subject: CNA Job Duties and Responsibilities: What Are They? [print this page] CNA Job Duties and Responsibilities: What Are They?
Ask a nursing assistant how important the word "assistant" is associated to their job. They will tell you the daily responsibilities of a CNA is of great importance in that they help doctors and RN's help with patient needs which otherwise might be met timely and with proper care. Never underestimate the value of an position that has the word "assistant" in it. Especially a certified nursing assistant.
Here are some of the important roles that a certified nursing assistant (CNA) may fill on a daily basis:Physical Support to Patients: Patients might not be able to do basic needs such as bathing or eating and that where a CNA's role comes in. Nurses themselves have important roles they do daily and when it come to the nursing assistant the daily roles are just as important as that of the nurse. As advice or direction can be given in real life instances, have the nurse on hand can provide you with a greater learning curve that others.
Technical Support to Nurses: Technical requests can be asked of a CNA as registered nurses can be unable to complete do to the number of patients they may have. These tasks may have to do with helping with medical equipment or checking the vital signs of the patients that are being cared for. As these are important specialized tasks, it best for your career that these be preformed in a efficiently and correctly.
Support to Patients both Socially and Emotionally: One important role and CNA has, is being emotionally and socially supportive as a patient is being cared for. Many patients will struggle with their loss of independence and will rely on you and your supervisors for support with the struggles. You can remind them how much they have to be thankful for and just how they can handle these struggles that plague them every day.
The best part of the everyday tasks that you will perform as a CNA is that every one of your roles will teach you a skill that you will need in your career. Regardless of if you continue to be a CNA or you become a registered nurse you will continue to use the skills that you learned in the beginning.
