Expanded Duties for the CNA

Posts: 13 · Joined: 11 May 2005 Posts: 13

I work in a large hospital in Baltimore where uner the supervision of the licensed nurse CNAs have been given expanded duties per special in - house training recieved. This includes, but is not limited to, starting peripheal IVs, phlebotomy, dressing changes and foley catheter insertion.

The hospital has 3 skill levels they can progress through with the last being a Nurse Tech III. I have found that with the patient acuity, nursing shortage and increased amount of paperwork that this is a godsend for me and my co-workers.

Your comments please?

Posts: 3 · Joined: 27 Jun 2005 Posts: 3 Location: west virginia

i agree with this entirely. yes, i think cnas are a god send, i was one for a long time before i became a nurse. I know personaly that the cnas love to have different things to do, most want to learn more. i wish our facility offered extra classes for the cnas and the nurses to learn more if they want to. i personaly could not completely finish my shift without the help and the eyes of the cna.

Posts: 11 · Joined: 26 Feb 2005 Posts: 11

I agree I use to work at a large trauma one hospital where the "TECH'S" could do things like foleys dc iv's and lab draws. Now I work a a smaller hospital where the CNA's only do blood sugars, temps, and answer call lights. The nurses have to do their vitals. The Cna's spend a lot of time sitting around. It is a waste that they are not even required to do VS. I feel pain from it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks