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Top 5 Qualities You Need to be a Successful CNA

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If you’ve decided to make that career move to officially get your CNA certification, or if you’re still trying to make the decision, I’m sure you have plenty of questions - whether you’ve been working in healthcare for years or this is all brand new to you.  Today, let’s dive into the characteristics that it takes to become a Certified Nursing Assistant!

  1. Patient

To begin, being a CNA means being a Certified Nursing Assistant. As a nursing assistant, you would be responsible for assisting patients or residents with completing activities of daily living, or ADLs. This could involve eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, general hygiene, medication reminders, turning and repositioning, taking vital signs, or even just lending a listening ear.  You must keep in mind that the people who need assistance with these tasks usually cannot, or have limited ability to, do them for themselves.  Some might even be frustrated by their situation and/or their limitations.  This will require you to be patient with their abilities and their mindset.  Patients and residents may frequently get frustrated, but you must understand that it’s not aimed at you.  The huge life changes they may be experiencing are enough cause for frustration.

  1. Attentive

Being a CNA also means that you are the frontline person for noticing any major changes in health - whether a wound has become infected, a person seems disoriented, they’re experiencing complications they didn’t have before, or any number of issues. You will likely be the first person to notice, and you would be responsible for seeking the appropriate avenues of care.  Your attention to your patients/residents could result in the difference between positive and negative health outcomes, which is a lot of responsibility!

  1. Compassionate

Jessa Guzon
Written by
Jessa Guzon

Jessa Guzon is a member of the School Growth and Customer Success Team in Dreambound. She finds joy in assisting both schools and students in reaching their goals by answering their queries and connecting them with the right people. Outside her professional role, Jessa is a happy-go-lucky person with a thirst for adventure.

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