Are you interested in becoming a basic nursing assistant (BNA)? Are you curious about what BNAs do regularly? Have you been asking yourself what the main duties of a BNA are?
BNAs, or basic nursing assistants, provide basic care and help with daily living [1] and a BNA’s day can be different every day.
To learn about how to become a BNA, read up on “How Hard is BNA Training?”
Where Do BNAs Work?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1.5 million nursing assistants currently are employed in a variety of professional environments: [2]
- 40% of BNAs work in nursing care facilities. Patients in nursing facilities may be too elderly or ill to take care of themselves and need assistance to manage activities of daily life.
- 26% of BNAs work in state, local, and private hospitals. Individuals in hospitals may be ill or recovering from an operation where they are incapable of taking care of themselves and require assistance for both basic and necessary daily functions.
- 11% of BNAs work in continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly. Patients in retirement communities may have difficulty moving and taking care of themselves, and therefore, need assistance with daily tasks.
- 5% of BNAs work in home healthcare services. These services can included taking care of individuals who are ill, recovering or elderly. In any case, these individuals may not have the mobility to perform basic tasks and therefore, need the assistance of a BNA.
- The lowest number of BNAs (4%) work in the government. BNAs may help a variety of different patients while employed by the government. BNAs will help patients complete basic tasks for proper hygiene and health.
What Are Basic Nursing Assistant Responsibilities?
According to the BLS [1], basic nursing assistant responsibilities include:
- Cleaning and bathing patients or residents
- Helping patients use the toilet and dress
- Turning, repositioning, and transferring patients between beds and wheelchairs
- Listening to and recording patients’ health concerns and report that information to nurses
- Measuring patients’ vital signs, such as blood pressure and temperature
- Serving meals and helping patients eat
Depending on their position and employer, basic nursing assistants may also [1] dispense medication and be the principal caregivers (in nursing homes and residential care facilities). As a primary caregiver, BNAs have the most contact with residents and can develop close, meaningful relationships with their patients.
Life as a basic nursing assistant provides variety because every day is different depending on patients and circumstances. BNAs can have fulfilling careers as they aid those in need.
BNAs Provide Patient Comfort
Being a BNA can be a rewarding career. Every day for a BNA can vary depending on tasks at hand, the patient’s needs and environment in which they work. The main duty of a BNA is to assist the patient in remaining comfortable and safe in a hospital, home or other care environment.
Contact the Midwest Technical Institute (MTI) Admissions Team to learn more about enrolling in the Basic Nursing Assistant Course, which is offered at the Springfield, IL and East Peoria, IL locations.
Sources
[1] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nursing-assistants.htm#tab-2 [2] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nursing-assistants.htm#tab-3