What Does a Nursing Assistant Do?
- Written By: Tricia Ellis-Christensen
- Edited By: O. Wallace
- Last Modified Date: 06 March 2013
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Copyright Protected:
2003-2013 Conjecture Corporation
A nursing assistant is a trained professional who supports the nursing staff in hospitals, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation clinics, and in doctor’s offices in providing basic care for patients. The job can require ability to lift patients, great people skills, a sense of humor and tolerance for cleanup and care of patients who cannot fully care for themselves. Most nursing assistants, who may also be called healthcare workers, undergo training through programs offered by colleges, medical or technical schools, and through organizations like the Red Cross. Training is usually completed within a few weeks to a few months, depending upon the individual program, and classes are frequently taught by registered nurses (RNs). Most nursing assistant jobs require certification, which may be gained through participating in a class and passing examinations at the end.
The certified nursing assistant assists in the basic human needs of the healthcare profession. They may help to bathe patients, feed them, change diapers or beds, empty bedpans, and help patients to bathroom or toileting facilities. They are also trained to take vitals, which are measurements of pulse, blood pressure, and respiration, and are responsible for charting vitals several times during each shift. The nursing assistant also needs to be fully aware of any changes in vitals, and any significant changes in a patient’s condition, and report such to the nursing staff.
In facilities where patients are hospitalized for long periods of time, it is usually the nursing assistant, sometimes with the help of hospital orderlies, who will help patients turn over every couple of hours so they don’t develop bedsores. A nursing assistant may be the first responder when a patient calls for help, and the job can require some pretty heavy lifting when patients who are ill or recovering need to get up to walk around, change their clothing, or get to the bathroom. It requires some physical strength and knowledge of safe lifting tactics to work as a nursing assistant.
Some nursing assistants may additionally support patients by helping them with prescribed physical or respiratory therapy exercises. In long term care facilities, nursing assistants can be trained to help exercise patients who are paralyzed or in comas. These health care workers may also work with patients in home care settings, and may be the primary caretakers for patients recovering from conditions or who have long term disabling conditions.
The many jobs a nursing assistant performs frees up nurses to provide care that requires greater training, like administering IV medications and starting IVs, giving appropriate medications on time, charting and noting significant changes in a patient’s health, and alerting doctors to potential problems. In many care settings, the higher patient-to-nurse ratio in recent years is a matter that can be somewhat resolved by skilled nursing assistants. Yet, the amount of work required for these assistants can be significant and exhausting when patient-to-nurse ratio is particularly high.
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anon307281
Post 35 |
Being a CNA is a rewarding job of its own. You do start anywhere from $9-$12 an hour. You do not give out the meds or do what a doctor does. You check vitals, clean up after them, bathe them, change them (if needed), feed them (if needed), and empty caths. If you are a soft-hearted person and get your emotions hurt easily, then this is not a job for you. But you do get to know your residents, and learn all their history and these amazing stories they have to tell you. |
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anon306997
Post 34 |
I've been reading everything everyone has said because I truly want to become a CNA (I've been volunteering as a NA at a hospital for the past year). I've got what it takes with all of my heart and soul. However, I cannot believe that such a challenging job pays so little! It's such a difficult job, very tiring, not something your average human being wants to do or can do. It's almost sacred if you ask me, and very important in terms of the patient's well-being. CNAs give their heart out out there. They absorb all the pain the patient is feeling and yet find the strength to give strength to the patient. They go home exhausted and with so many thoughts, and tomorrow it's back to the old drawing board. They should at least be paid enough to not have to worry about their bills, especially if they've got a family of their own and are always too tired to spent some "quality" time with them! It's the kind of job that literally burns you out as the years go by. A little more appreciation wouldn't hurt anyone. |
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anon301949
Post 33 |
I am a first year nursing assistant here in Australia and my hourly rate is $18.78, but after I do 1,200 hours that pay will increase. I acknowledge that the job is stressful and yucky at times but overall I love my job. Time management in this job is vital! Those who hate being in this type of work for whatever reason, or who lose their compassion for the patients or residents, should seriously consider changing their career as there isn't and shouldn't be any room for people like that in this industry. |
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anon300002
Post 32 |
A STNA, CNA and nurse assistant are all the same -- nothing. Put it on the one who does all the work for the least pay. I've been doing this for almost 30 years and the job I have now pays the least of any in the last five to 10 years. And yet they don't feel you're doing enough or working hard enough, event when you have been in the someone room 15 times in 10 minutes for the same thing, have given three showers, and wiped five dirty bottoms, but nope you're not doing anything. Then a nurse needs a blood pressure on someone so she can give blood pressure meds and is standing a foot from the blood pressure machine. So my advice to anyone thinking about doing this, is don't. You might get stuck like have for 25 years and hate your job as much as I do now. |
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anon298967
Post 31 |
You can look up a lot of that stuff on the bureau of labor and statistics site to find out pay and working environment, etc. |
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anon278331
Post 30 |
I completed my short course on AIN and with the two weeks of work experience I did, I loved every bit of it. In Sydney it's $20-22 hourly but it just depends which age care facility you work at. |
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anon277930
Post 29 |
If I were a young person today, I would be seeking the training and/or the job that will have benefits for me in my retirement years. Otherwise, go for a high paying job that will allow you to save enough money for your retirement. Don't work for minimum wages unless you plan on working your entire life. One day you'll be burned out with the aging process and money saved will be a blessing for your survival. |
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anon276577
Post 28 |
My sister is a nursing assistant and she hates her job! Not because she doesn't like helping the people, but because the job is hard and the pay is really low for the job duties. She comes home tired and has lost her appetite to do what she has to do. Now she regrets it because they do not pay what they should for that type of work. Being a CNA is not worth it. |
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anon260083
Post 26 |
CNA = Certified bleep Wipers! Find a different career. Seriously, I have been doing it for over a year and it is nasty and the pay stinks. |
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anon257407
Post 25 |
I'm only 13 and I want to be an assistant nurse. I know I'm very young right not but I'll get there and it might be a lot of work frustration and stress but at the end of the day, you are helping those who can't help themselves. The best part about my soon to be job is the smiles I will bring to peoples faces. |
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anon217170
Post 24 |
I was a CNA for two years, and I hated it. You work long, awful hours. Also, most starting salaries are 8-11 dollars an hour. Most of CNAs work in long term care facilities, so if you don't mind wiping people's butts (literally), then go for it. |
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anon207500
Post 23 |
How much does a nursing assistant make in miami fl? |
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anon206804
Post 22 |
That sounds like an awful job. I wanted to get into health care, but now I'm not sure. |
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anon187087
Post 21 |
Being a nursing assitant, a person should manage to control his stress. |
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anon167843
Post 20 |
i want to become a nursing assistant because i want to help other people. |
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anon164794
Post 19 |
I'm a high school graduated and I'm a college graduate on my medical with associate degree and now I'm taking classes for nursing assistant because i like helping people in need. being a nursing assistant was all i wanted it to be. |
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anon163990
Post 18 |
Wages will vary depending on where you work and what type of facility you work at. The same thing goes for patient to nurse ratios. In recent years, the patient to nurse ratio has changed and that has caused some stress and controversy among nurses. The number of patients in Minnesota has increased and the number of nurses has decreased. There have been a few strikes here because of that. Sources: 33 years as a nurse (Some as an LPN, some as a RN), experience |
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anon135658
Post 17 |
I just started working as a nursing assistant. It's tough work. I have 12-14 patients to bathe, dress and change. What a hassle and workout. |
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anon101498
Post 16 |
i would love to be a nurse's assistant in order to help people who are in need, but I am an african and my language is not that fluent. Would I be chosen for the programme? |
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anon98218
Post 15 |
is it really all about the money? have you thought about the person you will be helping, or is that not important? Really now, how about the crap you'll be taking from some jerk of a supervisor and all the little things you'll be blamed for? After all, crap rolls down hill. |
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anon95493
Post 14 |
here in australia, an aged care assistant gets $17.90 for the first 12 months then $25.80 thereafter. |
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anon89324
Post 13 |
i believe it's anywhere from 11- 15 dollars. depending on where you live. |
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anon77406
Post 11 |
i need help on nurse assistants, because i am doing a four-page bibliography on nurse assistants. |
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anon67726
Post 10 |
i want to become an assistant nurse because i love to help those who are in need. |
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anon66891
Post 9 |
what are the requirements to become an assistant? |
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anon64336
Post 8 |
What is the patient ratio for a nursing assistant in an acute hospital? Does anybody know? |
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anon63122
Post 7 |
i would like to be a nurse assistant but my language is not good because i just came from another country. i'm not sure if I can be a nurse assistant. Will i have to speak a lot or not? |
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anon52321
Post 6 |
I didn't know someone could train as a nurse assistant in France? I would like more information in becoming a nurse assistant in France? Could information be provided? Garibay, from Calfornia, U.S.A. |
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tonyromofan
Post 5 |
I am a french nursing assistant, and I want to work in the United States. how could I do that? thank you |
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anon47427
Post 4 |
A CNA cannot handle or distribute prescription medication, correct? |
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anon40338
Post 3 |
how much does a nurse assistant make at north california? |
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hotrox38
Post 2 |
how much money does a nurses assistant make in north carolina? |
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anon18220
Post 1 |
how much does a nurse asst make? |
