CNA Training Skills
After CNA training, you will find that some of your patients will be unable to eat on their own without some assistance. The level of assistance required, of course, will vary from patient to patient, so you will have to determine needs each of your patients have.
Because self-care and independence is so important to a patient’s emotional and physical well-being, you will have to make sure the patient is able to complete as much of the process on his own. However, you should be available to help your patients with tasks they cannot complete on their own whenever necessary after CNA training.
To help you understand what you do need and do not need to do when assisting your patients with a meal, we have outlined a few tips and steps you need to complete.
Helping Your Residents With Meals After CNA Training
- Greet the resident and explain to him that you will be helping him eat his meal. Answer any questions he might have and address any concerns. He may not understand why you think he needs help, and you must explain that you are only there to assist, and will only help with tasks they really need you to help with.
- Ask the patient what he needs help with. He may not be able to open his beverage container or cut his food small enough he can eat it easily. You can complete these tasks after CNA training for the patient, and then allow them to eat by themselves.
- If you are assisting a visually impaired patient after CNA training, do not automatically assume you will have to help them with everything when it comes to eating. They may simply need you to let them know where their food is and how their beverage is positioned in relation to their plate.
- After CNA training, there will be some patients who are unable to feed themselves at all because of weakness or paralysis in their arms. If this is the case, you will need to cut their food into bite sized pieces and feed them yourself. Don’t rush them as they are eating. Allow them plenty of time to chew and swallow each bite, and alternate every other piece of food with a drink to wash it down. Look for signs that your patient may be struggling with the size or texture of their food as well.
- At times, certain patients may be given pureed food to make eating and swallowing easier. If you are assisting a patient with eating pureed food after CNA training, don’t mistake the soft form of the food as an excuse for rushing the patient. They still need time to swallow the food, and time to enjoy it.
- Always remember to check the temperature of the food before feeding it to your patients after CNA training. If the food is too hot, it may cause sores and burns in their mouths, and if it is too cold, it may be unappealing for the patient.
Assisting Your Patients With Eating After CNA Training
Helping your patients eat after CNA training allows them to maintain a larger amount of independence. Many of your patients will only require a little bit of assistance after CNA training, and will appreciate the fact that you provide it in a kind and respectful way. However, you should keep these helpful tips in mind to ensure you are correctly helping your patients eat after CNA training.
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