A CNA is a specialized care provider that’s trained to help the sick and injured get needed treatment. They can come to you, the patient, or the doctor to address your needs.
As the name suggests, a CNA is trained in medicine, but not all of the time. They can also handle other medical needs such as surgery or medication management.
medically oriented with an emphasis on health and wellness. As an advanced level credential, the NCCN offers its certified nursing assistants (CNAs) a chance to demonstrate their additional clinical skills like case management and patient safety promotion. Case management refers to providing assistance with planning and organizing everyday activities for an individual, while patient safety promotion refers to helping staff members learn how to prevent potential harm in patients.
Because of their advanced level of certification, many employers contact CNAs when looking for a new job because they recognize their skill set is specifically aimed at helping employees succeed in this environment.
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Document patient behavior
A cna works as a doctor’s assistant. Cnas study medicine and work as doctors’ assistants, taking care of patients while the doctor is out of the room or on a phone call.
While cnases can be hired by medical facilities, they are also available as private assistants. Since their job is to take care of patients while the doctor is on duty, their duties may include preparing patients for care, doing patient follow-ups, and even running the office when the doctor is not present.
It is critical for a cna to be able to document patient behavior. If the patient becomes agitated or if they lose control during treatment, then being able to document this will help get another visit off quickly.
Bullet point 16: Treat physical symptoms first
One rule for treating a patient is to try everything else first before attempting psychological or psychiatric treatment. This includes finding out what allergies they have, how they react to medications, and which therapies work best for them. It also includes trying non-drug therapies such as massage or exercise.
Help patients get in and out of bed
As CNA’s, we help patients get out of bed, dress, take care of medical needs, etc. We also help them get around the house and into the office or hospital.
In this era of technology, patients most need us when they are in the hospital or receiving medical care. We can help them get up and down the stairs, take a walk or two a week, and work with us on how to manage their daily activities.
We can also help them find ways to manage their health after leaving the hospital including managing personal health care. People who have this kind of strength can fall into love with their jobs!
Salaries for a CNA vary based on what type of treatment they provide. You can look up statistics at www.aca-na.org/careers/salary/. A general rule is that paying more will likely mean that you gain more knowledge and care skills in your job.
Help patients with dressing
A cna works in a medical facility as an aide to patients who need help with dressing. He or she may help people with foot orthoses, compression socks, brace garments, and the like.
Some patients wear nothing but a diaper every day! This is why the cna needs to be trained in how to help people with dressing difficulties.
In one setting, patients wore paper booties that had to be removed and replaced each day. In this setting, the patient had to wear a comfortable pair of socks with their diaper.
In another setting, patients wore foot orthoses that they would place on and remove. The patient would have to position their foot in the ankle boot and hold it there until it was warm enough for them to sleep in it.
In either setting, the patient has some difficulty changing their diapers often due to the time it takes to update the system.
Educate patients about their condition
A cna works with people who have a medical condition to help them understand how their body responds to the medical condition and how it can be helped.
This includes teaching patients about their condition, how it is treated with medicine, and helping them understand if and when surgery is necessary.
Surgery is the most common medical procedure done as a cna. About one in five people have a surgery, including routine checkups.
Many people are surprised to learn that they don’t have to be trained in medicine to be a good doctor. In fact, some argue that though patients may not realize it at first, a good doctor can make an enormous difference in their health.
Being able to help patients understand their health conditions is important for confidence and quality of life. It is also helpful to know what medicine they are taking because of side effects or more effective treatments.
Prepare patients for further testing
Before any test is administered, the CNA should spend a few minutes talking with the patient to discuss possible test results. This can include asking questions such as what they have been doing or exercising, what they have been doing to reduce stress, and whether they are eating and sleeping well.
It is important to have this conversation because the CNA may be able to help if the patient has an early result or poor recovery from their health issue. The CNA can monitor patient progress and answer questions about their mood and motivation during this time.
Have a plan for answers to questions that may be difficult for the patient to answer such as how long it has taken them, whether they are afraid of the result, and whether they want more testing done. Having these answers ready will help make this process easier for everyone.
During any test a patient undergoes, the CNA should always pay attention to their own health. Whether it is taking a break or having an update in place, you must always take care of yourself.
Move patients to other rooms or locations
A certified nursing assistant (CNA) helps patients with a number of tasks. Some of the more common tasks you can work as include: moving patients with difficulty, lifting small objects, changing bed sheets, cleaning wound care tools, preparing meals, and taking care of other needs such as bathing or shopping.
Movement is one of the best ways to practice self-care so becoming good at preparing patient meals is a great way to learn how to help your patients feel more comfortable. In the healthcare environment, eating and drinking are two very normal things to avoid doing.
Eating is critical for health; one reason meals are so often avoided is because they’re usually not eaten in good quality time. Prepared by someone who didn’t know very well what they were doing, patient meal preparations can be a bad experience for the patient.
It is important to know how to help your patients feel more comfortable while also meeting your needs (eating, drinking, and sleeping).
Assist patients with walking exercises
Cnas can help patients with walking exercises. This includes carrying a patient up and down stairs, helping them maneuver around the house or hospital environment, and aid in the design of walkers and shoes.
Many patient care specialists work as part-time employees or independent contractors. Because of this, their job security is tied to the health care system as a whole. As such, they may focus on high-impact exercises to improve muscle strength and mobility.
To help achieve this, they may use an indoor or outdoor variety of exercise equipment. A patient safety specialist might also work alongside a cna to improve fitness and safety for patients.
Transport non-ambulatory patients to beds or chairs
A cna works as a nurse’s aide, transporting non-ambulatory patients to beds or chairs. Most hospitals have designated rooms for the disabled, so if a patient needs a bed or a wheelchair assist, they can get it.
In order to be an aide, you must have some medical experience in order to transport patients, so you learn what patients need and how to get it. Some require medication adjustments and/or machines to be carried, while others only request help in that way.
You can join the healthcare industry as an aide for paid or volunteer work. Contact your local hospital if you would like to make this career change.
Bullet point: Administer pain medications and other medical treatments
In order to become a certified medical assistant (cavernous), you must have lab testing expertise, knowledge of doctors’ prescriptions, and know how to take care of the sick. All three are needed in your job as an assistant.