Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) fill an important role in today’s healthcare industry, providing the most direct and daily care many patients will receive. Depending on the employer, the CNA may also be known as home health aides, personal caregivers, nurse aids, patient care technicians, or other titles, but the basic job description is the same. They are employed almost everywhere inpatient healthcare is provided, including hospitals, long-term care facilities (nursing homes), assisted living facilities, and in the patient’s home, either as self-employed in-home care workers or as employees of an agency that provides such services.
Job Description
Working under the supervision of a nurse, CNAs take care of the most basic daily needs of a patient. Because the CNA has the most daily contact with the patient, she plays in important role in keeping the supervising nurse apprised of a patient’s condition. The CNA is sometimes the first to see conditions that may indicate changes in the patient’s health status. The primary duties of the CNA usually include but are not limited to the following: