Who Are Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs)?
As a certified nursing assistant, you’ll be on the front lines of patient care. While “nursing assistant” may not be the most glorified job title in a hospital or nursing care facility, it’s certainly one of the most vital to daily operations. Your compassion and skill in patient care will help minimize the stress of those who are sick or unable to care for themselves. Certified nursing assistants (CNAs), also known as nurses’ aides, orderlies, patient care technicians, and home health aides, work under the supervision of a nurse to provide assistance to patients with daily living tasks. Working closely with patients, CNAs are responsible for basic care services such as bathing, grooming and feeding patients, assisting nurses with medical equipment, and checking patient vital signs. CNAs give patients important social and emotional support and also provide vital information on patient conditions to nurses. “The best RNs started as CNAs,” says Mira Dixon, a CNA with 13 years experience.
