Nursing Assistant

Nursing assistants work in hospitals too! If you have always wanted to work in a hospital, but thought it might be an impossible dream it's definitely not! In a hospital a nursing assistant can and will provide direct nursing care to hospital patients under the supervision of a registered nurse. You will measure and record the patient's temperature, pulse and respiration rates. You will assist the nursing staff in moving patients in whatever form is needed. You will also be giving more personal care by helping patients eat, wash and drink. This way you will give all the hands on, tender loving care you have always wanted to give and work in the hospital you dreamed of. A nursing assistant is also the first step care in preserving the patient's dignity. With your care and gentle hand, you will ensure the comfort of each patient you care for. There are many different areas in a hospital setting which you can gain experience. These include medicine, surgery, oncology, operating theatres, neurology, elderly care, maternity and outpatient clinics. You will likely work a rotating shift just like registered nurses and doctors do. Often times, there are part time positions available if that suits your needs and lifestyle better. As you can see, nursing assistants have many options in a hospital setting. This could be an option that you'll find is right for you.

Working as a nursing assistant in a doctor's office is a wonderful option for any nursing assistant. Your hours are regular, your staff never changes and you get to see patients in a calm manner, most of the time anyway. As a nursing assistant in a doctor's office, you become the glue that holds the pieces together. You will assist the doctor and the nurses, forming a bond with each that is invaluable. You will take the patients vital statistics upon their arrival. You will be the patient's first impression of this doctor and his office. Your mannerisms, hygiene and communication skills will reflect on the office as a whole. Your love of your job will shine through and make everyone you work with look good. As the nursing assistant, you may be the person the patient gives that small bit of information that makes all the difference to. They might just be reminiscing about the dinner they ate when they first started to feel badly or that first ski trip when their knee hurt the worst. Your listening skills will be constantly tested and of the utmost importance. When taking a job as a nursing assistant in a doctor's office, consider these things in addition to the skills you learned in school and you're aware that you'll be using. Consider the level at which you will deal with the patients, be sure it's a good fit for you.

If you are an employer looking for a nursing assistant, there are a lot of avenues you can take to find one. There is always the basic ad in your local newspaper. You can and will attract a broad spectrum of potential employees with this option. It is a low cost, high profile way to get the word out. Then, there is the newer option of an internet advertisement. This gets out into the World Wide Web to an even broader audience. Internet advertising may even attract new and interesting people into your area. This is a low cost, high profile option to explore. Another possibility for finding a nursing assistant is to visit your local college or continuing education center. Seek out the actual classes and bring in employees from there. You can even speak to the class instructor and get their take on a particular student whose application you have reviewed and you're interested in finding out more about. This way, you not only get to review their qualifications but their personal habits as well. As you well know, an office works as a team. Be sure that this new nursing assistant is not only a team player, but a player that will meld well with your particular team. A good fit is very important.

Nursing assistants have a wide variety of options when looking for a job. You can work in a hospital assisting registered nurses. You will do things like monitoring patients, helping them move rooms or beds, and aiding them in basic daily needs. There are many options in a hospital such as maternity, surgery, outpatient clinics and many more. Being a nursing assistant in a hospital can be a versatile and viable option for many. There are also nursing assistant jobs in doctor's offices. There you will do things like take patients first vital signs and assist the doctor in basic in office procedures. This can be a wonderful and rewarding job for many nursing assistants. Your hours are a bit more predictable though some of the versatility may be gone. A nursing assistant also has the option of working in a nursing home setting. Within a nursing home, you will perform many of the same duties you would elsewhere but there may be a larger emphasis on personal care and assistance. Nursing assistants can work in almost any medical setting where a registered nurse does. Many of these medical facilities need nursing assistants to fill the gaps in care that so many places strive to fill. There is a need, and you can fill it.

Many people have questions about furthering their career after becoming a nursing assistant. Some people are of the misconception that after becoming a nursing assistant you would be stuck in one job. This is absolutely not true. You will have great options for furthering your career once you become a nursing assistant. Let's consider a few of them. There are some other aspects of medical care you can get into. You could continue your education and head into Phlebotomy, which deals primarily in blood collection. This is a bit different of a direction than being a nursing assistant was, but you would still have good hands on care of your patients. There is also the continuance into emergency medicine as an emergency medical technician (EMT) or as a paramedic. Both are very viable solutions, one just requiring a bit more schooling than the other. Again, you would continue with wonderful hands on care of your patients but in a bit different of a light. Instead of getting them when they're already in the hospital or a doctor's office, you would be the first there. This is a very exciting and interesting option you could explore. Then, there is always going on from nursing assistant to full on registered nurse. A lot of us go into being a nursing assistant with the intent of furthering to a registered nurse. And that's one way to pay for nursing school.

Hospice care may not be the first thing that comes to mind when becoming a nursing assistant, but do not let it be far. Hospice care provides compassionate care for people in the last phases of an incurable disease or simply at the end of life due to old age. This enables them to live as fully and comfortably as possible. Nursing assistants are always in need in hospice care. Hospice care focuses on treating the person, not the disease. This is often a perfect fit for the kind of person drawn to being a nursing assistant. You are able to give very personal, individual care to people that need it almost more than anyone. You will perform many of the usual nursing assistant tasks in addition to just the love and attention that someone living out the end of their days needs and deserves. With in patient hospice care, you will perform many of the same tasks you would in a hospital. The nursing assistant will aide in feeding, bathing, and moving the hospice patient. In addition to the things that are unique and special to nursing assistants, truly having the time to get to know your patient. Hospice care needs nursing assistants that are great communicators. You need to be able to listen to your patient and their family to understand fully the needs and desires of the patient.

Training regulations for certified nursing assistant careers are mandated in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987; this act outlines the minimum amount of training and supervised clinical training required by all registered and certified nursing assistants. Each State also approves its nursing assistant program training requirements, and in most cases, a nurse assistant must complete a certain amount of continued education each year.

All prospective nursing assistants must have at least a high school diploma or GED in order to enter a certified nursing assistant program, and the curriculum is comprised of both classroom instruction and hands-on experience in a clinical setting.

Nurse assistant training is a combination of practical learning through hands-on training and work experience, as well as in-classroom instruction. Certified nursing assistant training programs help students learn the critical skills and knowledge they need to be successful in their careers. A nursing assistant program may be completed in a campus-based setting or online, and is available at most technical colleges as well as some 4-year colleges and universities.

Certified nursing assistant programs teach students essential skills and tasks needed to take care of patients who are bedridden for extended periods of time, and also help residents and patients with activities of daily living. These tasks are typically performed under the supervision of a Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse, and include:

Ambulation assistance

Applying antiembolic stockings

Bedpan use

Oral care

Dressing

Feeding

Bedmaking

Serving water

Giving bedbaths

Nail care

Performing range-of-motion exercises

After completing the basic healthcare safety courses of a nurse assistant program,students may complete nurse assistant training in the areas of:

Body Structure and Function

Infection Control

CPR

Nutrition

Anatomy

Patient Communication

Hospital Communications Job Searching

The majority of learning takes place in a clinical setting where a prospective certified nursing assistant works under the supervision of a registered nurse to learn basic skills and observe the operations of the hospital or medical facility. This helps students prepare for their certified nursing assistant careers and gain some work experience in a real-world setting.

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Being a nursing assistant is a wonderful and fulfilling career option. There are so many personal benefits to it, let's look at just a few. One of the biggest benefits, and the one that probably draws most of us, is the one on one care that we can give to patients that truly need it. You will have the opportunity to truly get to know your patients and give them the love and kindness that drew you to this profession in the first place. Being a nursing assistant is in your heart, and you will have the benefit of being able to use your heart when performing your job. Another big benefit for a lot of us, is that the schooling for nursing assistants isn't quite as long as it is for other things. You still have the benefit of education and knowledge. You still get the benefit of training and hands on experience, but you don't feel like you'll be in school forever. For most of us, time is a premium and this is a huge benefit. Another nice benefit of being a nursing assistant is that there are many jobs available. Almost anywhere that there are nurses, there are nursing assistants. You can slide into a full time or part time employment position, whatever suits your needs and lifestyle.

Becoming a nursing assistant may sound a bit overwhelming, truly it is not. You can easily look into your state requirements for nursing assistants. Just use your favorite search engine to find them out. We can talk a bit in generalities though as to what is required and how to go about it. Some people find an ad in their local paper and will see an advertisement for free classes. Look into that and be sure you know what you're getting into. Most of those positions, your training will be paid for by the employer and then you will be under contract for a certain period of time which can be a wonderful benefit or a great hindrance. So take a bit and look into what they want and what you are willing to give. If you are hired on by one of these employers, you will likely have a criminal background check and a drug test. Those are pretty standard for anyone working with the public so I'm sure you're not surprised. The actual classes for certified nursing assistants can run anywhere from two-six weeks all the way up to six months dependent on where you are going to work and what you will need to know how to do. At the end of all these classes, understand that you will need to take a state certification exam.

It takes a special person to be a nursing assistant. You have to have compassion, empathy and a true desire to help people. Ideally, you should have a good amount of patience. Patience for everyone you come in contact with. Whether that is the staff you are working with who are also overworked, over tired and over stressed, the patients you help who might be scared, feeling badly, or truly just having a bad day. Some days it can be rough, but the payoff in the help you can give is well worth it. You should have strong communication skills. You need to be able to get your point across and to truly understand what is being said to you. You need to be able to understand your fellow staff members as well as understand the patients that need you. A nursing assistant also has to be a true team player. There's not a lot of room for ego in this job. Everyone on the staff is a piece of the puzzle and no one can worry how big or small of a piece they are. Nursing assistants are the glue that hold everyone together. You will be truly assisting in everything, making things go more smoothly for the patients and your fellow staff alike.

Individuals who successfully complete a certified nursing assistant program typically find work in hospitals, mental health facilities, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities. Some CNAs may also work with nurses who offer their services in a private home setting. A certified nurse assistant can maintain their certification by completing continuing education courses each year.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor & Statistics Occupational Handbook reports that the overall employment of nursing, psychiatric and home health aides is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations. This is largely due to the high replacement needs for skilled nursing assistants in the rapidly growing medical field, and the majority of jobs can be found at nursing care facilities and local government agencies. Median hourly earnings of nursing aides were $10.67 in May 2006, and individuals who work in a psychiatric setting earned approximately $11.49 per hour in that same year. Related occupations include:

Medical Assistants

Occupational Therapist Assistants

Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

Personal and Home Care Aides

Social and Human Service Assistants

Child Care Workers

Provided by: www.ulinks.com