What is a CNA?

What’s a CNA and what does CNA stand for? A CNA, or certified nursing aid/assistant, is a patient care position that works directly with patients and handles basic care tasks. They work as part of the larger medical team and various healthcare facilities to handle certain tasks to let nurses and doctors focus on more advanced needs. While a CNA needs specific training, it’s a relatively short training process, and the role is typically considered entry-level.

Duties of a CNA

What is a CNA responsible for in a medical setting? A typical CNA job description includes duties such as:

• Getting patients in and out of bed

• Helping with basic grooming tasks

• Feeding patients

• Helping patients use the bathroom

• Preparing necessary medical supplies

• Taking and recording vitals

• Cleaning and preparing patient rooms

• Helping patients walk or get exercise

• Handling wound care

• Answering patient calls

• Listening to patients’ concerns and relaying that information to nurses

• Reporting things they observe about patients to nurses

In some states, certified nursing aids can administer medications, but the allowed duties can vary by location.

Work settings for CNAs

CNAs work in a variety of medical settings. The duties a CNA performs often vary based on the type of healthcare setting. Some places that might hire a CNA include:

• Hospitals

• Rehabilitation centers

• Nursing homes

• Long-term residential care facilities

• Home healthcare organizations

Education and certification requirements for CNAs

The requirement to become a CNA is to complete a short training program, which usually takes 4-12 weeks. The program length can vary based on where you live. It usually includes a combination of class and clinical learning.

What is a CNA certification? Before working as a CNA, a program graduate needs to take a certification exam. The requirements for certification vary by state, but it usually includes a written exam.

Benefits of hiring a CNA

If you’re in charge of a medical facility, hiring a CNA can offer several benefits. It gives you an extra layer of patient care and can fill in some gaps if you’re dealing with a nursing shortage. By having CNAs handle basic care tasks, your nurses can deal with more urgent medical care. CNAs can also help deliver personalized patient care, which can increase patient satisfaction. Some CNAs go on to complete nursing school, so you could have an easy hire in the future when you need a new nurse.

How to hire a CNA

If you decide to hire a CNA, these steps can help you find someone to fill the position.

1. Create your job description

Write a job description that details the duties you’ll have your CNA handle. Be sure to answer “what is a CNA” and provide specific details based on your care facility and the responsibilities you trust the CNA to handle. It’s also important to research the duties a CNA is allowed to do in your state, as that can vary. Include the qualifications and skills you expect candidates to have.

2. Set your opportunity apart

To attract candidates that match your preferred qualifications, create an attractive opportunity, starting with a competitive salary. The medium wage for nursing assistants is $44,223 per year. Those wages vary based on the location and the expectations of the position.

Additional perks and benefits can also make your job opportunity more appealing. Consider the following benefits:

• Affordable health insurance with good coverage

• Generous paid time off

• Employer-sponsored retirement plan

• Ongoing training

• Paid education benefits for CNAs who want to pursue a nursing degree

• Career advancement opportunities

• Appealing working hours or various shift options to fit different schedules

3. Seek applicants

Writing a strong job description with related keywords helps you attract applicants. In addition to posting the vacancy on typical job sites, try these options to source applicants:

• Post on your social media pages.

• Offer a convenient application on the career page of your website.

• Post on healthcare job sites and in healthcare groups.

• Collaborate with local colleges that offer CNA training programs.

• Look for referrals from your current employees.

• Network with other medical professionals you know.

• Use paid advertising.

4. Look for key qualifications

Completing a CNA program is a prerequisite, but your employees should have other skills and characteristics to be successful. Some of those include:

• Empathy to be able to understand patients who are in pain or have negative feelings about a situation

• Ability to stay calm in hectic situations

• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills

• Strong teamwork

• Observational skills and attention to detail

• Flexibility and willingness to help out where needed

5. Vet applicants

When you narrow down the applicants, it’s time to hold interviews. Ask relevant CNA interview questions to determine which candidate fits your needs. Before extending a job offer, verify that the CNA is certified in your state. Conducting background checks is another necessary step to ensure the candidate has a clean record since they’ll work directly with patients. These processes help you choose the candidate that will work best with your team and meet your expectations for patient care.