As you've undergone your theoretical and clinical training, you've likely began to understand your role within a medical setting. While certified nursing assistants are a necessary component of a fully-functional nursing staff, you must understand how you and registered nurses interact. The level and quality of this interaction is unique as it directly determines the quality of patient care as well as the efficiency of an entire department. Even though the best way to learn this technique is to physically work in a medical environment, you may follow several tips to understand and manipulate relationship dynamics between these two similar, but starkly different, professions.
True Understanding of Your Responsibilities
The first step in understanding the dynamics between registered nurses and certified nursing assistants is to understand your expected responsibilities and roles within a medical environment. While this information was taught during your training program (see CNA Certification Scoop), refresh your mind by reviewing the policies and regulations for CNAs established by the board of nursing for your state. Although these responsibilities can vary, typically, CNAs are required to assist RNs in any way possible. This means tending to patients after procedures, monitoring vital signs and reporting current patient status to the charge nurse. Never show up to work without fully understanding what's expected of you and what's required of you via the law.
Primary Goal: Assist Registered Nurses
Throughout the hustle-and-bustle of working in a healthcare facility, it's easy to forget what your genuine job duty is: to assist registered nurses. No matter what how important you feel or how knowledgeable you are, your primary goal is to be the best assistant as possible. This doesn't mean constantly following and shadowing registered nurses, as you may actually get in the way. Rather, it means making yourself fully aware of a given situation and communicating your ability and willingness to perform whatever duty allowed by law.
The biggest way to find yourself at the wrong end of an encounter is to go beyond your scope of practice or to question a registered nurse. Avoid this common mistake by viewing all registered nurses as your managers. While you may not have to answer directly to a particular nurse, out of respect for their job title and education experience, treat every RN with deep respect. Balance the dynamic between yourself and other nursing staff members by fully understanding your role and maintain a willingness to be as useful as possible, even if you find certain tasks to be unsavory.
True Understanding of Your Responsibilities
The first step in understanding the dynamics between registered nurses and certified nursing assistants is to understand your expected responsibilities and roles within a medical environment. While this information was taught during your training program (see CNA Certification Scoop), refresh your mind by reviewing the policies and regulations for CNAs established by the board of nursing for your state. Although these responsibilities can vary, typically, CNAs are required to assist RNs in any way possible. This means tending to patients after procedures, monitoring vital signs and reporting current patient status to the charge nurse. Never show up to work without fully understanding what's expected of you and what's required of you via the law.
Primary Goal: Assist Registered Nurses
Throughout the hustle-and-bustle of working in a healthcare facility, it's easy to forget what your genuine job duty is: to assist registered nurses. No matter what how important you feel or how knowledgeable you are, your primary goal is to be the best assistant as possible. This doesn't mean constantly following and shadowing registered nurses, as you may actually get in the way. Rather, it means making yourself fully aware of a given situation and communicating your ability and willingness to perform whatever duty allowed by law.
The biggest way to find yourself at the wrong end of an encounter is to go beyond your scope of practice or to question a registered nurse. Avoid this common mistake by viewing all registered nurses as your managers. While you may not have to answer directly to a particular nurse, out of respect for their job title and education experience, treat every RN with deep respect. Balance the dynamic between yourself and other nursing staff members by fully understanding your role and maintain a willingness to be as useful as possible, even if you find certain tasks to be unsavory.