The Responsibilities of a Nursing Assistant

Nursing assistants work closely with and under thetasks that will differ depending on your patient and
supervision of either a licensed practical nurse (LPN)the health care facility where you work. Some
or a registered nurse (RN). For many who arepatients have relatives that do most of their cleaning,
considering a career in nursing, but are unsure of theirother patients need help. And, some health care
choice, being a nursing assistant is a great way toorganizations have other personnel to handle these
see firsthand what nurses do, what the hospitaltasks. Yet a nursing assistant’s cleaning duties
atmosphere is like, and garner some experience. And,can include, but are not limited to emptying garbage
starting out as a nursing assistant before becoming acans, ensuring that a patient has clean sheets and
nurse, has gained popularity since the certification istowels, and cleaning the floor. If you work in a
easier and takes less time than a nursing degreedoctor’s office, you will not be caring for the
program. However, being a nursing assistant doesbedridden but you may have to clean or sanitize the
have its challenges. To help you get a clear picture,examination area after the doctor sees each patient.
we will discuss the responsibilities of a nursingSetting up a patient’s food and nutritional
assistant in greater detail below.supplements, feeding them, documenting what and
One of the most important responsibilities of ahow much they eat and their level of fluid intake is
nursing assistant is to monitor a patient’s vitalanother responsibility of a nursing assistant. Though
signs and record significant changes. Keeping an eyenursing assistants may not necessarily have to feed
on a patient’s blood pressure, pulse,all of their patients, they must keep track of what
temperature, and respiration are important to realizingtheir patients can eat, and what they are allowed to
whether a patient is getting better or worse. As ahave. Typically, when a patent is receiving surgery
result, nursing assistants are usually the first to knowthe doctor will say that they are not allowed to have
how well a patient is responding to a medicine orany food or fluids after a certain time. Unfortunately,
treatment method. They check the patient’sthe people who prepare meals may have sent a meal
vital signs regularly and routinely, and report any newto the patient, because they were unaware of the
health issues or side effects, negative or positivedoctor’s orders. Nursing assistants must step in
improvements, and other significant changes.and verify this and other information such as the
Nursing assistants are also responsible for maintainingtypes of food a patient may be allergic to, or unable
a patient’s personal hygiene while they are in theto eat due to digestive concerns.
hospital, and/or medical facility. Some of these tasksGiving a patient their medicine and ensuring that he or
include, but are not limited to helping the patients toshe actually takes it correctly is also a duty of a
shave, take their baths, and clipping their nails. Theynursing assistant. Additionally they may be looked
may also assist in dressing and undressing patientsupon to double check the accuracy of orders or to
who are unable to perform these tasks forinform physicians and/or nurses of any medication or
themselves. Another separate, but closely relatedsubstances that a patient may have already taken
duty is to facilitate a patient’s restroom needs.that could affect their treatment.
And the level of help required will depend on theAlthough these are the majority of nursing assistant
patient’s situation, some will merely need to beresponsibilities, you may find that others exist and
walked to a restroom, others may require aid withare special or for specific situations. For example, a
emptying a catheter, and there may even bebedridden patient may need to be turned on his or
patients that are bed ridden and require moreher side to prevent bedsores. A younger patient may
assistance. This type of task may be portrayed asrequire more attention than others, while disabled
the worst part of a nursing assistant’s job; but itpatients may need assistance getting into wheelchairs
is a very important aspect to fulfilling the nursingand/or putting on prosthetic equipment.
code of ethics, as such responsibilities are the onesIt is important to note that if you decide to become
that ensure that patients are able to maintain theira certified nursing assistant, you will perform most of
dignity in spite of their particular ailment.the same tasks. The primary thing to remember is
Nursing assistants are also responsible for keeping athat all of these tasks are critical to the patient’s
patient’s area clean. This is another group ofhealth and well-being.