Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) are a vital part of the healthcare team. Serving as an intermediary between patients and other members of the healthcare team, nursing assistants play many different, but equally important, roles in patient care. Nursing assistants provide emotional, physical and social support to patients and residents. I will inform readers about the role of certified nursing assistants in long-term care (LTC) centers and their importance as a member of the healthcare team. Certified nursing assistants “perform delegated nursing tasks under the supervision of a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or registered nurse (RN)” (Sorrentuino & Remmert, 2012). Nursing assistants are trained and certified to “provide basic quality of life care” (Botonakis, 2012) which includes assisting patients and residents with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as; feeding, grooming, hygiene, cleaning tasks, toileting; patient transport and mobility assistance. Nursing assistant responsibilities vary based on state regulations, work context, individual employer policy, and individual patient needs (NCDHHS, 2013). Nursing assistants work in many types of settings, including nursing homes, hospices, mental health centers, assisted living. , home care agencies, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, and restorative care (Sorrentuino & Remmert, 2012). There are many types of long-term care centers. In this article I will focus on long-term care centers often referred to as nursing homes. These LTCs are "licensed facilities that provide extended care to individuals who do not require the acute care provided in a hospital but who require more care than can be provided at home" (U.S. Department of Health and Human... half of the paper ......patients are on the front lines of basic care for residents in long-term care centers (Sorrentuino & Remmert, 2012). They are essential to the daily operations of these facilities because they help the nursing staff in many aspects of nursing care residents may be the first members of the healthcare team to recognize physical, emotional, and social symptoms that may be common to residents suffering from serious or life-threatening illnesses (Botonakis, 2012 for supervising nurses). is very important to the care of residents. The emotional support and social interaction provided by the nursing assistant plays an important role in the overall stay of residents in a long-term care facility. While not the most glamorous career field, certified nursing assistant is definitely necessary and important.