Basic Duties Of A Certified Nursing Assistant
The basic entry point in to the healthcare industry is becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant
. Unlike the doctors and the registered nurses who need to spend a minimum of 3 years or more to get the necessary qualification to become a health care industry professional, a certified nursing assistant can take up the profession after completing the basic schooling studies and a series of training sessions related to nursing.
Typically, the training session can last anywhere between 8 to 20 weeks, during which essential duties related to patient care, first aid, and such other essential things will be taught, both in theory and in practical classes. More than normal proficiency in mathematical skills will be an added advantage for a person having completed the high school courses, as the certified nursing assistant might be required to do some calculations while providing medication to the patients.
Before discussing more about the duties and responsibilities of a certified nursing assistant, it is essential to have a broad overview of the healthcare industry and the special characteristics that the profession demands in the industry.
The job of a Certified Nursing Assistant is not merely in the medical care industry, but it is related to the personal care industry. Why choose this job in the healthcare profession? It is no doubt true that remuneration for the job is relatively less. But, the mental satisfaction one derives in extending a helping hand to the patients and making an impact in their lives cannot be explained in any simple terms, and can only be experienced.
Compassion, helping tendency and service-mindedness are some of the additional qualities that a healthcare professional should possess in addition to other qualities required to become a professional. The mental strength, the patience and the dedication, as can be visualized in the Lady with the Lamp - Florence Nightingale - are hallmarks of a successful healthcare professional.
What actually does a certified nursing assistant do?
A certified nursing assistant acts as an assistant to a registered nurse or a qualified nurse. The certified nursing assistant is the first person who interacts with the patient in the hospital, or a nursing home, and invariably will be the last person met by the patient before he or she leaves the hospital as a person.
Normal duties of a certified nursing assistant include recording the problems of the patient, performing some basic and vital tests, extending all possible assistance to the patient to make him or her feel comfortable, maintaining records, preparing the patient for the tests, administering medication at frequent intervals, and updating the registered nurse about the developments in the patient's health.
The duties of a certified nursing assistant do not end with the normal duties mentioned above. It goes beyond these normal duties. They extend all services that are referred to as activities of daily living, depending upon the severity of the health condition. These duties include, but not just restricted to, bathing, toileting, shaving, and feeding the patient. The duty also includes transferring the patient from one place to other place or making positional adjustments such that the patient does not feel bedsores.
Being closer to the patient and extending all possible assistance to the patient during his or her stay in the hospital and seeing the patient return to normalcy, completely cured of the ailment, will be the most satisfying moment for any certified nursing assistant. A sense of satisfaction, having made an impact in the patient's life, will be most rewarding feeling only a certified nursing assistant can experience the most.
by: Tami Atila
Certified Nursing Assistant - Whew!! Wait Until U Take A Look At This! Evolution Of Nursing Uniforms - How They Have Changed Nursing Uniforms: Why They Matter The Benefits Of Using Nursing Care Beds Looking To Move Into Nursing Administration? Earn A Masters Degree In Nursing What Is Nursing? What Do Nurses Do? Helping Hands Of A Certified Nursing Assistant How to Become a Certified Nursing Assistant? How to Find the Correct Accelerated Nursing Plan Nursing Shortages In The United States All About Cardiac Care Nursing Nursing And Unions - Are You Union Made? The Importance Of Nursing In The Military