Certified Nursing Assistants are not licensed healthcare providers. CNAs must work under the direction of a licensed nurse. A CNA’s expected job duties include assisting residents with activities of daily living and performing basic nursing tasks. The following list includes the skills taught in a UNAR-approved Nurse Aide Training Program as specified in CFR 483.152, Utah Admin Code R432-45, and UNAR curriculum. It is not within UNAR purview to provide legal advice. Nursing tasks must be delegated by a licensed nurse as detailed in the Utah Nurse Practice Act R156-31b.
Abdominal thrust/Heimlich Maneuver
AM & PM care
Application of anti-embolism stockings
Apply nasal cannula and oxygen mask and check oxygen flow rate (does not adjust rate)
Applying an abduction pillow for hip fracture
Assist resident at mealtime
Assist to edge of bed to dangle
Assisting a falling resident
Assisting resident with bedside commode/ to bathroom
Assisting to move to the head of bed using draw sheet
Assisting to move to the head of the bed
Assisting with a bedpan/fracture pan
Assists a male resident with a urinal
Backrub
Bed making
Brief change including pericare; male and female
Cold pack application and monitoring
Complete Bed Bath/Partial Bed Bath
Convert ounces to ml
Dressing/undressing, including resident with an affected side
Empty down drain bag and measure urine output using a graduate
Estimate the amount of solid food eaten
Feed a resident with swallowing difficulties
Feed resident a complete meal
Haircare/shampoo; bed, sink, dry shampoo, shower cap
Hearing-aid/ eyeglass care
Height; standing and supine
Indwelling catheter care; including tubing and bag positioning
Log rolling a resident
Manually measuring and documenting blood pressure (within 10mmHG)
Measure and record fluid intake
Measuring and documenting blood pressure with electronic BP machine
Measuring and documenting oral, temporal, and tympanic temperatures
Measuring and documenting oxygen saturation and pulse using a pulse oximeter
Measuring and documenting radial and apical pulses (within 4 beats)
Measuring and documenting respirations (within 2 breaths)
Moving & Positioning
- Lateral
- Supine
- Prone
- Sim’s
- Fowlers; including semi and high
- Sitting
Moving a resident to one side of the bed
Nailcare/footcare, including trimming nails and toenails
Observing resident for signs of pain and asking questions when a resident reports pain; numerical and faces pain scale
Occupied bed making
Occupied draw sheet change
Oral Care
- Conscious resident
- Natural teeth
- Dentures
- Unconscious resident-aspiration precautions
Ostomy care: skin care, empty bag, bag change
Perineal care; male and female
Pivot transfer from bed to wheelchair and wheelchair to bed (including resident with an affected side)
Position resident and serve a meal tray
Post mortem care
Pressure ulcer prevention
Proper use of the gait belt
- Assist to ambulate, including resident with an affected side
- Assist to ambulate a visually impaired resident
- Assist to ambulate with a cane
- Assist to ambulate with a walker
Proper wheelchair/geriatric chair positioning
Provide assistance to nurse with resident care pre- and post-enema
Range of motion exercises; passive and active
Reading electronic and digital thermometers
Shaving/ electric and safety razor
Tub Bath/Shower
Turning a resident away from CNA
Turning a resident toward CNA
Weight; standing & wheelchair