3.1 CNA Scope of Practice in Florida
Key Takeaways
- A Florida CNA provides delegated, supervised direct care and must be listed on the AHCA Nurse Aide Registry before working in a nursing facility.
- Florida CNAs observe, assist, measure, record, and report; they do not assess, diagnose, write care plans, or administer medications.
- Prohibited acts for a Florida CNA include giving medications, inserting catheters or IVs, sterile dressing changes, and adjusting oxygen flow.
- Reporting a change in a resident's condition to the nurse is always within scope and is expected promptly, not at end of shift.
- Facility policy and the supervising nurse may restrict tasks further than state training; follow the most restrictive rule.
The Florida CNA Role
A Florida Certified Nursing Assistant gives hands-on personal care under the supervision of a licensed nurse. You are placed on the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) Nurse Aide Registry after you pass the Prometric competency exam, and you must be on that registry to work as a nurse aide in a Florida nursing facility.
Scope of practice means the set of tasks Florida law, the supervising nurse, and your facility allow you to perform based on your training and certification. The exam's Role of the Nurse Aide area is roughly 18% of the written test, and most questions reward staying inside scope.
Tasks Within Florida CNA Scope
| Care Area | Permitted CNA Tasks |
|---|---|
| Personal care | Bathing, dressing, grooming, oral care, toileting |
| Mobility | Positioning, transfers, ambulation, passive range of motion |
| Measurement | Temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure, height, weight, intake and output |
| Nutrition | Feeding assistance, recording meal percentage |
| Observation | Watching skin, mood, appetite, mobility, and comfort |
| Communication | Reporting changes to the nurse and documenting care given |
Acts Outside Florida CNA Scope
| Prohibited Act | Why It Is Not A CNA Task |
|---|---|
| Administering any medication, including ointments | Requires a licensed nurse |
| Inserting a urinary catheter or IV | Invasive, licensed-only procedure |
| Performing a sterile dressing change | Requires sterile technique and nursing judgment |
| Adjusting oxygen liter flow | Requires an order and licensed judgment |
| Assessing, diagnosing, or interpreting symptoms | Assessment is RN scope |
| Writing or changing the care plan | Requires licensed assessment |
| Giving medical advice or new instructions to a resident or family | Licensed staff responsibility |
Reporting Changes Is Always In Scope
Noticing and reporting a change is one task a Florida CNA must never skip. If a resident has new confusion, a new reddened area, a fall, chest pain, or sudden weakness, the correct action is to keep the resident safe and tell the nurse promptly. The CNA does not decide what the change means or treat it.
Example: a resident's leg is newly swollen and warm. The Florida CNA reports it to the nurse. The CNA does not massage the leg, apply heat, or tell the resident it is probably a strain.
When Two Rules Conflict
State training, facility policy, and the supervising nurse can each limit what you do. When they differ, follow the most restrictive rule and ask the nurse. Performing an out-of-scope act in Florida can lead to resident harm, registry discipline, and termination, even if someone told you to do it.
A nursing facility resident asks a Florida CNA to apply a prescribed medicated cream to a rash. What is the correct action?
Why must a Florida nurse aide be listed on the AHCA Nurse Aide Registry?