Certified Nurse Assistant

The Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) provides direct resident care under the supervision of a licensed nurse. The CNA assists residents with activities of daily living while promoting safety, dignity, independence, comfort, and quality of life. The CNA must provide care according to the resident’s care plan, facility policies and procedures, and applicable state and federal requirements.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist residents with activities of daily living, including bathing, showering, grooming, dressing, toileting, oral hygiene, and personal care.

• Assist residents with eating and drinking, including meal setup, feeding assistance, and recording intake when required.

• Provide appropriate incontinent care and promptly change wet or soiled residents.

• Reposition residents according to their care plans and established schedules to help prevent pressure injuries.

• Assist residents with transfers, ambulation, positioning, and mobility using proper body mechanics and appropriate assistive devices.

• Safely use mechanical lifts, stand-up lifts, gait belts, wheelchairs, and other resident-care equipment according to training and the resident’s care plan.

• Answer call lights promptly and respond appropriately to resident needs.

• Obtain and record vital signs, weights, intake and output, bowel movements, and other information as assigned.

• Observe residents and immediately report changes in condition, behavior, skin integrity, appetite, mobility, mental status, pain, or other concerns to the licensed nurse.

• Provide routine skin care and report redness, wounds, bruising, skin tears, or other abnormalities.

• Follow infection-prevention practices, including proper hand hygiene, use of PPE, isolation precautions, and standard precautions.

• Maintain resident rooms and care areas in a clean, safe, and organized condition.

• Ensure residents have appropriate call lights, water, personal belongings, and safety equipment within reach as applicable.

• Follow fall-prevention interventions and other safety precautions identified in the resident’s care plan.

• Provide restorative nursing assistance when assigned and appropriately trained.

• Assist residents with range-of-motion exercises and mobility programs as directed.

• Maintain residents’ privacy, dignity, confidentiality, personal preferences, and rights at all times.

• Knock before entering resident rooms, explain care before providing it, and communicate respectfully.

• Protect residents from abuse, neglect, exploitation, mistreatment, and misappropriation of property.

• Immediately report suspected or witnessed abuse, neglect, mistreatment, exploitation, or resident safety concerns according to facility policy.

• Follow HIPAA requirements and maintain confidentiality of resident information.

• Document resident care accurately, completely, and timely according to facility procedures.

• Attend required orientation, annual in-services, competency training, meetings, and continuing education.

• Follow emergency procedures, fire and disaster plans, infection-control procedures, and workplace safety requirements.

• Work cooperatively with nursing staff and other departments to provide quality resident-centered care.

• Complete assigned rounds and resident-care assignments before the end of the shift and properly report unfinished or unusual concerns to the licensed nurse.

• Perform other nursing-assistant duties within the CNA scope of practice as assigned by the licensed nurse or nursing administration.

Qualifications:
Must possess a current Certified Nurse Assistant certification as required by the state. Must meet facility employment requirements, demonstrate competency in required CNA skills, and maintain required continuing education and certification requirements.

Physical Requirements:
Must be able to stand and walk for extended periods and perform bending, reaching, pushing, pulling, repositioning, transferring, and other physical activities associated with resident care. Must safely use resident-transfer equipment and request assistance when required.

Performance Expectations:
The CNA is expected to provide timely, compassionate, respectful, and safe resident care; follow each resident’s individualized care plan; accurately document services provided; communicate changes in condition promptly; maintain appropriate attendance and professionalism; and comply with all facility policies regarding residents’ rights, infection prevention, abuse prevention, safety, and quality of care.