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5 Traits to Avoid as Certified Nursing Assistants

5 Traits to Avoid as Certified Nursing Assistants

December 30th, 2014

Are you curious about a career as a certified nursing assistant? Do you wish to set yourself apart from your competition? If so, there are many ways to accomplish these goals. While obtaining high-quality training through online CNA certification classes and passing the certification examination are two of the most effective ways to gain attention from employers, avoiding certain traits is equally as valuable. If you’re interested in setting yourself apart from others, while showcasing your strong character traits, strive to avoid these five common pitfalls.

Trait #1 – Unreliable Certified Nursing Assistants

Due to the nature of this work, employers and patients require CNAs to be extremely reliable. A lack of reliability can prove to be detrimental to not only your success, but even to the health of your patients. Therefore, all CNAs should strive to not only be reliable when it comes to showing up for work, but also while at work. Your mantra should be to follow through with what you say you’ll do and even go above-and-beyond what was asked of you. After some time, your reliability will be rewarded by your employer and patients.

Trait #2 – Remaining Inflexible to Workplace Changes

Certified Nursing Assistant careers are among the most dynamic in the medical industry. Not only are you responsible for caring for patients, but you must support the ever-evolving medical techniques and treatments performed by nurses and physicians. If you go into work with a set mentality that you’re only going to do the minimum, you’ll soon find yourself without a job. Strive to create a personality, and reputation, that’s extremely welcoming to change. Only say no to a request if you know that you’re unable to successfully fulfill the request.

Trait #3 – Lack of Teamwork

The heart and soul of the CNA position is teamwork. This profession demands teamwork in order to keep track of patient needs and create a fully functional Care Plan. Avoid belonging to specific cliques or only working alone. Your goal should be to assist in any way possible, which means anticipating the needs of your co-workers and patients. CNAs that avoid true teamwork are not only doing themselves a disservice, but also hindering the true level of care every patient deserves.

Trait #4 – Only Does the Minimum

One of the quickest ways to create displeasure among your employer is to only perform the minimum functions of your position. While you may satisfy the basic needs of your career choice, those who do not proactively work to exceed these expectations will soon find themselves first to be cut should layoffs occur. Due to the dynamic nature of this work environment, the best level of care is only provided by those who strive to avoid only doing the minimum.

Trait #5 – Laziness

We’ve all worked with someone who is endlessly lazy. They finish a task and then retreat to the back room to check their phone or catch a quick nap. If you find yourself more on the lazy side of the road, then this may not be the career choice for you; especially if you work in a high-energy environment such as a hospital. As a CNA your goal should be the opposite of lazy. Even after finishing your “required” duties, there is always something that needs to be done. Use these opportunities to work with more advanced-level nurses to help expand your knowledge of healthcare and various treatments. The best CNAs are those that are eager to learn and help in any fashion.