Certified Nursing Assistant

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

The Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is a paraprofessional member of the home care team who works under the supervision of a registered nurse or therapist and performs various personal care services as necessary to meet the patient's needs. The home health aide is responsible for observing patients, reporting these observations and documenting observations and care performed. The home health aide will be assigned in a manner that promotes quality, continuity and safety of a patient's care, and only after successful completion of a competency evaluation program. CNA, is also a part of the interdisciplinary team.

Duties and responsibilities of the certified nursing assistant or home health aide include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Providing personal care including:
• Bathing
• Grooming
• Oral hygiene
• Changing bed linen
• Assisting patients with dressing and undressing
• Nail & Skin care to prevent breakdown
• Assisting the patient with toileting activities
• Keeping patient's living area clean and orderly, as appropriate
• Planning and preparing nutritious meals.
• Assisting in meal prep and feeding the patient, if necessary.
• Assisting in ambulation and exercise according to the plan of care.
• Performing range of motion and other simple procedures as an extensional therapy service as ordered (with appropriate completed/demonstrated skills competency).
• Assisting patient in the self-administration of medication.
• Doing patient's laundry, as appropriate.
• Meeting safety needs of patients and using equipment safely and properly (foot stools, side rails, etc.).
• Reporting on patient's condition and significant changes to the assigned nurse.
• Adhering to the Organization's documentation and care procedures and standards of personal and professional conduct.
• Annual in-service trainings for home health Aides.

The above statements are only meant to be a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by the employee of this job. The employee may be requested to perform job related tasks other than those stated in this description.

Job requirements (Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities):

• Must have successfully completed a training and competency evaluation program that is approved by the respective state as meeting all requirements and listed in good standing in the state nurse registry. (Note: Home health aide or nurse aide will not be considered completed in a program if there has been a continuous 24 months or greater period-of-time where the described aide services have not been provided. For lapses of this time-period or greater, the individual must complete another training and competency program prior to delivering any services.)
• At least 18 years of age.
• Must pass a drug test and background check.
• TB skin test if no recent test found.
• Fingerprints or fingerprints already recorded in DACS.
• Ability to read and follow written instructions and document care given.
• Self-directing with the ability to work with little direct supervision.
• Empathy for the needs of the ill, injured, frail and the impaired.
• Demonstrates tact, patience and good personal hygiene.
• The ability to drive and/or have access to transportation for agency related travel (e.g. community partners, patients, etc.) is an essential function of the job. Must have and maintain a valid driver's license, maintain automobile insurance coverage and have access to an automobile.
• The CNA or home health aide will not function in any manner viewed as the practice of nursing according to the State's Nurse Practice Act. Specifically, the home health aide will not administer medications, take physician's orders or perform procedures requiring the training, knowledge and skill of a nurse, such as sterile techniques.

The employer for this position is The Pennant Group, Inc., a holding company of independent operating subsidiaries that provide healthcare services through home health and hospice agencies and senior living communities located throughout the US. More information about The Pennant Group, Inc. is available at