CNA Description – What Does a Certified Nursing Assistant Do?

You know how hectic the hospital setting can be if you’ve ever been a patient for any length of time. What you may also know is that it might not have been a nurse who responded to your calls for assistance. It was more likely a certified nursing assistant, or CNA. These compassionate men and women are the vanguard medical workers who clean, dress, feed and do so much more for the patients in their care. For medical personnel and patients, this technical CNA description barely scratches the surface of what these professionals do each day.

Depending upon the state, CNAs must complete a multi-week course, which could be anywhere from six to twelve weeks long. These courses cover everything from basic nursing skills, to anatomy and physiology, to diet and disease control. But according to the CNA description their training cannot stop there. A clinical course, or hands-on class, is also mandated; putting all of what the CNA has studied into practice with real, live patients.

Certified nursing assistant jobs are diverse, even though a lot of well-known facilities advertise for workers, using the typical CNA description. Healthcare facilities are not apprehensive about employing students right out of school, because the new graduates have the clinical experience as part of their schooling. New graduates can anticipate earning between $20,000 and $30,000 depending upon the facility that employs them.

The basic CNA description comprises essential patient care services, such as bathing, dressing, grooming and feeding. The close daily contact with the patients and residents is possibly the most important part of a certified nursing assistant’s job. Particularly in long term care situations, this close association is an important foundation. The certified nursing assistants are on the front lines, while the nurses and doctors do not have daily contact with patients and residents, and the CNAs are usually the first to note significant changes in the behavior and condition of their patients. Communicating this information to the doctors and nurses can be lifesaving.

Your CNA service will probably be at a nursing home, assisted living facility, hospital, or even a private home. Your dream job is waiting!