What Does a CNA Do?

Certified Nursing Assistants are the backbone of patient care. Here's what the job looks like day to day.

Core Responsibilities

CNAs provide direct, hands-on care to patients. This includes helping with daily activities like bathing, dressing, eating, and moving. You take and record vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, temperature, respiration). You observe and report changes in patient condition to nurses. You maintain a clean, safe environment for patients.

A Typical Shift

Shifts usually run 8 or 12 hours. You start by getting a report from the outgoing CNA about your assigned patients. Then it's rounds: checking on each patient, assisting with morning care, taking vitals, helping with meals, and repositioning patients who can't move independently. Documentation happens throughout the shift. You end by giving a report to the next CNA.

Where CNAs Work

Hospitals use CNAs in medical-surgical units, emergency departments, and intensive care support. Skilled nursing facilities (nursing homes) employ the largest number of CNAs. Home health agencies send CNAs to care for patients in their own homes. Rehabilitation centers, assisted living facilities, and hospice programs also employ CNAs.

Skills You Use Every Day

Communication is the biggest one. You talk with patients, families, and the nursing team constantly. Physical stamina matters because you're on your feet and lifting throughout the shift. Observation skills help you notice when something changes with a patient. Patience and empathy carry you through difficult moments.

What CNAs Don't Do

CNAs work under the supervision of licensed nurses. You don't administer medications (unless you get additional certification as a medication aide). You don't perform medical procedures. You don't create care plans. You follow the plan set by the nursing team and report what you see.

The Rewarding Part

Patients remember their CNAs. You're often the person they see most during their stay. The relationships you build, the comfort you provide, and the difference you make in someone's daily experience are what keep most CNAs in healthcare. It's physical work, and some days are hard. But the impact is real and immediate.