What Are the Duties of a Cena?

Competency evaluated nursing assistants, abbreviated as C.E.N.A. and often spoken as cena, bear the duty of working on the front lines in medical settings. They serve as an extension of nurses, helping them to tend to most of the daily needs of patients while nurses attend to clerical and medical duties. Nursing aides must complete at least 75 hours of experience and pass a state-regulated exam as qualification for the job.

Taking Vitals

• Nursing assistants use a chart and various methods to record a patient’s vital signs for regular assessment. The patient’s medical history and special needs stipulate what types of vitals that the C.E.N.A. monitors. Certain vital signs, like heart rate and temperature, may require hourly assessment. Overall mood checks on the patient need monitoring and recording as well.

Bathing

• Nursing aides help their patients with daily grooming needs based on how functional a patient is. Some patients require minimal assistance with grooming and hygiene, others with more limitations need the full attention of an aide in every aspect from bathing to dressing.

Feeding

• Some clients under the care of a C.E.N.A. will require assistance with feeding. Some patients need only a notice of feeding times, and possibly being escorted to dinner. In intensive care settings, a nursing aide may monitor intravenous feeding needs of a client.

Custodial

• Nursing aides, especially ones involved with in-home settings, help a client with light cleaning and daily chores like cleaning rooms and helping make their beds. In clinical settings, residents have the ability to call nursing aides if a need arises.

Companionship

• Nursing aides also play a role in providing emotional support for their patients. An aide while working directly with their client should employ an empathetic attitude. Nursing aides may be the only human contact clients without family receive.

Coping With Stress

• While the job provides a sense of satisfaction, it can also be a very stressful career. Some nursing homes and hospitals provide care to many patients so an aide will have to assist multiple patients in one shift. Nursing aides sometimes develop attachments to patients who they work closely with, and have to find ways to deal with the eventual deaths of the clients.