A Certified Nursing Assistant has a very demanding job. It drains a person's physical strength by lifting residents but, it can drain the worker of emotions as well because of the loss, pain, and abandonment surrounding many residents. I am a Certified Nursing Assistant and I believe the hardest part of my job is getting attached to a resident as they pass away. The death of a resident leaves preparing their body the Certified Nursing Assistant's responsibility so their families can say goodbye and the funeral director can take them to the funeral home. The whole process takes a minuscule amount of time, thirty minutes or less, once someone knows the process. However, the body needs respect and care even after death.Preparing a body is emotional for the worker and the family. Start by gathering the supplies to prepare the body. First, …show more content…
the Certified Nursing Assistant must gather the bed bath supplies, these include a wash basin, washcloth, hospital gown, large towels, soap, and new bed linens. After collecting the supplies, the cleansing of the body begins. To begin the Certified Nursing Assistant must start with the removal of the old gown or personal clothing and place them in a dirty linens' container because if they aren't soiled they will become soiled after bathing. Next, the Certified Nursing Assistant must fill the basin with warm water and bring it back to the bed and the cleaning process begins with the eyes and face until the whole body is complete. The protocol requires cleansing the entire body before sending it to the funeral home.
Pay special attention to the face and hands, take the time to remove crusts of secretions from the eyes, nose, and mouth. The cleansing of the body includes perineal care and removal of the IV and catheter if they are present.The resident receives a new gown and new bed linens after their bath is complete. The draw sheet placement changes, meaning it is vertical instead of horizontal, so it is easier to move the resident onto the gurney. After replacing the sheets, the step of adding dentures per families request and placing a rolled towel under the chin to support the jaw to keep it closed before rigor mortis sets in. Next, closure of the eyes to the best of the Certified Nursing Assistant's ability and then combing of any stray hairs using warm water to keep them down if needed. After preparation of the resident, the next step is positioning, adjustment of the bed includes positioning it so that it is flat with the resident's arms placed straight at his or her sides. The resident's arms should lay outside of the blanket at each side of the
body. Then drop the side rails because dead bodies don't generally try to get up by themselves and removing the bed rails makes the deceased more lifelike.The last stage before the family will see them includes the arrangement the room to create a more inviting atmosphere. In the facility where I work the administrators tend to give people who are perceptibly in the end stages of life a private room to better accommodate them and their families during this time as well as making the end of life care easier. Arrange the chairs around the room to increase seating for extra visitors depending on how much the facility will allow in the room at a time. Families usually cry during this time, therefore, it is helpful and appreciated if the Certified Nursing Assistant places at least one or two boxes of tissues throughout the room. Always remember to remove any extra or soiled linens, medical supplies, or trash; and tidy up the room as you add personal finishing touches such as opening their bible or anything they would typically like done. Lighting is a key component to making the person look livelier, for example, bright lighting tends to make the deceased resident's skin seem gray, and therefore, dimming the lights if possible is an addition worth taking the time to complete for the family. Turn on some quiet, soothing music if available.The last stage takes place a few hours later when the funeral director makes his grand appearance or as the man from Levitt's calls it "aspetto grandioso" since he is Italian with his gurney and maroon felt body cover. He or she, although it is usually a man, shows up to the facility I work in and walks through the back doors and parks the gurney outside the room of the deceased continuing to the nurse's station to complete the required paperwork, which I know very little about. After they complete paperwork, the funeral director finds the Certified Nursing Assistant responsible for the hall because he or she is responsible for the body and asks them to help move the body onto the gurney. When moving a body from the bed to the gurney using the draw sheet which is why the sheets earlier placement makes more sense. The funeral director will usually ask the Certified Nursing Assistant to move the feet and he or she will move the head, transferring the body to the gurney.Once the body is on the gurney the sheet is funeral director wraps the sheet around the deceased and covers the face. Next, the Certified Nursing Assistant and funeral director secure the body with straps and tighten them down taut, however, if they are over tightened they could cause bruising. The maroon felt body cover placement over the body marks the completion of the Certified Nursing Assistant's steps and depending on the time of day as well as the facility the closure of all resident doors may necessary for the removal of the body. If the closure of all doors becomes necessary, close them and help remove the body from the facility.Rawsii Williams once said, "To do a job no one else will do, a way no one else can do, despite all we go through, and that’s what it means to be a nurse." This quote is true about every part of my job, however, post-mortem care is one part no one ever wants to do. Part of post-mortem care is physical while other parts are emotional unless the Certified Nursing Assistant doesn't care about their residents, doesn't know them well enough or lacks an attachment to them. The whole process takes a little time at all if the Certified Nursing Assistant knows what they are doing. When preparing a body the most important part of the process to remember is to respect the body of the deceased even though they won't know.
The patient will be asked to remove clothing and will be given a gown to
When I am older I would love to be a Nurse Practitioner, I enjoy helping people when they are sick and taking care of them. Another reason I want to be a Nurse Practitioner is because my sister is also a Nurse Practitioner.
Essay 1: How will you contribute to the mission of the Nurse Corps scholarship program in providing care to underserved communities?
Who is going to care for our aging population when they are unable to care for themselves? A Certified Nursing Assistant, also referred to as a CNA will. A CNA has many responsibilities in the healthcare field. CNAs are the primary caregivers to residents in long-term care facilities and hospitals. CNAs help residents perform activities of daily living. A few examples of activities of daily living are feeding, bathing, dressing and toileting. With all the responsibilities CNAs have, their job can be stressful. The night shift for CNAs requires getting patients ready for supper and put to bed. Some people may think this is simple, but it is not. On average a CNA is responsible for twelve residents while toileting every resident, assessing their needs, and watching for the other residents call lights, CNAs need to have every resident to supper by six o’clock. Once all residents are at the table for supper, CNAs must give each resident their trays and then feed them. Once they are done feeding the residents, CNAs start taking residents to bed. While giving bedtime care CNAs toilet the resident, wash the resident, brush their teeth, put pajamas on them, and transfer them into bed. While giving night time care CNAs need to listen for the alarms of fall risk residents, answer call lights, and be patient with the resident they are giving care to. CNAs need to give quality care
The hospice aide’s job duties varies depending on the patient. If the hospice patient is in good condition, the job duties are very similar to that of the nursing home CNA. The hospice aide’s main goal is to maintain the patient’s dignity while providing the most comforting care possible. Many hospice patients are referring to as being on “comfort cares” – meaning if they don’t want to eat, they aren’t forced to. The hospice aide’s job is a hard one, as any CNA’s is, but perhaps more so, as they lose their patients at a higher
The nurse needs to recognize the limitations of each staff member and learn what assignments are within the scope of their practice and what are tasks that need delegation. Delegation is defined as a complex process that requires clinical judgment and final accountability for patients’ care (Weydt, 2010). An assignment is defined as “giving someone else a task within his/her own practice and is base on job descriptions and policies” (NCSBN, 2005, p. 1). The Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) and the Board of Vocational nursing & Psychiatric Technicians (BVNPT) website, lists what duties the RN and the LVN can legally do and is within their scope of practice, this is called the ‘nurse practice act’. A nurse assistant personnel (NAP) or Unlicensed Assistive personnel (UAP) may perform different tasks depending on the state that they reside in, but most include tasks that are considered activities of daily living (ambulating, hygiene, grooming)(NCSBN, 2005). The LVN can perform tasks that the nursing assistant can do, as well as other tasks which include: medication administration (oral, subcutaneous, intramuscular), simple dressing changes, wound care, suctioning, catheter insertion, drawing blood from a patient, and starting an IV and intravenous fluids. IV and blood draws are dependent on the LVNs certification, competence, and
Granted, textbooks and nursing classes deal with death, but Marks explains that you do not really understand it until it is right in front of you. Overtime it becomes something that nurse’s become accustom to. To clarify the subject of death never becomes easy, it just becomes bearable. After 31 years of experience Marks explained to me that nurses have to learn how to distance themselves, yet still be caring at the same time; a trait that does not come easily to most. In the same way treating someone with a terminal illness is just as hard. In these cases nurses must step into the role of councillors. They must learn how to comfort their patient, yet not become too attached. As well they must learn how to explain to them what is happening, which can become especially hard when dealing with
Next, implementation of the interventions must be completed that were identified in the plan. After checking the orders for pain medication, the student provides the patient with prescribed analgesics. Also, she states, “I will assess pain level every 2 hours or as reported by the patient.” She repositions the patient in a semi-fowlers position by elevating the head of the bed 45 degrees, provides ice chips, and reassesses vital signs.
Licensed practical nurses (LPN 's) fill an important role in modern health care practices. Their primary job duty is to provide routine care, observe patients’ health, assist doctors and registered nurses, and communicate instructions to patients regarding medication, home-based care, and preventative lifestyle changes (Hill). A Licensed Practical Nurse has various of roles that they have to manage on a day to day basis, such as being an advocate for their patients, an educator, being a counselor, a consultant, researcher, collaborator, and even a manager depending on what kind of work exactly that you do and where. It is the nursing process and critical thinking that separate the LPN from the unlicensed assistive personnel. Judgments are based
I chose a career as a medical assistant because of the rewards I knew I would experience on a daily basis. Seeing a patient smile because I have helped them understand, or just making them feel comfortable with their visit, is just one of the many perks of my job. Upon graduating from an accredited college such as The College of Health Care Professions (CHCP), I now work for one of the most reputable hospitals in my area. Within two short years of committed studies, I obtained my associate of applied science degree, and then went on to obtain my certification as a medical assistant. There is nothing I have found more fulfilling, strong, secure, or rewarding then choosing to become a medical assistant,
The nature of the work is very similar for the C.N.A. and L.P.N. A C.N.A. work includes performing routine tasks under the supervision of nursing staff. They answer call bells, deliver messages, serve meals, make beds, and help patients eat, dress, and bathe. Aides also provide skin care to patients, take pulse, temperature, respiration, and blood pressure and help patients get in and out of bed and walk. They also escort patients to operating rooms, exam rooms, keep patient rooms neat, set up equipment, or store and move supplies. Aides observe patient’s physical, mental, and emotional condition and report any change to the R.N. Likewise the L.P.N. provides basic bedside care. They take vital signs such as temperature, blood pressure, restorations, and pulse. They also treat bedsores, prepare and give injections and enemas, apply dressings, apply ice packs and insert catheters. L.P.N.’s observe patients and report adverse reactions to medications or treatments to the R.N. or the doctor. They help patients with bathing, dressing, and personal hygiene, and care for their emotional needs.
Nurses are both blessed and cursed to be with patients from the very first moments of life until their final breath. With those last breaths, each patient leaves someone behind. How do nurses handle the loss and grief that comes along with patients dying? How do they help the families and loved ones of deceased patients? Each person, no matter their background, must grieve the death of a loved one, but there is no right way to grieve and no two people will have the same reaction to death.
Nursing excellence is defined in various ways. I believe that nursing excellence is demonstrated when nurses are involved in promoting holistic patient centered care, quality and innovation, education, evidence-based practice, and nursing research. Nursing organizations plays a pivotal role in promoting nursing excellence. For this discussion post, I will be discussing the role of two organizations; the National League of Nursing (NLN) and the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN), in promoting nursing excellence and nursing practice.
To begin my personal statement, I grew up in the West African nation of The Gambia. I am the youngest of thirteen children and I was adopted by my uncle and his wife at age 2. My adoption was very different than the American way where all sorts of contractual documents had to be signed. Although the end results are the same, mine was done without signing any documents because my parents were just giving me up to my uncle and his wife to raise me. At age 5, my uncle enrolled me at Primary School without the consent of my biological parents for fearing that they would object because most parents in the Gambia do not think girls have the same rights to education as boys. I grew up without a television, running water or electricity. I did not know that I lacked
Aware that, different nurses has their own ways approach to bed washing of patients and as a student nurse, I would always make sure that I followed the general policy or local policy that is in place so that, the care of the patients are met.