A nursing assistant is a medical officer whose work range can vary from watching admitted patient’s physical condition to maintaining their hygiene and feeding schedules. The main duty of the nursing assistant is the daily management of their patients such as taking care of the routine needs of the patients and report about the health of the patient to physicians. Following are the basic job responsibilities of a certified nursing assistant:

1. One of the basic tasks of the nursing assistant includes looking after the day to day personal activities of the patient. This often includes bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, feeding, ambulating and others. The nursing assistant is required to maintain the hygiene of the patient well. Along with the hygiene of the patient, the nursing assistant is also required to take care of the cleanliness of surrounding area like room, furniture, etc.
2. Nursing assistant not only take care of the patient’s hygiene but also keep an eye on the physical condition of the patient. It is their duty to look after vital sign’s of the patient such as measuring blood pressure, pulse, temperature and respiration. They are also required to collect patient’s specimens for laboratory tests.
3. Not only are the nursing assistant required to take care of feeding, toileting, bathing and other schedules of the patients, they are also required to assist the patient with various physical works such as doing light exercise, shifting positions, moving, lifting and transporting. Nursing assistant should help the patient to regain or maintain physical strength and musculoskeletal functions.
4. Nursing assistants are not only expected to assist the patients but are also expected to assist doctors and nurses in various tasks such as applying non-sterile dressings, handling of contaminated objects, reporting and observing environmental situations which might spread infection. They are also expected to maintain required documentations and paper works.
5. Nursing assistants are also expected to provide emotional and social support and comfort to the patients along with the physical support.
6. Nursing assistants are required to have a valid CNA license to work as a CNA. Moreover they are also required to have a good communication skill.
7. Nursing assistants must be willing to work in any time period. Since most medical facilities do not have a fixed schedule every day, nursing assistants should not expect for a 9-5 job. Instead they should be willing to work at any time of the day.

A certified nursing assistant may have to do various duties which may vary from feeding patients, checking their physical recovery and signs, as well as maintaining their hygiene. This depends on which section the nursing assistant is working. Some of the basic job descriptions of a certified nursing assistant are listed below.

1)      As the name suggests, nursing assistant basically help the nursing staff in admitting, transferring and discharging the patients. Their duties may also include maintaining required documentations and paper works of patients.

2)      Certified nursing assistant take care of the hygiene of the patients. It is their duty to take care of their feedings schedules, bathing, looking after their beddings and similar responsibilities. They should help the patients in getting dressed and helping them shift their positions in beds.

3)      Certified nursing assistant is also required to check vital signs of the patient and report them to the physician.

4)      A certified nursing assistant is also expected to provide emotional support to the patient. Because they are in more contact with the patients, they are expected to provide physical, emotional and social support and comfort to the patients.

5)      Certified nursing assistants are required to have a valid CNA license to work. Moreover, they are also required to have good communication skills and a good command of English.

6)      Certified nursing assistants may be required to lift patients or even move them from one ward to another. Similarly, nursing assistants may be exposed to several chemicals and are even susceptible to various diseases during the work period.

7)      Certified nursing assistants must be ready to work in any time of day. Most medical facilities do not have fixed time for any kind of medical officers, so nursing assistants must be ready to work in any shift rather than a particular 9-5 job. They should always be ready to work for extended sessions and during emergency.