STNA duties – Just the tip Of the Iceberg

STNA commonly known as “State Tested Nursing Assistance” Working as a nursing assistance is not a joke. It’s a very responsible job, unlike any other jobs that one may undertake to earn bread. If you forget to complete your task there could be another opportunity but if you are a STNA any flaw in the completion of your task could cost the life of the patient you are assisting. What a common person sees as the duties of a STNA is not even 25% of the actual work the STNA is expected to do. Moreover, the responsibilities & accountability that come with the duties aren’t comparable.

The duties of the STNA would typically include the following- 

1.    Taking care of the personal hygiene of the patient: Taking care of the personal hygiene of the patient highly depends on his medical condition. The patient might not even be in a condition to go to the washroom even. In such circumstance the STNA is expected to take care of his personal hygiene like bathing, toilet, etc. Other than that brushing his teeth, changing clothes, doing his hair etc would also come under a STNA’s responsibility. Further to this, changing the patient’s bedding and other stuffs around him as per his need is to be replaced periodically.
 
2.    Taking care of his routine checkups:  STNA’s are well trained to understand and record temperature changes, pulse rate, blood pressure and respiration statistics of a patient. They are well equipped with not only being able to record the same but at the same time understand the sensitivity of conditions. The records are maintained as charts which help the doctor’s diagnoses the patient effectively and to provide medical aid to the patient by a STNA’s monitor over a patients it’s almost like a representation of a doctor for each patient.

3.    Taking care of the patents eating habits: One of the duties of the STNA’s is to take care of the eating habits of the patients. They are expected to feed them as well in case the patients are not in a condition. Proper diet is to be maintained for a patient and medication is to be provided as per doctor’s advice.

The basic duties of the STNA would remain the same as mentioned above. The duties could be defined more specifically depending upon the medical facilities available at the hospital or the nursing home they are working. But there are some things that are dispensable for a STNA over and above the basic duties. The STNA should be able to personalize his duty by being able to extend emotional support to the patient and also to his family. This is would speed up the patient recovery many folds.

The STNA should be good with words, as communication is an art. A bad news could be communicated in a way that it would send the message across without creating panic. This is very important when you are dealing with people where in emotional indulgence is very high and sensitive.

Most of all it is the duty of a STNA to do whatever it takes, inside or outside the preview of his duty is to help get the patient back on his feet.