Prior to joining any CNA training program, we recommend that you understand the duties of a CNA or Certified Nursing Assistant. Once you have the right idea of these duties and responsibilities, you can be better mentally prepared to take the challenge of becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant.

In general, duties and range of responsibilities of a CNA would depend on the place you work, the state in which you reside and your position. In simple words, as a CNA, you would have to work under an attending nurse, and you would be expected to be her ‘eyes and the ears’.

The first and foremost duty and main obligation of a CNA is to take proper care of her patients.  As a nurse assistant, you would be responsible for the daily care and routine management of your patient.  This is especially the case when you would be assigned to take care of geriatric or elderly patients in nursing homes and day care facilities for older people.  You may also have to assist doctors and nurses to care for patients who are mentally disabled, physically disabled, ill, or injured.

As a CNA, you are expected to be quick in observations and to be able to take the right action in case any emergencies arise.  Every institution will have its own set of protocols for various procedures to be followed during the emergencies, and you’d be expected to comply with them.  You are thus responsible for the total health care package and program for your patients.   The nurse supervising you will depend on your reports about the patients. You need to feel comfortable going to the Nursing staff for assistance if the need arises. You should have good communication skills to communicate effectively in case something requires immediate attention from a Nurse.

If you work for a nursing home or hospital, your specific tasks and objectives will vary from unit to unit.  Your main duties will usually include monitoring and recording vital signs: temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure, and assess the level of pain of the patient.  Your duties will often include taking patient history.  Some units will have other specific duties, such as offering assistance with eating, dressing, and moving your patient.

The Nursing Assistant profession demands a personality to be able to meet the challenging requirements. As a nurse assistant, you will have to remember that the facility where you work has a responsibility to provide the highest possible level of care to the patients.

There is a severe shortage of qualified nurse assistants because of the high turnover rate in this profession.  The high turnover is mainly due to stress and burnout, which is the result of continually feeling overwhelmed by your job duties. It is important that you pay attention to your stress and burnout, as patient care suffers the first in case of job burnouts.

The duties of a CNA or Certified Nursing Assistant are always challenging, but at the same time they can be enormously exciting, rewarding, and very satisfying. If you think you are interested in pursuing a career as Certified Nursing Assistant, you should take the next steps of obtaining your CNA certification.

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