Certified Nursing Assistant Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a certified nursing assistant. Feel free to use our certified nursing assistant job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a certified nursing assistant.
Who is a Certified Nursing Assistant?
A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is accountable for direct patient care in hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics. He or she may assist patients who require assistance getting out of bed or transportation to various areas within the medical facility. The majority of medical facilities require certified nursing assistants.
A Certified Nursing Assistant performs a variety of tasks in a medical facility. Changing bedpans, pushing patients in wheelchairs, making beds, feeding and grooming patients, and performing other general duties are just a few of the job duties that this individual may be assigned. He or she may also take vital signs, such as blood pressure and temperature, from patients.
A Certified Nursing Assistant should enjoy interacting with others and have strong interpersonal communication skills. These nursing professionals must be compassionate individuals who are adept at providing comfort to the ill. They collaborate closely with registered nurses (RNs), and as a result, they must be able to follow directions from other medical professionals.
Due to their constant contact with patients, these individuals frequently have more contact with them than other medical professionals in the facility. As a result, they frequently develop genuine relationships with patients. They can monitor patients’ emotional, mental, and physical states and communicate any changes to nurses and physicians.
The job of a certified nursing assistant is physically demanding, as they are frequently required to perform numerous physical tasks. They spend the majority of their shift walking and standing. They may be required to assist patients in or out of bed daily, and because the job is physically demanding, they must learn the proper technique for lifting patients. Incorrect lifting techniques can result in a person injuring his or her back.
Individuals in this position frequently work 40 hours per week and are required to work evenings, weekends, and holidays. Certain positions may require employees to work 10- to 12-hour days.
Certified nursing assistants are most frequently found in doctors’ offices or long-term care facilities. Certified nursing assistants communicate pertinent information to registered nurses (RNs) or licensed vocational nurses in these capacities (LVNs). They may report directly to a physician in a small doctor’s office.
Certified nursing assistants may be involved in monitoring patients and checking for potential problems in long-term care facilities or hospices. Because the majority of CNAs do not perform medical procedures such as medication administration, their primary responsibility is to communicate concerns to supervising RNs or LVNs.
Certified nursing assistants can be invaluable in an emergency. All CNAs receive CPR training and are capable of calling a code blue if a patient’s heart or breathing stops. While doctors and nurses are en route, CNAs can initiate CPR.
Often, certified nursing assistants get to know patients better than nurses do in long-term care facilities. They can then communicate altered mood states to nurses or assist patients in managing hospitalization more effectively. They are unable to provide information about a patient’s medical condition to the patient because they are unable to diagnose illnesses.
Additionally, CNAs may perform other duties, depending on their training and experience. Individuals with phlebotomy training are qualified to draw blood for blood tests. Indeed, some certified nursing assistants work in laboratories to accomplish this.
Certified nursing assistants receive a variety of training. Some states require only on-the-job training, while others require additional coursework. Frequently, CNAs must pass a practical examination to obtain certification.
Certified nursing assistants earn a modest salary. Starting salaries may not exceed the federal minimum wage. CNAs earn a median monthly salary of approximately 2000 US dollars (USD) in larger cities. This figure drops to around 1800 USD per month in rural areas. Frequently, CNAs choose to pursue training as an LVN or RN to significantly increase their salary.
As is the case with the majority of certified employees, CNAs may be required to attend periodic continuing education courses to maintain certification. Often, employers offer classes to save money, as the CNA has little extra money to spend on additional classes.
Certified Nursing Assistant Job Description
Below are the certified nursing assistant job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a certified nursing assistant job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
The duties and responsibilities of a certified nursing assistant include the following:
- Assisting patients with activities of daily living, such as meal delivery and bedpan application
- Assisting patients and ensuring their hygiene
- Recording and monitoring of patient vital signs
- Providing patients with general adjunct care
- Responding to patient calls and determining the best course of action to take to assist them
- Assisting patients or residents with activities such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, walking, or standing
- Transferring, turning, or repositioning hospitalized patients
- Collaborating with physicians, nurses, and caregivers to develop treatment plans for patients and monitor their condition
- Maintaining a record of liquid and food intake, as well as urine and feces output, and communicating any abnormalities or changes to medical personnel.
- Examining patients to determine if they have any medical problems
- Assisting patients with complaints or physical symptoms by listening to and observing
Qualifications
Education
CNAs must possess a minimum of a high school diploma or its equivalent. Many CNAs choose to continue their education by earning an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in nursing. While a post-secondary degree is not required for this position, it does enable you to advance more easily in the nursing field.
Training
To earn the CNA certification, CNAs must complete a clinical training period at an accredited nursing school. This period of training is designed to ensure that a CNA has experience working in a clinical nursing setting. Additionally, it educates CNAs academically about their roles and responsibilities. Training periods vary in length, but are typically between four and twelve weeks, depending on the state in which you live.
Certifications
To work as a CNA in the United States, you must obtain state certification. While each state has its certification process, you must typically complete an accredited certified nursing training program and pass the CNA certification examination to earn the credential. If you continue your education in nursing school, you may be able to apply your certifications to additional positions in the nursing field, making you a more competitive candidate and increasing your earning potential.
Essential Skills
- Care and attention
Personal care is a critical skill for a CNA to possess. A nursing assistant’s job description includes ensuring that they and their patients maintain proper hygiene and are constantly monitoring the patient’s vital signs. Personal care is included in the majority of nursing assistant tests, which typically require students to demonstrate each skill using step-by-step procedures. Understanding the personal care skills will assist you in preparing for the CNA skills test.
- Infection control
Infection control is a critical task that all healthcare professionals must perform. Basic knowledge of infection prevention and contamination prevention is critical for a variety of reasons, most notably preventing contagious diseases from spreading throughout the healthcare facility. The most critical skill required for infection control is the ability to adhere to health procedures and protocols precisely. It is critical to understand how infections spread to prevent them.
- Communication and conduct
One of the skills that CNAs must possess is effective communication. Numerous CNA tasks require interaction and communication with patients, their families, and other healthcare professionals. As a nursing assistant, you will interact with a variety of individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds. This means that interpersonal skills are a necessary component of the job of a nursing assistant.
Effective communication is critical for CNA success, and it entails a high level of professionalism, empathic communication, and a behavioral approach. This means that CNAs must understand how to act and communicate with respect toward their patients and coworkers in the health care field.
- Environmental stewardship
A certified nursing assistant’s responsibilities include all aspects of patient care, including ensuring that the patient is in a safe and clean environment. This means that in addition to providing medical care, a nursing assistant must perform hospitality duties and maintain a patient’s medical equipment continuously.
- Safety and rehabilitation
A nursing assistant’s top priorities include safety and rehabilitation. The job requires a high level of knowledge and skill to ensure the patient’s safety while in the care of the healthcare institution.
In most cases, patients will require movement to maintain physical functions, position them comfortably, and transport them to designated areas for tests and treatments. In this case, a nursing assistant must understand how to move the patient properly and safely.
- Nutrition
Taking care of patients entails monitoring their nutritional intake through food and assisting them with medication administration. These are critical tasks inherent in the certified nursing assistant’s job. This task requires considerable patience and persuasive abilities, particularly with young and elderly patients who are typically resistant to feeding and medication.
How to Become a Nursing Assistant
- Complete your high school education.
Before enrolling in a CNA program, you must obtain a high school diploma or GED. If you are interested in becoming a CNA, it may be beneficial to take biology and anatomy classes during your senior year of high school to help prepare you for your CNA training. Consider volunteering at a nursing home, hospital, or other health care facility to determine if the CNA career path is right for you. This gives you a realistic picture of what it’s like to work in the medical field.
- Complete a training program
After earning your GED or high school diploma, you’ll need to enroll in an approved CNA training program. CNA classes are held at community colleges, high schools, vocational schools, nursing homes, and hospitals. It is critical to find a program that is approved and recognized by your state’s nursing board. You can also enroll in online CNA classes, which will result in a shorter period of in-person training once the online classes are completed.
Anatomy, medical terminology, pharmacology, and physiology are all topics covered in the training programs. You will be prepared to communicate with nurses and doctors effectively. Depending on the educational institution, the program takes between one and four months to complete.
After completing your coursework, you will engage in clinical work under the supervision of an experienced registered nurse. You will learn how to take vital signs, change bedding, and comfort the patient during clinical work.
- Apply for licensure
Because each state has its requirements for CNAs, you must apply for a license in the state in which you intend to work after completing your training. The application requires you to provide your name, phone number, address, social security number, driver’s license or state identification number, criminal history, physical description, and any disciplinary actions taken against you in connection with any type of medical licensing.
Additionally, you must report the institution where you completed your CNA training. You must submit documentation of your completed CNA training, or you may request that your school submit it directly to your state’s nursing board.
- Complete the certification exam
You may be required to meet state-specific requirements before sitting for the CNA certification exam. Among the requirements are HIV/AIDS training, 85 hours of training, a background check, and a physical and mental health examination.
The exam is administered by a third party and is divided into two sections: written and clinical. The written section of the exam is approximately 90 minutes long and consists of 60 multiple-choice questions. The second section of the exam, which lasts approximately 40 minutes, requires you to demonstrate certain abilities, including the following:
- Assisting a patient with bedpan use
- Changing bed linens while the patient is still in bed
- Changing the patient’s position from back to the side
- Assisting a patient with dressing
- Obtaining the radial pulse of a patient
You will have three chances to pass each section of the CNA examination. Both sections of the exam must be passed within two years of completing your CNA training. If you are unable to complete this requirement, you will be required to retake the CNA training program and reapply for licensure. When you pass the test, you will be considered a CNA and should receive your certificate within a couple of weeks.
- Preserve your certification
Recertification for CNAs requires at least 48 hours of continuing education. CNAs must recertify every 24 months. The majority of states require CNAs to complete 12 hours of education each year for two years.
Where to Work as a Certified Nursing Assistant
CNAs work in a variety of settings, including general hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes. Since patients in these organizations require treatment and care 24 hours a day, CNAs typically work long shifts that may fall during any hour of the day. CNAs may be required to work holidays and weekends. CNAs spend the majority of their workday moving between patients, performing standard diagnostics, and assisting patients with daily routines. CNAs are frequently assigned to the same patients for extended periods, but this is not always the case.
Certified Nursing Assistant Salary Scale
In the United States, the national average salary for a Certified Nursing Assistant is $36,042.
