilizes equipment;
• Labels and stores patients’ and/or residents’ clothes and turns over valuables to person designated by
  the facility;
• May assist with care and moving of room furniture, fixtures and supplies to help keep patients and/or
  residents safe and comfortable;
• May assist in cleaning, laundry, resident feeding, and resident transportation, as needed.

A certified nursing assistant should expect a certain amount of physical activity as part of the job, however most people with average health and muscle mass should manage this no problem.

I hope this list of duties of a certified nursing assistant gives you a clear view of what is expected of you when you do the actual job.

Certified Nursing Assistants are in essence, the people who ensure that residents of nursing homes are cared for properly in the most basic but essential ways. Responsibilities that a CNA has are things like ensuring residents are clean (bathing or helping them bathe), and insuring that they are completely dry so that skin irritations and problems do not arise. Other CNA duties consist of things like brushing teeth, maintaining a patients hair (brushing and cleaning) and also many other basic hygeine tasks you would do for yourself, but for the patients you are caring for who are unable to do these things for themselves.

In addition to this, some patients in nursing homes may require to be fed by certified nursing assistants, specially so if they have suffered a stroke or other illness that impairs their motor skills. As such, having a Certified Nursing Assistant to care for them  is essential to them maintaining a high standard of living each and every day.

Certified Nursing Assistants also provide nursing home residents with help in maintaining their flexibility and mobility. CNA’s are trained to use and provide Range Of Motion exercises on residents, which are used to help keep joints, limbs and muscles flexible.

In addition to all these duties, CNA’s must always maintain a high level of personal interaction with residents or patients. CNA’s have a role of being a patients companion and friend as part of their job description. Many residents in nursing homes can be lonely and have very few, if any, family or friends to visit them. This can lead to depression, which can in turn spark other illness’s and conditions, so the emotional support CNA’s give is a vital part of their job, as the patients may not receive this from anywhere else.

Being a CNA comprises of medical, physical and emotional support, and all 3 are just as important as each other.

Checking a patients vital signs is very important, because it provides valuable information on whether or not a patients body is functioning as it should. The rate of a patients vital signs is compared against a chart containing the standard number for that persons age and sex. Learning how to perform the vital signs test accurately will ensure you have an up to date and current assessment of your patients condition, which can then be related back to the supervising nurse and/or doctor.

Taking a persons pulse gives a superficial idea of how their heart is functioning. If a pulse is too fast or slow, or skips a beat, these are crucial indicators that a patient may have an underlying medical condition that needs to be dealt with. There are a variety of places you can take a patients pulse from, the most common being placing the index and middle finger over the patients artery located on their wrist. There are also arteries available on the neck, arms, chest, abdomen, thighs and back of the knees in which a pulse can be taken. Having multiple areas in which to take a pulse from can be benificial if the patient has impairment or pain in any of their limbs, and ensures you will always have a place in which to gain a superficial idea of how well their heart is performing.

Temperature checks will tell you whether the patient is over or under heated. The baseline for a human temperature is 98 degrees (farenheit). A little over or under this number is normally ok, but any large differences should be noted. When a body overheats, it goes into what is known as a ‘fever’, and can be a warning signal that there is something wrong, from a simple cold to more serious illness’s. Temperatures can be taken in a variety of ways, the most common being orally, anally, under the arm, and in the ear (with the correct equipment).

Blood Pressure tests provide information on how much force the blood is applying to the arteries and blood vessels. Monitoring blood pressure will tell you whether the patients blood pressure is too high or too low, and give an indicator to which treatments are needed to solve the problem.

Last but not least, CNA’s need to check the patients lungs to determine the breathing (respitory) rate, which is vital to determining the health of the lungs. Using a stethoscope, a nursing aide will ask the patient to breath in and out, whilst listening to the depth and number of times a person breathes. Taking a patients respitory rate is an important vital sign to monitor, as it can give indications of improper lung function, illness’s and other conditions the patient may suffer from.

An important character trait of a CNA is the need to be thorough. You must be dependable, and reliable. Your employer will rely on you to show up to work when you are scheduled to do so, and failure to do this can leave patients without the proper care they need, and can put further strain on the existing staff of the facility you work within.

A further benefit of being thorough is when caring for your patients. Ensuring you clean your patients body, change dressing, and bed covers thoroughly will raise the comfort levels of your patient, while also preventing un-needed disease and infections from arising. Being meticulous in your work and duties, however large or small, is a crucial part of being a CNA, and your employers will count on you having this trait.

Patience is also a vital trait for a Certified Nursing Assistant. In your job you will deal with people who need your assistance for a variety of different reasons, your patients will be fully aware that there are certain tasks they cannot perform by themselves, and as such they will rely on you to help them with this. As a qualified CNA, you will already have the necessary training required to take care of someone, but one thing they do not teach is patience!. This is a quality that if you do not already have, you must ensure you develop it. There will be times where a patient may have difficulties explaining what it is they need or want because of speech or mental difficulties, so you must be prepared to be patient and understanding of this. In a similar vein, some patients may be elderly or physically impaired, and as such cannot walk or move very fast, patience is key to dealing with people like this.

Patience is a vital trait needed to be a good CNA.

Another good trait to have is to be tactful. Your patients will not always be happy, some may be in a mood for one reason or another unknown to you, and some may show little appreciation for the tasks you perform for them. However, as a trained nurse assistant, you must remain civil and cordial. There are certain ways to get a patient to complete their physio exercises, or to move so you can make their bed, without being harsh or abrasive towards them. At no point should you ever show negative behaviour to the patient, whether they are being negative towards you or not. Of course, there is a line that must be drawn, and at no point you should give in to being a patients mental or physical outlet, ie: a punching bag!. As a CNA you must have the ability to express your concerns to the patient (and your superiors) in a civil, respectful and cordial manner.

CNA Training Classes provide you with the technical know how and understanding to perform the job of a nursing assistant successfully. Further developing the above qualitys and traits will be of great service to you and your own character, as well as to the job you perform as a Certified Nursing Assistant.

To become a fully certified nurse assistant in the US, you will be required to take and complete a nurses aide program which is approved by the state you choose to take your training in. Completing a state approved CNA program will ensure that you have completed the necessary number of classroom and clinical hours that are need for qualification and certification.

The CNA certification exam is regulated and administered by each state, and covers both the written and clinical section. For the clinical section of the exam, you must be able to show your ability at bending and moving a patient, measuring the patients output of bodily fluids, taking a patients vital signs, and other various daily maintenance jobs that are related to caring for a patient in a long term care facility or other health institution. Having full comprehension of the required skills will ensure you gain state certification, and recieve a vital placement on the state registry, guaranteeing to employers that your are fully capable of performing the job of a Certified Nursing Assistant, beyond the supervision of a clinical setting.

After you obtain your certification as a nurses aide, its vital that you maintain and increase your skills as you progress. CNA’s in some states are required by law to complete a specific number of hours of continuing education credits (CEU’s) each year in order to maintain and keep their certification. There are some states that even require you work a certain amount of hours each year in order to keep their certification.

As you gain experience as a nursing aide, there may arise opportunities to develop and further your skills, which require more certifications. Nursing assistants are not allowed to distribute medicine to patients, in some states however there is a special position which is called a Certified Medicine Aide. To become a CMA, you must have a CNA certificate, and also have a satisfactory length of employement and experience as a CNA. Upon completion of the course, which can be obtained through organisations such as The Red Cross, a nursing assistant will now have the added ability to distribute medication to patients, and the responsibility that comes with that.

As with most career choices, taking the intiative to increase your range of skills will ensure that you can perform your job above and beyond the required level, increasing your employability and making professional advancement easier.