Posted by Kathy on August 18, 1999 at 11:57:50:
In Reply to: Re: Just wondering... posted by Genevieve Gipson RN MEd RNC on August 10, 1999 at 18:29:42:
: Cindy,
: This would be a good question to put our there through our "Network News" as well. I am assuming that you mean a nursing assistant who has teaching responsiblities - we call this person the 3rd member of the teaching team. But they also need training and need to know how much they can and cannot do. Will be interesting to see comments from others.
: Blessing
: Genevieve Gipson
: Career Nruse Assistants Programs, Inc
: National Network of Career Nursing Assistants
: Web master for this site
Hello. I am one of those CNA trainers. My own setting at present is in med/surg in a trauma 2 hospital, but have done the same orientation in long tern care for about 10 years. I have been a CNA for 17 years.
The importance in training ( and being ) a cna is maintaining a standard of care in all things- a universal procedure followed the same in any location. Diversity comes with individuals and locations, but the skills should always remain constant.
We should NEVER stop learning quality patient care and if you do not a resourse person of your own, become one yourself. Read, observe, ask your nurses to show you. Teach yourself and then offer to teach others. You'd be delighted in what you can learn yourself when you're teaching others.
It often seems that CNA's do not have the options that nurses do in furthering our educations and skills. We are really restricted by licensing and scope of practice. And, not to undermine anything that our nurses do, we are the primary hands-on caregivers, no matter the setting, and the more that we understand the conditions of our patients and the skills to assist them, the easier it will be to care for them.
:
: : Hi again. I was wondering if anyone has a "CNA trainer" at their place of employment. I would be interested in hearing about their quailifications and duties. I feel that my home could use a person to orient the new aides as they are hired. Further orientation involving specific tasks that we do, that may not be required at all facilities. A person to be there for questions and concerns, and to help on the floor when needed. I think that he/she should be an advocate for the CNA's as well as the residents. Kind of another source of support. Does that make any sense?