Duties of a CNA in Nursing Homes

There are many different duties of a CNA in nursing homes. You will keep quite busy throughout the day if you are working in a continuing care community. If you are a CNA working in a nursing home, you will help residents with a variety of different needs. The type of tasks that you complete throughout the day can vary depending on which wing of the nursing home you are working on. No matter where you are working, you will always do all you can to provide kind and compassionate care to your patients.

There are many patients in a continuing care community who need assistance walking or who need to me moved in a wheelchair from their room to the dining hall, activity room and other areas. Some residents will need help eating and with other activities of daily living. When working as a CNA in a nursing home setting, you will most likely be required to bathe many of the residents.

Some residents will need assistance with toileting. There will be residents who need to wear adult diapers and who will need to be changed. You will always help a patient to maintain their dignity. When working with patients who are not able to move on their own, you will reposition them in their bed every couple hours to prevent bedsores.

If you are working as a certified nursing assistant, you will help residents with their grooming needs. There are some residents who you will help to brush their teeth, comb their hair and to put on makeup. Some men will need your help to shave or will need to be shaved. You might be asked to paint a lady's fingernails or help to style her hair.

You might be responsible for changing a resident's linen on their bed or even to do some light cleaning in their room if you are working as a nursing assistant. You will be apprised of your exact duties in regards to housekeeping when you are hired for employment.

As a CNA, you might be asked to help to oversee a patient's exercises. If a patient is able to exercise on their own, you can watch them go through their range of motion type exercises. You will be there if they have a problem or need some assistance while exercising. This is not something you will take upon yourself to do but rather only as directed by your supervisor.

When you are working as a nursing assistant in a nursing home, you might take vital signs. This could include monitoring blood pressure and temperature. You might be asked to chart a resident's intake of food and liquids. In some cases you might even help to monitor blood pressure readings. If a patient is ill or injured, you will need to follow your facilities procedure for reporting their ailment and getting them the help that they need. When you are hired for employment at a nursing home, you will be provided with details on your specific duties.