There are a variety of patients that home health nursing assistants care for. Some include the elderly, mentally ill, hospice patients, disabled and those that have long term ailments. This is a bigger variety than some would face in a hospital alone.
As a CNA, you are required to provide high quality care to the patients. You will have to help administer medications and perform daily tasks like walking, getting dressed, eating, cooking, cleaning, bathing, grooming and exercising.
As a home health aide, the nurse may be required to give injections and prescribe or provide medications to the patients. In some cases, they are only required to help the patient take the medicines on their own or simply hand the medication to the patient after it's been measured.
Instead of working in just one medical center, a certified nursing assistant that works as a home health aide will have to travel to different patients throughout the week.
One of the duties the home health nursing assistants will have to provide is housekeeping. Some of the other tasks he or she may have to face include going shopping, transporting the patient to doctor appointments, cleaning linen, cooking and running errands.
Keeping records of the progress, diet and vital signs of the patient is also required of the CNA. They are able to monitor the patient's heart rate and blood pressure as well. Working with therapists and dieticians may also be required to help develop a care plan specifically for the patient.
