Career Overview of a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

• A certified nursing assistant, or CNA have an important role and necessary role in healthcare! Certified nursing assistants may also be called a nursing assistant, a nurse’s aide, or a patient care assistant.   
• A CNA is typically an entry-level position, but each state determines their scope of practice. 
• A certified nursing assistant helps patients with direct health care needs, often under the supervision of a Registered Nurse. Certified nursing assistants help perform critical tasks that ensure patients are safely and efficiently cared for during their medical stay. 

Certified Nursing Assistant Overview

Unlicensed professionals known as Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) have an important and necessary role in various healthcare settings. Many facilities that employ CNAs will attest that the operating functions of the day are much more difficult without certified nursing assistants. This idea justifies the important roles that many CNAs effortlessly provide.   

Typically, the position of a CNA is considered an entry-level position but often opens the door for more advanced opportunities.   

The specific requirements for a CNA vary according to each state, but the overall general requirements are typically the same across the board.   

It is important to consider the following when reviewing the different aspects of a certified nursing assistant: 

• What are the educational requirements of a CNA? 
• What are the duties of a CNA? 
• How does a CNA work effectively with the Registered Nurse? 

Educational Requirements of a Certified Nursing Assistant

The requirements for a CNA vary by state, but often include a state-approved training program offered at a high school, community college, vocational school, or a hospital.  

Typically, the CNA courses are 4-8 weeks in length and teach how to care for patients, basic medical skills, patient safety, and teach important ethical and moral understanding among different populations.   

In addition, there is an in-person or hands-on skill competency aspect that assists the individuals to care for clients in a safe and effective manner. 

Each state will have unique requirements for the nursing assistant certification process that often includes a written or oral exam, as well as a demonstration exam where the student will show his/her ability to perform certain tasks.   

The licensing aspect is critical as it will be a prerequisite for the student to apply and be accepted for certain positions as well as ensuring that an individual possesses the knowledge and skills to work with actual patients.   

The National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) examination is required in many states for licensure as a CNA. The exam consists of two parts, a written and an oral exam. The exam must be passed in order to become licensed in many states. 

Once certification is received, the CNA may work in a facility that employees CNAs and must ensure that continuing education competencies are achieved and completed each year.  Supervision is provided by a Registered Nurse.  

If incompetent areas are noted, they must be addressed, and additional training and supervision must be provided in order to ascertain that the CNA is fully competent before administering care to patients.   

Duties of a Certified Nursing Assistant

There are various duties for certified nursing assistants.  A certified nursing assistant helps patients with direct health care needs, often under the supervision of a Registered Nurse. Certified nursing assistants may also be called a nursing assistant, a nurse’s aide, or a patient care assistant.   

CNAs work directly with patients and nurses, helping with the various physical and complex tasks for patient care. 

Some of the responsibilities include: 

• Turning and repositioning patients 
• Gathering medical supplies 
• Bathing patients 
• Grooming patients by brushing their hair, teeth, shaving them, etc. 
• Feeding patients and documenting their food and liquid intake 
• Measuring output 
• Checking vital signs such as blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature 
• Answering patient calls 
• Cleaning rooms and changing bed linens 
• Stocking supplies 
• Assisting with some medical procedures under the supervision of a Registered Nurse 
• Safety procedures 
• Transporting patients 
• Taking care of wounds and certain dressing changes 

Different hospitals and facilities will have unique requirements and responsibilities for their CNAs.  In essence, certified nursing assistants help perform critical tasks that ensure patients are safely and efficiently cared for during their medical stay.   

Checking vital signs, keeping patients clean, and performing other similar tasks are extremely important for patient care and satisfaction.   

Each state will have specific responsibilities that CNAs are eligible to perform, so it is important to note that the exact job roles may vary depending on where one lives. 

Effectiveness of Working With a Registered Nurse

The role of the certified nursing assistant serves as an extension to the Registered Nurse to meet the complex needs of the surrounding environment that includes trust, teamwork, and communication.   

 The CNA works alongside the Registered Nurse to assist with activities of daily living (ADLs) and other areas such as vital signs, intake, output, and other tasks delegated by the nurse.   

While the care provided by the CNA serves to be extremely helpful as long as the CNA is performing the tasks correctly, the opposite can also occur if the CNA is not performing the tasks competently and can create a more stressful environment for the nurse since the nurse is responsible for overseeing that tasks delegated are completed accurately and effectively.  

The Registered Nurse is also responsible for all the care provided by the CNA as well as patient outcomes.  It is of utmost importance that relationship quality is discussed thoroughly in relation to organizational effectiveness and teamwork between the nurse and CNA, as many times role confusion can create barriers to teamwork and communication.   

Once communication is hindered, poor delegation and a lack of teamwork can lead to poor patient outcomes.  It is important that both the nurse and the CNA fully understand all of the responsibilities that each will perform along with the importance of excelling in these areas.   

The Bottom Line

The roles of both a CNA and the Registered Nurse are necessary in order to provide the safest and most optimum care to patients.  They each provide an important aspect to patient safety and assist in developing a unified plan of care for the patients.   

Cohesiveness among the CNA and Registered Nurse, along with great communication skills, trust, mindfulness, self-awareness, and self-reflection must be present in order to accomplish and prioritize the responsibilities of a CNA and to fully achieve the goals that are a part of the ever-changing healthcare environment.   

The greatest factor that must be remembered is the importance of patient safety and the effective relational aspects between the CNA and the Registered Nurse.   

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