Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) are a vital element of the health team. Serving as a middleman between patients and other members of the health team nursing assistants play many different, yet equally important roles in patient care. Nursing assistants provide emotional, physical, and social support for patients, and residents. I will inform readers about the role of certified nursing assistants in long-term care centers (LTC) and their importance as a member of the health team. Certified Nursing Assistants "perform delegated nursing task under the supervision of a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or registered nurse (RN)" (Sorrentuino & Remmert, 2012). Nursing assistants are trained and certified to "provide basic quality of life care" (Botonakis, 2012) which includes assisting patients and residents with activities of daily living(ADL) such as; feeding, grooming, hygiene, housekeeping task, toileting; transporting patients and assisting with mobility. The responsibilities of nursing assistant vary based on state regulations, employment setting and the employer's individual policy and patients' individual needs (NCDHHS, 2013). Nursing assistants work in many types of settings including nursing homes, hospice, mental health centers, assisted living residences, home care agencies, hospitals, rehabilitation and restorative care facilities (Sorrentuino & Remmert, 2012). There are many types of Long-term care centers. For this paper, I will focus on the long-term care centers often referred to as nursing homes. These LTCs are "licensed facilities that provide extended care for individuals who do not require the acute care provided in a hospital but who need more care than can be given at home" (U.S Department of Health And Human... ... middle of paper ... ...stants are on the forefront of basic resident care in long-term care centers (Sorrentuino & Remmert, 2012). They are essential to the day-to-day operations of these facilities because they aid the nursing staff in many aspect of resident care. Nursing assistants may be the first health team members to recognize the physical, emotion, and social, symptoms that may be common to residents experiencing serious or life-threatening illness. (Botonakis, 2012) Providing this crucial information to the supervising nurses is a very important to resident care. Emotional support and social interaction provided by the nursing assistant play an important role in the residents overall stay in a long-term-care center. It also adds to the residents quality of life. While not the most glamorous career field, the certified nursing assistant, is defiantly a necessary and important one.
Why would anyone be in the healthcare field? First, there are different types of positions available. Second, this is a very rewarding career for those who enjoy caring for others. Although, most people think there are a lot of differences between certified nursing assistants and licensed practical nurses, they share the same type of work, working conditions and job outlook.
Long-term care (LTC) covers a wide range of clinical and social services for those who need assistance due to functional limitations. These limitations usually result from complications associated with age related chronic conditions, from disabilities related to birth defects, brain damage, or mental retardation in children; or from major illnesses or injuries suffered by adults (Shi L. & Singh D.A., 2011). LTC encompasses a variety of services including traditional clinical services, social services and housing. Unlike acute care, long-term care is much more complicated and has objectives that are much harder to measure. Acute care mainly focuses on returning patients to their previous functional level and is primarily provided by specialty providers. However, LTC mainly focuses on preventing the physical and mental deterioration of an individual and promoting social adjustments to suit the different stages of decline. In addition the providers of LTC are more diverse than those in acute care and is offered in both formal and informal settings, which include: hospitals, physicians, home care, adult day care, nursing home care, assisted living and even informal caregivers such as friends and family members. Long-term care services have been dominated by community based services, which include informal care (86%, about 10 to 11 million) and formal institutional care delivered in nursing facilities (14%, 1.6 million) (McCall, 2001). Of more than the 10 million Americans estimated to require LTC services, 58% are elderly and 42% are under the age of 65 (Shi L. & Singh D.A., 2011). The users of LTC are either frail elderly or disabled and because of the specific care needs of this population, the care varies based on an indiv...
Without doubt, there are two variables that should be considered when evaluating the benefit of shared governance in long term/nursing home settings. First, obtaining consent from the nursing assistant to volunteer for the leadership role for the duration of one year, and the nursing assistant employment status at the time of consent. Second, the effectiveness of the shared governance project to reduce falls, weight loss, in-house acquired pressure injury, and nosocomial infection rates for the sake of the resident’s comorbidity.
Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs) are caregivers that work close to the elderly patients, also called residents. The CNAs are responsible for taking viral signs and helping the residents with activities of the daily living, such as: bathing, walking, eating, toileting, dressing and transferring. Taking care of patients that are not able to perform common tasks, like using the bathroom, can be difficult. For that reason, a great number of CNAs get injured in their work setting every year. In order to minimize the risk of work-related injured inside long-term care facilities, the facility should impose a non-lift policy and increase the use of lift machines, such as hoyers.
“Behind every great nurse there is a running CNA.” This statement is true, however only in the long-term care setting of nursing homes. Certified Nursing Assistants/Aides can be found in different settings, as well. Such as, hospice environments, and the homes of those seeking home healthcare. In each environment, CNA’s are important to the patients receiving their care.
Although these individual categories differ in their organizational build, they are similar in the standards they must meet and the services they provide such as medical and therapeutic services. Some of the actual services that are provided include skilled nursing services, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social services and home health aide services (Park-Lee & Decker, 2010, p. 5). Nurses provide many roles in home health. They can perform as the staff nurse in which they provide the care needed and educate clients and families about self-care. They act as an advocate to the clients by coordinating the care that the patient requires by making referrals to appropriate services and ensuring clients make it to appointments. They act as mentors to fellow nurses as well as the community by providing education that is beneficial to their needs (Stanhope & Lancaster,
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
There is a shortage of all health care professions throughout the United States. One shortage in particular that society should be very concerned about is the shortage of Registered Nurses. Registered Nurses make up the single largest healthcare profession in the United States. A registered nurse is a vital healthcare professional that has earned a two or four year degree and has the upper-most responsibility in providing direct patient care and staff management in a hospital or other treatment facilities (Registered Nurse (RN) Degree and Career Overview., 2009). This shortage issue is imperative because RN's affect everyone sometime in their lifetime. Nurses serve groups, families and individuals to foster health and prevent disease.
With over 1.5 million elderly and dependent adults now living in nursing homes throughout the country, abuse and neglect has become a widespread problem. Even though some nursing homes provide good care, many are subjecting helpless residents to needless suffering and death. Most residents in nursing homes are dependent on the staff for most or all their needs such as food, water, medicine, toileting, grooming- almost all their daily care. Unfortunately, many residents in nursing homes today are starved, dehydrated, over-medicated, and suffer painful pressure sores. They are often isolated, ignored and deprived of social contact and stimulation. Because of insufficient and poorly trained staff commonly found in nursing homes. Care givers are often overworked and grossly underpaid that often results in rude and abusive behavior to vulnerable residents who beg them for simple needs such as water or to be taken to the bathroom.
Prestia, A., & Dyess, S. (2012). Care Partners: Maximizing Caring Relationships Between Nursing Assistants and Patients. Journal of Nursing Administration, 42(3),
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
Most long-term care facilities have a nice, caring environment. Most facilities have exceptionally trained personnel caring for that family member’s needs and concerns. Being within the nursing field one notices the morale and the health of these forgotten individuals declining rapidly with no family bonds to connect to anymore. The nursing staff and facilities members, attempt to replace the bonds lost between resident and family. The bonds formed with staff and resident, are not equal to seeing a grandchild at holidays, and being included at that special family reunion. It is understandable some family units don t carry the tight connections other ily units share. Family support systems most require on admittance to semiprivate, busy nursing home settings are lost. Surroundings of this...
The people that worked in assisting living facilities are dedicated, caring people that do a great service for the aged ones. As Annie, Care Manager says, “I love making my residents happy when they are feeling sad or down” (Sunrise). It is important for the resident to feel cared for. Staff nurses and trained specialists have a vast knowledge of working with seniors and anticipating their changes. The staff are committed to help residents stay independent, connecting with their families in a meaningful way and building friendships with residents who become part of the Sunrise
Hodge, M. B., Romano, P. S., Harvey, D., Samuels, S. J., Olson, V. A., Sauve, M., & Kravitz, R. K. (2004). Licensed Caregiver Characteristics and Staffing in California Acute Care Hospital Units [Electronic version]. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 34(3), 125-133.
While I was still in college, I enrolled in a Certified Nurse Aide program to test my aptitude for direct patient care. The joy I felt caring for my patients as their nurse’s aide solidified my resolve that patient care was my calling. I knew I could use my education to give appropriate care to a variety of patients.