Nursing Assistant Monthly Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. 20 th Anniversary Edition The evolving role of the CNA

Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. A proud history  The American Red Cross launched the Volunteer Nurses’ Aide Service in  Thousands of trained nurses’ aides assisted with the war effort and helped keep U.S. hospitals running during the war.  Nurses’ aides also helped care for victims of the Spanish flu. September 2015The evolving role of the CNA

Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Our modern health care system  In the 1950s, the federal government created the first nursing homes, but aides were not formally trained or certified.  In the 1970s, some states began to offer voluntary training and certification.  In 1987, the federal government passed a law requiring states to train and certify nursing assistants. September 2015The evolving role of the CNA

Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. CNAs today Job responsibilities include:  Feed, bathe, and dress residents  Take vital signs  Serve meals, make beds, and help keep rooms clean  Observe residents’ condition or behavior September 2015The evolving role of the CNA

Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. CNAs today, continued  Answer calls for help  Set up medical equipment  Assist with medical procedures, in some states September 2015The evolving role of the CNA

Copyright © 2015 Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Looking to the future  The demand for care is rising. –By 2030, there will be more than 72 million older adults in the United States – a 45 percent increase compared to today.  Health care organizations are working to recruit more CNAs.  New health care models can give CNAs a career path to follow. September 2015The evolving role of the CNA