CNA Responsibilities and Expectations

Learning about the responsibilities of a certified nursing assistant before beginning the program of study to obtain the certification can be an effective way to ensure the student is up for the challenge that comes with the type of nursing that allows the nurse to interact directly with the patient through the course of care.

What are some of the responsibilities that are required of a CNA through a clinical care environment?

• Sample collection is an important part of the role and can include the CNA being required to collect stool and urine samples, as well as the nursing assistant being required to collect other swabs of bodily fluids that can be run through diagnostic and laboratory tests. Samples are labeled and delivered to the laboratory or drop-off by the CNA that either collects the sample alone or assists in the sample collection that has been initiated by the patient.
• Moving patients from bed to bed or room to room or even repositioning patients after they have had surgery or repositioning patients that are unable to move so they do not develop bed sores while in hospital, that can lead to infections.

What are the expectations of a CNA in the workplace? The expectations of a certified nursing assistant in the workplace vary from the responsibility or interaction with patients and ensuring that emotional support is provided through the time in the hospital, to ensuring that the patient has the answers to any questions and concerns that they may have. If unable to answer the questions of the patient, the nursing assistant will relay the question to a nurse or physician to obtain the answer, or have the nurse or physician speak with the patient directly.

The Certified nursing assistant is directly involved in the care of the patient through the care provided on a daily basis. Through the course of the shift, the nursing assistant is required to provide assistance through daily bathing and routine activities of the patient, ensuring that the patient has assistance while showering or in the bath if required, as well as ensuring that the patient takes the medication as directed that has been distributed by nurses.

The nursing assistant will observe and relay information to the nurses and physicians that are working on the team, as well as performing simple tasks on the patient. These simple tasks can include dressing the patient or changing non-sterile bandages and other types of dressing for the patient.