Texas Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

Which of the following care team members are licensed professionals who assign jobs to nursing assistants?

1. Nursing assistants and aides

2. Nurses and physical therapists

3. Social workers

4. Home health aides

The correct answer is: Nurses and physical therapists

Nurses and physical therapists are licensed professionals who possess the necessary training and credentials to oversee the care provided to patients. They have the authority to assess patient needs, develop care plans, and assign specific tasks to nursing assistants as part of a coordinated care approach. Nurses, for instance, are responsible for administering medications, managing patient care, and evaluating health status, while physical therapists focus on rehabilitative care and help patients regain mobility. Both roles are critical in the healthcare team, ensuring that nursing assistants are effectively utilized and that patient care is delivered safely and efficiently. The licensed background of these professionals is essential because it ensures competency in making clinical judgments and directing other team members, including nursing assistants, in their duties. Other roles, such as social workers and home health aides, while vital in their contexts, do not carry the same level of medical training or authority to assign tasks within the healthcare framework, which differentiates their responsibilities from those of nurses and physical therapists.