Reading Skills for Healthcare Workers

Sandra is a nurse assistant in a hospital. She works under the supervision of a registered nurse (RN). Sandra helps with patients’ activities of daily living (ADLs), such as grooming, eating, dressing, and moving from place to place. She follows each patient’s care plan. An RN approves the care plan and updates the plan daily.

Sandra checks the care plan throughout the day and follows the directions on it. She monitors patients’ food intake, weight, and changes in appearance and behavior. She checks their blood pressure. She helps them eat and go to the bathroom. She talks with the patients and family members about how they are feeling and communicates their questions and concerns to the health care team.

In the hospital, patients and their family members often feel nervous and frightened. Sandra makes sure to always smile, talk patiently to them, and make them feel as comfortable as possible during a difficult time. She understands that the patients may feel helpless when they are sick, so she treats them with dignity while she helps them with their basic needs.