Time Management Tips for CNAs

Certified Nursing Assistants work in hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities and have a busy work schedule. CNAs are responsible for several different tasks and need to manage their time effectively so as to avoid stress and take care of the patients in a proper manner. The busy schedules may demand a lot of planning from the CNAs to carry out all their responsibilities in an effective manner. Time management helps CNAs in organizing their work and doing it effectively. Here are some time management tips for CNAs.

In order to have a planned work schedule, CNAs can maintain a small diary or notebook wherein they can list out all the duties that they need to perform for that day. They can also prioritize their tasks and make plans for the next working day. After spending some time in the healthcare setting, the CNAs become aware of the patients needs as well as the duties that they need to perform. There will be patients who are assigned to the CNAs and CNAs need to keep a track of their individual medical needs. CNAs also need to pay a visit to the patients' rooms to check if there are any emergency requirements and handle them immediately. Else, they can always begin with their day-to-day routine. The nursing assistant on duty has to report the necessary details to the next nursing assistant resuming their duties and inform them about the patients' needs.

The clinical skills training equips the CNAs will all the necessary skill sets to carry out their duties in a proper manner and in a quick way. The CNAs are trained on making the patient's bed and changing linens, help the patients in doing their daily tasks like bathing, feeding and dressing. CNAs also learn to handle various kinds of medical equipment and instruments. They learn how to measure and record the patients' vitals. All these tasks need to be done in a timely manner.

Managing your work as per the given protocols will save your time and help you in the long run. CNAs need to ensure that they learn and take tips from the senior nurses and doctors on how they handle the patients. They also need to make sure they they avoid any kind of procrastination that leads to delaying tasks. Procrastination is something that kills the work productivity and needs to be strictly avoided. You can set personal deadlines to ensure that you complete all the tasks on time. In doing all this, don't forget to give yourself some time and space to relax and unwind.

Time Management Tips for CNAs 

1. Plan your day properly: The job of a CNA can at times be very unpredictable. The environment of the healthcare setting keeps changing as per the different needs of the patients. However, there are certain set of duties that the CNAs need to perform on a daily basis and it will help them if they plan these activities properly. CNAs constantly need to be on their toes to assist the patients as and when required. CNAs can always make a list of all the duties that they have to perform on a given day and set priorities for the same. This not only ensures that the tasks are completed on time, but also ensures that the CNAs do not forget to perform any of the important tasks.

2. Set your priorities right: CNAs need to jot down the tasks that require great attention or the ones that are of top priority. They then need to manage the time accordingly for completing these high priority tasks and then allot time to the less important tasks. By setting the priorities right, CNAs will be able to manage their time effectively, and this will help in reducing their stress. They can perform all their duties in a stress free manner as they know how much time is required for each task as well the order in which all the tasks need to be performed.

3. Don't get disturbed by interruptions: The job of CNAs is not only unpredictable, but also has a lot of interruptions. CNAs should be focused on their work, and should have the ability to ignore and let go of all the interruptions so that it does not disrupt their work. Interruptions may be in the form of long chats with colleagues, checking emails not related to your work or any other kind. CNAs need to give themselves time to relax, but at the same time they always need to be aware of their responsibilities towards the patients and cannot neglect them.

4. Organize well: CNAs need to work in an organized manner which can help them save time and perform tasks quickly. CNAs can keep all the important records, files and relevant documents properly so that they can easily find time as and when required. They can also organize their work in a manner that helps in reducing stress and increasing productivity.

5. Delegate duties: Remember that at times it becomes necessary to delegate certain tasks to others, as you cannot handle everything on your own all the time. If you need any kind of help, make sure that you ask help from others. You need to ensure that you take care of all your responsibilities in the best possible manner and it is alright to delegate tasks sometimes to help you be more productive.

These time management tips for CNAs will be useful for all the CNAs to manage their tasks well and be more productive on duty. Time management also helps in reducing stress and organizing your work to carry out your responsibilities in an efficient manner.