Certified nursing assistants, also known as CNAs, are responsible for a variety of duties within healthcare settings. Some of those responsibilities include administrative assistance, performance of basic clinical procedures, transport of patients within the healthcare facility, provision of assistance to nurses and working with physicians as directed. CNAs may also help and work alongside other medical workers.

A nursing assistant's job can be physically demanding at times. A CNA may be required to stand for long periods, often must move swiftly between departments or rooms and otherwise should be prepared to remain mobile and active during a shift. It is also frequently required for a nursing assistant to lift heavy objects and even help patients move about, such as when lifting them from one bed to another, into wheelchairs and during other times of need.

The Nursing Assistant's Role

Nursing assistants are primarily focused upon personal care of patients. This is often for elderly, ill, injured or disabled individuals. Care may be provided in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospice environments, hospitals, community based long term care facilities, correctional institutions and other care settings. CNAs are also often called upon to work in home care environments, including the personal homes of individuals needing assistance in daily living.

Nursing assistants often work under the supervision of licensed nurses who may provide direction regarding daily duties and care of patients. Regardless of the setting or type of institution of employment, nursing assistants are an integral part of the provision of patient care.

Common Daily Duties of Nursing Assistant

There are many tasks which a nursing assistant may perform throughout each day of work. Below are some of the most common:

Patient Assessment
CNAs are often responsible for monitoring and recording patient vital signs. Temperature, pulse, blood pressure and respiration are the most common vitals to which a nursing assistant will pay attention. There may be specialized equipment used by a patient with which a CNA may need to provide help or check for operational or maintenance issues, such as an oxygen tank or CPAP. Nursing assistants also monitor diet, bodily functions and weight. CNAs are often required to collect specimens for laboratory analysis, observe behavior and record response to care within patient files.

Personal Care
Daily personal needs are often very difficult, if not impossible, for patients cared for by CNAs. A nursing assistant may help with toilet needs, bathing, dressing and mealtime activities. They also aid in oral hygiene, grooming and skincare.

Movement and Transport
Bedridden patients must be turned and repositioned often to prevent bed sores, ensure adequate healing and aid with comfort. Nursing assistants do this and also help transfer patients from bed to wheelchair, wheelchair to bathroom facilities and as part of other mobility scenarios. CNAs often aid mobile patients in walking, sitting up, standing and in pursuit of exercise.

Personal Space
Patient comfort, health and dignity must all be considered throughout provision of care. With this in mind, nursing assistants may clean a patient's room, change bed linens and assist with laundry.

Socialization
Nursing assistants provide one of the most important services for patient well-being. That is, they interact socially with patients and engage in conversations, provide moral support and are present at times when a patient needs comfort. This emotional and social support in the healthcare setting is performed with compassion and understanding for the patient's culture, religion and level of comprehension. Post-Mortem Care
For nursing assistants working in assisted living, long term care or hospital settings, post-mortem care may be a common task. As part of this, the patient's body may require bathing and dressing as they typically would during life, in preparation for transportation to the funeral home or morgue.

Educational and Skill Requirements

Those desiring to become a certified nursing assistant will need a postsecondary certificate following their high school or general equivalency diploma. Most regions offer programs toward CNA certification or as nurse's aid coursework. A state competency exam and on-the-job training may also be required. Some cities, states and institutions have other certification standards.

A nursing assistant must have strong communication skills and be able to relate to patients with compassion. The CNA must be able to learn and properly use equipments and technologies such as computer software, vital signs measurement equipment and a multitude of other gadgets and products. Beyond becoming a CNA, a nursing assistant may gain education and certification as a registered nursing assistant (RNA), licensed nursing assistant (LNA) or state tested and approved nursing assistant (STNA).

Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant

There are two steps to becoming a certified nursing assistant:

Complete a CNA Program - These certificate programs are offered through community colleges, vocational schools, some hospitals and nursing homes. At the end of the program which may only be a few months in duration, a nursing assistant will be prepared to perform all of the duties of their role. To best prepare for a CNA program, high school students should take courses in reading, English and mathematics.

Become Certified - All states offer competency exams. When a nursing assistant passes this exam, the state then registers the nursing assistant as ready for employment within regulated settings such as nursing homes. Completion of this exam with a passing score also provides the student with a title such as CNA or a similar one, as this varies from state-to-state.

To get ready for this test, nursing assistant program graduates can take preparation courses or apply what they learned in classes toward personal study. There may be additional state requirements for full qualification, such as a background check or other coursework. The state board of nursing or health provides information about local requirements.