Certified Nursing Assistants are key players in the lives of the patients in their care
If you’ve ever spent time as a patient in the hospital, it’s likely you have interacted with several different people as they move in and out of your room during your stay. An important care team member is the certified nursing assistant (CNA).
CNAs not only provide physical care but also act as the eyes and ears of the clinical staff, observing their patients and making sure the healthcare team knows of any changes.
An important part of the nursing community, CNAs help to improve patient quality of life, prevent injury and provide compassionate care. A CNA’s role involves many responsibilities including checking a patient’s vitals, turning or moving patients, gathering medical supplies, feeding patients, and answering patient calls. CNAs can also act as the point of contact for the family members or loved ones of patients, which can provide a sense of emotional support as well as an outlet for questions or care updates.
Madison Keyzer is a CNA at Pardee UNC Health Care who was recently honored with the Clover Award for her therapeutic and compassionate care towards a patient. The Clover Award recognizes excellence and the vital role nursing assistants play in patient care.
“My favorite part of being a CNA is knowing that small things I do can mean so much to my patients,” said Keyzer. “Being in the hospital can be a stressful time for a patient and knowing that I am able to remediate even a small amount of that stress makes me feel like the long days are worth it.”
Keyzer and her fellow CNA, Carson Kirby, cared for a patient who suffered from confusion and was at the hospital for several months. Many of his needs, including bathing, help with directions, and other hygiene assistance were responsibilities that fell to Keyzer and Kirby. The patient was monitored very closely because he was known to wander.
“What drew me to the patient was the amount of time he was under our care,” Keyzer said. “Helping him with daily activities was something we knew would always brighten his mood. He smiled more and was generally happier when we would take the time to help him get showered and shaved.”
Kirby recalls one afternoon she and Keyzer were given permission to take the patient outside and the joy he experienced from this simple gesture warmed her heart. “It’s moments like these that remind me why I love this job,” she said.
Keyzer explained that tending to basic daily needs are something a lot of people take for granted.
“When you lose the ability to take care of yourself independently, I think it means a lot more that someone would take the time to help them do every part of their personal hygiene,” Keyzer said. “I hope that the work I was doing made an impact on that patient, because my work matters to me and brings joy into my life even with daily tasks.”
Keyzer was nominated for the Clover Award as a result of her colleagues observing how she and Kirby attended to the patient’s hygiene needs and interacted therapeutically with him. They noted how Keyzer always remained calm, gentle, and positive.
National Nursing Assistant Week is celebrated from June 16-22 and serves as an opportunity to celebrate the staff that takes on hard and uniquely difficult tasks and who are so critical to the day-to-day patient care. Pardee is fortunate to have a wonderful staff of CNAs, including Kirby and Keyzer, whose actions are a great example of Pardee’s commitment to providing compassionate care to every patient.
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Certified Nursing Assistants are key players in the lives of the patients in their care
