You have been a CNA for years and you still don’t feel like you are making the most of your time. You want to know how to become a better CNA in order to make more of an impact on your patients’ lives. This blog post will teach you all about becoming the best possible version of yourself as a CNA, The following 10 tips can help you to become a better CNA, so read on!
1. Be prepared with a plan for each day
This is a great way to make sure that you are always on top of things and never forgetting anything. If you have all your tasks planned out ahead of time, then it will be much easier for you to complete them in the right order. This will also help ensure that nothing falls through the cracks because everything has already been taken care of beforehand!
2. Get to know your patients
Taking the time to learn about each of your patient’s lives is a great way for you to feel more connected with them. It can be very helpful in understanding what they are going through and how you can best support their needs throughout their hospital stay or recovery process. You’ll find that it will also help increase your patient satisfaction scores as well!
3. Be a good listener
There is nothing more frustrating than having to repeat yourself over and over again because your CNA doesn’t seem to be listening. In order for you to truly understand what each of your patients needs, it will be important that they feel comfortable enough approaching you with any questions or concerns. If they don’t feel like they can trust you, then it will be hard for them to open up about what is going on.
4. Be mindful of your patients’ emotions
It’s important that you are aware of the different moods and feelings each patient may have throughout their hospital stay. For some people, being in a place where everyone else is sick or injured can be difficult. You’ll want to make sure that you are providing the right kind of support, otherwise they will feel more isolated and alone than before!
5. Take notes
Taking detailed patient progress notes is a great way for you to keep track of all their different needs throughout each day. This makes it much easier for everyone involved when looking back on it later on. Not only that, but you will also have a great way of showing your patients just how much time and effort you put into making sure they are getting the best treatment possible!
6. Keep track of your patient’s discharge date
As soon as each patient is discharged from the hospital, make sure to write down their information in order to keep it in your records. This will help you follow up on their progress and make sure that they are doing well after leaving the hospital. It can be easy to get behind when you have so many other patients who need your attention, but taking a quick scan through these notes every now and again is important!
7. Keep yourself organized
Many CNAs have a tendency to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of different tasks and responsibilities they need to take care of on their daily schedule. If you want to be able to stay organized, then it’s important that you keep your workstation clean and tidy at all times so that everything is always in its proper place! This will make it much easier for you to locate the tools you need whenever you are in a rush to complete your tasks as quickly as possible!
8. Be proactive about giving medications
If it is routine for you to give out medication, then make sure that each patient has them ready before hand. Then all they have to do is ask and you will be able to pass the medications right along to them. This will save you some time and effort, while also making it so that they don’t need to wait around for their medications. Avoid having any issues with medication administration this way!
9. Ask questions
If you ever feel like there is something that needs to be done but you aren’t sure where the best place would be to do it, make sure to ask your manager. They will be able to point you in the direction of where it should go, or they might even offer up a great idea that wasn’t considered before! There is no harm with asking questions and getting more information on how something can be done properly.
10. Avoid interruptions
Make sure that everyone around you knows that you aren’t to be interrupted whenever you are seeing your patients. This can help prevent any possible issues and accidents from occurring, as it will give them all the time they need to explain their symptoms or concerns before moving on to another task. You’ll find that people around you will start following this rule without even needing to say anything, so don’t be afraid to make a request in the moment.
11. Take advantage of free time
Some days can get really hectic, and you’ll find yourself with no time to spare when it comes to completing tasks that need your attention before the end of the day. In this case, try making use of any downtime by getting ahead on some work! You’ll be surprised at just how much you can get done when there is no one else around to distract you from your work.
12. Be supportive
One of the best things that any nurse has to offer their patients is a sense of support and understanding whenever they are going through something difficult or challenging. You want to make sure that each patient knows that they are not alone, and that you are there to help them in any way possible. Offering this type of support can make a huge difference in their lives whenever they need it the most!
13. Take care of yourself
When you take great care of your own health and well-being, then it will be much easier for you to provide top notch care for your patients. Even if you don’t have time to take a break, make sure that you are eating properly and getting enough rest each night so that you can come back the next day ready to go again! You’ll find that this will not only improve your work performance but it could even prevent some mistakes from being made as well.
14. Remember why you decided to become a CNA
The main reason that any person decides to go into nursing is because they want to make a difference in the lives of their patients. When times feel challenging and it seems like nothing will ever get better, remember your original goals as well as how much good work that you are doing every single day! This will help you keep going when everything else seems to be stacked against you.
15. Take criticism well
If your performance is ever called into question, make sure that you don’t take it too personally and get defensive about the feedback given. This could cause a lot of issues and arguments down the road with any managers or new hires, so just try to take everything in stride and make the most out of it. There is always room for improvement, so don’t be afraid to hear about how you can improve yourself!
16. Make sure your resume is updated
Although this isn’t something that will happen every day or even every month, if you ever find yourself looking around at other job opportunities then having an updated resume on hand is always a good idea. You might find that there are new skills or certifications that you can pick up to make your resume even more impressive, which will help you land the job of your dreams!
When it comes down to becoming a better CNA, there are many different things that you can do in order to make an impact on your patients’ lives. Implement the above tips into your daily routine and see what kind of differences they will make!
