Understanding the importance of certified nursing assistant skills
Certified nursing assistants are essential to the smooth operations of hospitals and other healthcare facilities where they assist nurses and other medical professionals. While there are several openings for these professionals, there are hundreds of certified nursing assistants, just like you, who will submit applications for vacant positions. You need unique qualities that set you apart from the crowd.
A comprehensive resume that emphasizes your job-relevant skills can help you catch the attention of hiring managers. We will discuss the essential skills of a CNA to highlight in your applications to gain the upper hand in the job market and perform excellently in the role.
CNA skills in high demand
Here are some of the best CNA skills you need to get hired and deliver on the job:
Patient care and safety
A nursing assistant must ensure that their patients receive all medications, treatment, and procedures they need to facilitate a speedy recovery. They must inform the patients and their families of the necessary precautions to take during and after treatment.
Before surgery, they should check that their patient is staying away from any food or drink that may be harmful to the procedure’s success. After a patient undergoes an operation, the nursing assistant must remember to observe the patient and report any development to the head nurse. They should also educate the patient’s family on how to care for them after the hospital discharges them.
Mastery of medical terminology
Doctors have the habit of speaking in medical jargon while talking, leaving their patients confused. When patients do not understand a doctor’s instructions, it is the duty of certified nursing assistants to explain the instruction in simpler terms.
Patient advocacy and support
The nursing assistant must always act in the patient’s best interests. These professionals are often the closest medical official to an in-patient. They know the patients’ needs better than any other person in the hospital. So, they are in the best position to act as a mediator between doctors and patients.
When a doctor is unaware of a patient’s need, a nursing assistant should communicate the need to the doctor and suggest appropriate solutions. For instance, if the patient’s ward is unsafe or unsuitable for him, the CNA must discuss the situation with a doctor or nurse.
Diagnostic testing
A certified nursing assistant should know how to run diagnostic tests like ECG and blood tests. Effective nursing assistants are skilled at drawing blood, measuring blood pressure, temperature, and pulses of patients for diagnosis.
Drug administration
A nursing assistant must be able to administer medications and injections to patients. That said, it’s best that you avoid giving out a medication to a patient if you do not know what the side effects are. In case a nurse requests that you administer an unfamiliar drug to a patient, ask them about the drug’s side effects.
Proficiency in medical record software
Certified nursing assistants are in charge of recording improvement and changes in a patient’s health while the hospital admits them. They must know how to enter and retrieve patients’ data from medical record software used in the hospital where they work.
Patient monitoring
A certified nursing assistant is responsible for overseeing a patient’s wellbeing under the supervision of a registered nurse. As such, certified nursing assistants should be observant. They must be able to tell when there is a change in a patient’s symptoms or behavior and report their findings to the head nurse.
Confidentiality
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) stipulates that healthcare providers must protect their patients’ medical records and other personal data. Certified Nursing Assistants must know and observe the rules under this act. Whenever patients disclose their personal information to them, they must keep such information confidential.
Vital signs
A certified nursing assistant should know how to read a patient’s vital signs and understand what they mean. They must know how to determine if there is a problem by reading the vital signs.
Personal care
During an illness, some patients may be unable to perform basic self-care activities, like taking a bath on their own. A certified nursing assistant should be able to assist patients with their personal care needs while staying professional. As the patient recovers, a nursing assistant should encourage them to try taking care of themselves independently. They should ensure that patients perform all the exercises required for their recovery.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
An efficient certified nursing assistant is proficient in the administration of CPR to patients. They can identify when a patient is going through a cardiac arrest. They know how to use emergency medical equipment. It’s best that you obtain a certificate in CPR and Basic Life Support (BLR) before you complete your education as a certified nursing assistant.
Customer service
A certified nursing assistant should know how to start and maintain conversations with patients. When patients express their concerns about the hospital customer service, they must recognize areas of improvement and recommend changes to the hospital. Efficient nursing assistants are courteous towards patients and their families.
Infection control
A certified nursing assistant should keep patient’s rooms and environment following hospital, state, and national safety standards. When the hospital admits a new patient, they record the infection and monitor the infected patient for signs of improvement.
They encourage infected patients to follow necessary precautions to avoid the spread of the infection. An efficient nursing assistant sterilizes every hospital equipment before and after usage.
Communication
The role of a certified nursing assistant requires a great deal of interaction. Certified nursing assistants have to deliver instructions to patients, educate their families, and monitor and report their observations to nurses and doctors. For this reason, certified nursing assistants must have excellent oral and written communication skills.
Personal qualities every certified nursing assistant should have
Apart from emphasizing your clinical skills, you can also impress the employer by highlighting any relevant personal qualities you have. The list of soft skills in this section can help certified nursing assistants perform better at their jobs.
Patience
When people are ill, they suffer mood swings. A patient may manifest varied emotions like anger, worry, and sadness within an hour. In such situations, certified nursing assistants must exercise patience. They should be able to remain calm, irrespective of their patient’s mood at a particular moment. Even if they feel angry at a situation, they must keep their emotions in check.
Empathy
Certified nursing assistants should be compassionate and empathetic. A patient may confide in their CNA about their personal life or feel embarrassed that someone else is bathing them. In such cases, good CNAs lend a sympathetic ear to the patient and console them when necessary.
Attention to detail
One of a nursing assistant’s duties is to monitor changes in the patient’s health and report their observation to a senior medical professional. You need an eye for detail to be able to notice minor changes in a person’s health condition. Certified nursing assistants also have to record patients’ information in their charts. They must transcribe this information without making any mistakes.
Stamina
Certified nursing assistants perform many duties. They may administer drugs, take care of their patients’ self-care needs and educate the patients’ family in a single day. They must have good stamina to keep them productive as they switch between tasks.
Adaptability
Certified nursing assistants have to take care of many patients. As a result, they often carry out a variety of tasks, from feeding to administering injections. CNAs have to adapt to each task as quickly as possible.
Sense of humor
Certified nursing assistants should have a sense of humor. Laughing reduces tension and helps people overcome their anxiety. Similarly, certified nursing assistants who move around patient wards with a positive attitude can help patients overcome their fears about sickness.
Respect
Certified nursing assistants meet patients with differing beliefs in their job. Regardless of patients’ beliefs or conduct, the nursing assistant must respect their views. If you disagree with their opinions, you can state your stance without refuting their beliefs.
Tolerance
Sometimes, nursing assistants have to perform squeamish tasks like bathing patients and collecting urine. You should be able to do these tasks without being irritated.
Emotional stability
The painful truth about medical procedures is that they don’t always turn out well. Some patients may never get better, while others may lose their lives. CNAs must always do their best to maintain their emotional stability for the sake of other patients under their care.
Determination
Some of your tasks will be difficult. However, if you always approach your duties with a firm resolve, you are bound to succeed at them. Whether you are learning to use complex medical equipment or taking care of a patient, the determination will boost your success rate.
There are several clinical, administrative, and personal skills you need to get a job and excel in a CNA role. Use this guide to learn the important skills of a CNA you need to impress employers and perform your job effectively.