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Certified Nursing Assistant: A Typical Day at Work

If you are considering getting a job as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) then you probably will want to know how a typical day would go. CNAs have a busy schedule that is patient intensive and a regular day would go something like this:

Assist your patients in getting dressed

First thing in the morning, you would assist your patients in getting dressed, go to the bathroom, wash up and brush their teeth. Then, you would probably help feed them their breakfast and check their vital signs or give them any needed medications. The patients rely 100 percent on the CNA for many of their everyday needs.

Helping the patients to get appointments

In the afternoon, you would be helping the patients to get to their appointments, change the bed sheets, help feed them lunch or otherwise help them with things like bathroom visits, medications or any other sort of thing they need.

Help patients to eat dinner

In the evening, once again you would help them eat dinner, take vital signs, or do any other tasks that they are unable to do for themselves such as baths or other nighttime things like helping them into their pajamas. You might also be asked to do a few simple chores for the patient.

As you can see, it is a job of servitude, but also a very rewarding job at the same time, as you get the satisfaction of helping with the patients and knowing that you are needed and appreciated.

For some patients, you have to get used to not so pleasant jobs like changing adult diapers or cleaning up after a patient who has vomited, etc. These tasks show some of the unpleasant side.

Some other job duties as a CNA

Other things you will do are helping the nurses with their tasks and reporting things to the nurse like vital signs, how the patient is feeling, their mental state, etc. You are also there for moral support and to help the family cope with their loved one being ill.

In order to become a CNA, you have to attend a certain amount of hours of specials classes and then pass a certification exam specific to the state in which you want to work. CNAs can work several places, including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, private homes, assisted living facilities and other locations.

The job of CNA is very much in demand today, and the outlook for jobs is expected to stay high in this important field of work. It takes a special person to become a CNA, but if you can handle the stress that goes along with the knowledge that you are helping people that are unable to help themselves.

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Jakie S

I have been a CNA in the state of California since 1995. One of my passions in life is to help people and help others who want to expand their careers and become CNAs.

1 Response

  1. Yolanda Sturdivant says:

    I put my finger on what I should be doing. I am currently in the process of looking into finding a CNA course near me that is reasonable in price. I want to start immediately. I was considering previously of taking a pharmacy course. I started looking into programs then I though Wow; I finally put my finger on it. I like the feeling of helping people and at the same time I can get paid for something that gives me a rewarding feeling. I am good at business and such, but it doesn’t give me that feeling that would be lasting; such as assisting people.

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