Role of a CNA

People don’t always fully understand what CNAs really do. When I tell someone I’m a Certified Nurse Assistant, I sometimes get that polite smile that basically means “Oh, so you’re the one who cleans up after patients.”

And yeah, I do that. I help patients bathe, change, and stay comfortable. I clean up messes, change bed sheets, and make sure patients have everything they need to stay comfortable . But if that’s all you think I do, then you don’t really understand what it means to care for someone.

CNAs are the eyes and ears of the floor. We’re the first to notice when a patient’s breathing changes, when they look pale, or when something just feels off. We spend the most time with patients since we’re constantly in and out of their rooms while taking the time to listen to their stories and hold their hands when they’re scared.

It’s hard work, both physically and emotionally. There are days when my back aches, when I’ve been running for hours answering call lights, and when I don’t get a break because someone needs me. But I still show up, because I know my work matters to the patients.

What hurts the most isn’t the exhaustion but the feeling of being invisible and overshadowed. I can often feel even the nurses looking down on the CNAs for our lack of education in the field. Sometimes, I’ll hear people say “I want to be a nurse, not just a CNA.” But there’s no just about it. CNAs are the foundation of patient care. Without us, hospitals and nursing homes wouldn’t function the way they do.

I wish more people understood that wiping someone’s face, helping them eat, or simply sitting with them when they’re lonely isn’t “simple work” but also human work. It’s the kind of care that can’t be taught from a textbook.

CNAs may not always get the recognition we deserve, but the patients remember. The families remember. And at the end of the day, that’s what keeps me proud to wear my badge.