Helpful Tips for CNA's

Nursing assistants are crucial parts of the overall nursing team, and their job is incredibly important. Youre on your feet nearly all day caring for residents and patients in a nursing home, and many of them can consume most of your time and attention.In a job as important and challenging as this one, were sure that youll take all of the tips you can get. Heres a few from the people who want to take care of your feet:

Obviously...Take care of your feet!

So were a bit biased when it comes to the most important part of the human body. However, for a CNA who spends most of the day on their feet, the foot really is important. Patients arent the only injured people in hospitals; employees can slip and hurt themselves as well, so you should take care in making sure that this doesnt happen to you. Having a pair of slip-resistant shoes is a great preventative measure that you can take. There are plenty of spills inside hospitals or nursing homes, so feeling confident and safe in your work environment is the first step in doing your job well. You also dont want to come home to throbbing foot pain at the end of each day, so getting comfortable shoes with enough padding and support is necessary as well.

Keep a journal with you, and write until your hand falls off

Not actually...trying to do this job with one hand would be interesting. A CNA will spend the day doing so many tasks and juggling multiple patients. Unless your brain has a portable hard drive stored within it, youre simply not going to remember everything. Therefore, its a good idea to keep a small notebook to write down what needs to be done for each patient, and any other reminders for yourself or questions for your supervisor. This notebook can also be used to write down patient tendencies and other information about your day-to-day duties. Just write it all down so it becomes impossible to forget! In addition to kicking forgetfulness to the curb, writing lists can also reduce your level of stress due to the fact that it gives you a chance to collect yourself and mentally prepare for the day ahead.

Ask ALL the questions

In this profession, theres no such thing as too many questions. Youre handling the health and well-being of real people. If you dont know how to do something, its a wise idea to ask someone who does rather than winging it on a real live human being. Learn from your supervisor and observe everything that they do before you attempt it. Ask previous CNAs what they have done in similar situations too. Learning from those who have been there before is the best way to start gaining experience. And remember: THERE ARE NO STUPID QUESTIONS especially when you are in charge of someone elses care.

Organization = Relaxation

Well, maybe not relaxation but it will certainly make the daily duties a little less stressful!A CNA is constantly running around in and out of rooms, taking care of several patients at a time. Even that sentence was a mouthful, so its hard to imagine what this job is like without actually doing it. If you dont stay organized, the job will get the better of you.Arrive to work a few minutes early and start planning out your day and prioritizing certain tasks. These tasks can be written down in your handy notebook that we talked about earlier. Also, gather all of the supplies that you need for each patient before entering the room to care for them. Lastly, when youre taking the vitals for various patients, make sure you document each of them immediately following the tests. This allows the patient records to stay up-to-date and all of the other practitioners can view the records quickly as well. Like we said, this job requires a lot of organization, preparation, and documentation.

Dont forget about the most important factor in this equation: YOU!

To do this job, you need to take care of yourself. Whether this is by taking care of your feet, hands or anything else, always ensure that your health is the priority. If youre sick you cant provide the care that your patients need. Especially if youre in a nursing home for the elderly, you cannot come to work with any type of bug because these patients are particularly susceptible to illnesses. While this job is a handful, it is extremely rewarding being able to help so many people each day. Follow these tips, and youll be able to come home each day and kick your (well-taken care of) feet up on the couch and relax. For more tips and information about the products we offer, check us out at srmax.com.