be a good Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
Taking care of 8 - 10 residents in a long term care facility is no joke. That is why a person who takes care of residents needs to be certified by your State. If you passed the training or course, able to passed the mandatory tests (hand washing transferring and blood pressure taking), written tests and Random skills test, then you are fit for the job. Given that you are work as a CNA, how will you handle multiple residents where each individual has unique personality and disability. Here are few tips on handle them based on my experience.
Instructions
1. Orientation.
Before you start taking care of the residents, who will undergo some orientations by the managers in different areas and experienced CNAs assigned to work with you and inform you as to handle and take care of the residents. You should take down notes if necessary and be familiar with the care plan, family preferences and much more.
2. Assigned Group
When you are ready to handle a group of residents in your area, then it is time to take a deep breath and start your day. Take the Assignment Sheet - a lists of residents in a certain floor or area with each corresponding, diagnosis, activities, meal preferences and the like. Each facility is unique so follow its procedures. Identify your group as well as the residents in that group.
3. Identify Residents for Shower and Enema
Look for the Shower and Bowel Movement (BM) book and Enema Lists(optional). Some facilities may have this kind of notebooks. This helps you and the nurses who need to be showered everyday, every other day or any preferred day or schedule and also those residents who needs enema and other medications.
4. Prepare your Cart and Hamper
Take your cart and fill it with all the materials needed. Like blanket, batch blanket, fitted sheets, hospital gowns, thermal blankets, top sheets, and other activities of daily livings materials. Prepare your hamper.
5. Prioritize your Residents
Before going the your group. Have the CNA assignment sheet with you and identify residents with the highest priority in terms of residents that need to be up daily for activity, residents that have appointments (doctor, physical therapy, x-ray, family home visits, etc).
6. Breakfast
Do not start your care if the when the breakfast was not being served yet. You need to help other CNAs and Care assistant during breakfast (distributing meal trays, feeding and collecting and recording food and fluids). But if you arrive early (regular day shift starts at 7 am) and the breakfast is not yet ready, you can fix beddings or do visits your residents rooms to check who needs urgent care.
7. Start Your Care.
Go to the resident with the highest priority. Start giving your care such as shower, dressing, toileting, transfers and make them ready for activity or appointments. Move to another residents when you are done following your outline who comes first until your are done with the last residents.
8. Ask Help
Call for help when you need help in transferring or Use machine lift if it is written in the care plan.
9. Be Coachable and a Good Team Player.
Tags: care residents, residents that, care plan, Certified Nursing, Certified Nursing Assistant, highest priority, need help
