Certified Nursing Assistants are individuals that have
an interest in the health care profession, however have not earned their
nursing degree. Many CNAs are in the
process of attending school and earning their degree, however some simply
prefer the job of assisting nurses and working with the patients.
CNA’s Duties
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CNAs can take the temperature of a patient
and record the information. They will
also take blood pressure readings and record the patients pulse.
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CNAs often tend to the hospitalized patient’s
hygiene needs. Helping them to and from
the shower, or providing bed baths to patients that are unable to shower.
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They will check on the patient, and report
back to the nurse any needs or concerns the patient may have.
When a patient calls for assistance, it is most often
the CNA that responds, and calls for the attending nurse if necessary. CNAs also perform the less that desirable
jobs, such as changing bed pans and cleaning up after patients, there has to be
a certain amount of desire to help others and to look beyond the conditions
that can sometimes accompany them.
Nurses Opinion(s)
To sum it up, 8 out of 10 nurses believe certified
nursing assistants are an asset to the patients, and nurses that care for
them. Most nurses say that they always
want to respond to a patient’s call; however 80% of the time, the call does not
require the assistance of a registered nurse. With a CNA paired to a nurse during a shift, they can assist and respond
to the patients’ needs until it requires the nurse. This permits nurses to make better use of
their time, thus benefiting the patient and the hospital itself.
The nurses that did not think certified nurses were of
particular benefit, sited that it takes time to explain what they should do,
and it seemed easier to do it yourself. Another concern was they may make a mistake that would ultimately come
back to the registered nurse. My
personal opinion on this matter is that some people, such as me, prefer to be
in control, and may worry about handing responsibilities off to someone else,
regardless of their capabilities. Certified nurses have adequate training, and once acclimated to working
with a particular nurse, the routine becomes familiar, and the trust prevails
so duties can be turned over without hesitation. Most nurses value the certified nursing assistants
that work with them, and trust their opinion and judgement where the patients
are concerned.
Statistics
The statistics are more factual, and several studies
have been done to determine the effectiveness of certified nursing assistants
within a hospital setting.
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In a hospital with more than 800 beds
indicate CNAs benefit the registered nurses, and add to productivity increasing
it by 28%.
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A hospital with more than 400 beds
indicates similar, as the study showed productivity up 25%.
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It differs with smaller facilities,
hospitals with fewer than 100 beds showed no difference with CNAs assisting
nurses.
Most hospitals would agree that certified nursing
assistants are a valuable part of the medical profession and very much needed
in hospital settings. Since most
registered nurses agree, this is most likely a position that will continue to
be filled. Nursing students often fill
the role of certified nursing assistants, as they have adequate training, and
it offers them valuable experience by hands on training.
The odds are if you ask most nurses, patients, and
doctors their opinion on certified nursing assistants working in medical
facilities, you would hear that they are a valuable asset and they would not
want to be without them. The assistants
often work more hands on with the patients, and can be an asset simply by
responding quickly and offering comfort.
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