A Typical Day for a CNA

Are you getting ready to complete your CNA training, or have you recently landed your first CNA job? Have you been wondering what a typical day will be like working as a nurse aide? While each day as a CNA may bring new and exciting challenges, you will find a typical day for nurse aides outlined below.

Early-Morning Tasks

Depending on the facility where you work, you will be required to work an eight- or 12-hour shift. At the beginning of your shift, you will begin your work day by receiving your assignment sheet from your immediate supervisor. In many cases, the information on this sheet will be identical each day.

However, you may need to perform additional tasks from time to time. Once you have received your assignment sheet, you can begin working. Your responsibilities may vary depending on the facility where you work, but the following tasks are common early-morning tasks for CNAs today:

• Take and Record Your Patients' Vital Signs
• Assist with Serving Breakfast
• Help Your Patients Eat if Necessary
• Record How Much Your Patients Eat
• Record the Intake and Output of Your Patients' Fluids

Late-Morning Responsibilities

After completing your daily early-morning tasks, you will then move on to your late-morning responsibilities. This typically involves tasks that are related to cleaning and patient hygiene. While these tasks may vary from one patient to another, some common late-morning responsibilities are:

• Change and Launder Bed Linen
• Help Patients Bathe or Shower
• Assist Patients with Shaving, Brushing Teeth and Other Personal Hygiene
• Help Patients Dress if Necessary
• Assist Patients with Bed Pans or Urinals
• Transport Patients to Appointments or Day Rooms
• Provide Patients with Snacks and Fresh Water
• Assist During Exams and Treatments
• Take Note of Changes in Patients' Behavior and Physical Conditions
• Collect Urine and Stool Samples if Needed

Afternoon and Evening Duties

The duties you will need to perform during the afternoon and evening portions of your shift are similar to those you must perform during the early-morning part of your shift. For example, you will help serve lunch and dinner to patients and help some of them eat. Other tasks you will need to repeat include:

• Record How Much Your Patients Eat
• Record the Intake and Output of Your Patients' Fluids
• Take and Record Your Patients' Vital Signs

On-Going Responsibilities

As a certified nurse aide, some of the tasks you will need to perform during your shift are considered on-going responsibilities. In other words, you may need to perform them at various times during the day as needed. These include, but are not limited to:

• Helping Patients to and from Bathrooms
• Conversing with and Comforting Patients
• Answering Patients' Call Buttons
• Providing Patients' with Drinks and Snacks
• Changing Soiled Bedding
• Helping Patients Change into Clean Clothing
• Helping Patients with Bed Pans and Urinals
• Changing Adult Diapers
• Running Errands for Nurses

Conclusion

As a CNA, you will be responsible for many tasks during your work day including feeding patients, taking vital signs, changing bedding, and running errands.