NorthWest Arkansas Community College

Physical Demands

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CNA/PCA+ careers can be physically demanding and require a variety of functional abilities. 

The following are some physical requirements: 

Gross Motor Skills

• Move within confined spaces
• Maintain balance in multiple positions
• Reach above shoulders/overhead (IV poles, monitors, etc.)
• Reach below the waist (electrical plugs, etc.)
• Reach in front (assist patient with arms out)

Fine Motor Skills

• Pick up objects with hands
• Grasp small objects with hands (IV tubing, pencils, electrode patches, etc.)
• Write with pen
• Use computer (type)
• Pinch/pick or otherwise work with fingers (use syringe, etc.)
• Twist at waist
• Twist wrists/hands (turn objects/knobs using hands)
• Squeeze with fingers (eye droppers, bulb syringes, ear bulb, etc.)

Physical Endurance

• Walk long distances (transfer patient, etc.)
• Stand (at patients side during surgery or therapeutic procedure, etc.)
• Sustain repetitive movement (CPR compressions, bagging, etc.)
• Maintain physical tolerance (stand/walk/work on your feet for 8-12 hours at a time with minimal breaks)

Physical Strength

• Push and pull 50 pounds (position patient, move equipment, etc.)
• Support 50 pounds of weight (ambulate patient, assist to bedside toilet, etc.)
• Lift 50 pounds (pick up a child, transfer a patient, etc.)
• Carry equipment/supplies
• Use upper body strength (CPR, physically restrain patient, etc.)
• Squeeze with hands (operate fire extinguisher)

Mobility

• Twist
• Bend
• Stoop/squat
• Move quickly (respond to emergency)
• Climb stairs
• Walk
• Stand

Hearing

• Hear normal speaking level sounds (person-to-person)
• Hear faint voices
• Hear faint body sounds (blood pressures, lung sounds, heart sounds, placement of tubes)
• Hear in situations when not able to see mouth (when masks are being used)
• Hear alarms (monitors, fire alarms, code alarms, call light)

Visual

• See information up to 24 inches away (monitors, computer screens, skin conditions)
• See objects up to 20 feet away (patient in room)
• Use depth perception
• Use of peripheral vision
• Distinguish color and color intensity (flushed, as colored, or pale skin, color of labels)

Tactile

• Feel vibrations (pulses)
• Detect temperature (temperature of skin, IV solutions, etc.)
• Feel differences in characteristics of skin (rash, turgor, etc.)
• Feel difference in sizes, shapes (palpate veins, body landmarks)
• Detect environmental temperatures

Smell

• Detect odors (drainage, alcohol, smoke, gases, etc.)

 Environment

• Tolerate strong soaps
• Tolerate strong odors
• Tolerate disturbing sounds (vomiting, diarrhea, coughing)

Reading

• Read and understand written documents (charts, orders, flow sheets, graphics)
• Read digital displays

Math

• Comprehend and interpret graphic trends
• Calibrate equipment
• Convert to and from metric system, apothecaries' and American system (dosage calculations)
• Tell time
• Measure time (CPR, contractions)
• Count rates (drip rates, pulse)
• Read and interpret measurement tools (measure tapes and scales)
• Add, subtract, multiply, and divide
• Compute fractions and decimals (dosage calculations)
• Document numbers in records using computerized database

Emotional Stability

• Establish professional relationships
• Provide emotional support (patient and families)
• Adapt to changing environments/stress
• Deal with the unexpected (patient crash, death, etc.)
• Focus attention on task
• Cope with your own emotions
• Multitask
• Cope with strong emotions in others (family grieving, patient upset, etc.)

Analytical Thinking

• Transfer knowledge from one situation to another
• Process and interpret information from multiple sources
• Analyze and interpret abstract and concrete data
• Evaluate outcomes
• Problem-solve
• Prioritize tasks
• Use long-term memory
• Use short-term memory
• Synthesize knowledge and skills
• Sequence information
• Independent decision making
• Adapt decisions based on new information

Interpersonal Skills

• Establish rapport with families, patient, and health care team
• Respect/value cultural differences
• Negotiate interpersonal conflict

Communication Skills

• Teach (patient and family)
• Influence people
• Direct/manage/delegate activities to others
• Speak in English
• Write in English
• Listen/comprehend spoken/written work
• Collaborate with others
• Manage information