What Qualities a Good STNA Needs
Most people who go into the healthcare industry have at least somewhat of an idea what to expect. But if you’ve never delved into what an STNA does, you might not realize what all goes into being the best state tested nursing assistant you can be. Understanding some of those qualities can help you to be prepared for your studies and for your first few days on the job.
Observational Skills
State tested nursing assistants are on the front lines of healthcare. They’re right there with patients, helping them with activities like bathing or eating, so they’re also trained to notice quite a lot about what might be going wrong. As an STNA, you’ll look for issues that point to health complications, you’ll look for signs of discomfort, and you’ll look for other situational clues, too. You’ll likely be the first health care provider to notice when something isn’t quite right.
Communication Skills
Because you’re on the front lines, you’re communicating with a wide range of people. You’ll be talking to patients and to their family members and loved ones. You’ll also be communicating with RNs and other nursing staff as well as doctors and orderlies. You’ll need to be able to communicate effectively with everyone you come in contact with during your shifts.
Effective Under Pressure
There’s a lot going on in almost every healthcare situation. You’re going to need to be able to respond quickly to changing situations and help to keep other people calm. There might be something you notice about your patient that means you’re going to be able to help that patient avoid a serious issue down the line. That’s a lot of pressure to be under constantly, so you have to be able to hold up.
Willing to Keep Going
Not only will you have to hold up under the pressure, you’ll also need to be able to hold up for longer shifts than you might be used to. People who are new to the healthcare industry are sometimes surprised at the length of the shifts they need to work and that can be daunting. If you’ve got a strong will to keep going and to keep helping the people you’re there to help, this might not be a problem for you.
Being an STNA can be incredibly rewarding, especially if you know what you’re getting into from the very beginning. It’s important to know what to expect so that you can make the best decisions possible about your future and about what you want to do from this point forward.
