During a conversation with a friend of
mine, we were discussing the conditions of her job. I've wondered for a while what her actual job
description and title was, but I always assumed she was an LPN (licensed practical
nurse). So I took it upon myself, to ask
her what exactly she does. She told me she was a CNA, or certified nursing
assistant. As she started describing some of the things she does on her
job, I thought that they were the same as those of an LPN. I found that the duties between a CNA (certified nursing assistant) and a LPN (licensed practical nurse) vary from care to training.
A CNA provides assistance to the residents
or patients that can’t take care of themselves as if they were living at home. CNAs spend most of their time getting to know the resident physically and
emotionally. They provide care as far as feeding, clothing, bathing, and
lending an ear to listen to the resident when there is a particular problem
they may need to confirm. It’s the CNAs job to always provide a welcome and
comfortable home for the patient. If a new resident arrives in a facility that
they are not used to, they may become very confused or scared. As a caregiver, a
CNA should make sure the resident knows that everything is going to be okay at
all times. CNAs also receive the residents’ vitals: blood pressure, pulse,
respiration, and their temperature and report any unusual problems in the
resident’s behavior, eating habits, and strength. Often times the patients are older adults and
need to be taken care of very carefully, as a CNA they should show compassion,
lend a helping hand, and always listen.
One the other hand, LPNs spend about half
of their time working charting information needed on the residents. This information may be things such as:
what pill has been handed out, how many times the resident had an output, their
blood pressure, pulse, respiration, temperature, and behavior problems. They also provide proper medication to residents prescribed by doctors. An LPN
can tend to be less affectionate towards patients than a CNA would, but in all
they are supposed to care for the residents as much as the CNA does. When or if
a resident needs to talk to anyone about their health problems they usually
call for the LPN, and if it’s a question that they cannot answer, they may call
on a RN for help because LPNs are not qualified to do as much as an RN does.
A CNA makes less than an LPN, and it takes a CNA only a few weeks of lessons, whereas an LPN, a one-year learning process. Their
duties differ from one another and so can their care-giving skills. The LPNs do
not make as valuable time for the patients as CNAs, but they do provide more health related care to them.
