Certified Nursing Assistant Basics
Being a certified nursing assistant is an essential job in the healthcare industry, and one that is continually on the rise. There is an ever increasing demand for this type of medical personnel, and for those who love working with people, it may be the ideal position for you.
You’re going to be working in various medical care settings that can range from home heath settings to assisted living facilities. As long as you have the proper training, there are hundreds of places you are eligible to work in. This job is rather demanding and therefore you have to ensure you are both physically and mentally prepared for the demands you are going to be faces with on a daily basis. When it comes to patient care, you are the one that is going to have the most contact with a patient, and you are going to be responsible for reporting back to nurses as well as doctors if anything were to change in their health.
Being a nursing assistant is a demanding job, and you are going to be working hands on with patients on a daily basis. You will be working with anyone ranging from children to seniors. You are going to be dealing with people that have dementia and Alzheimer’s as well as many other dilemmas or health conditions that result in them needing your assistance. You will be reporting to a nurse and you will be told the care plan for each patient for that day.
As far as the training to become a CNA is concerned, there are various organizations as well as long-term facilities that are offering training. You will also find that vocational schools and community colleges offer training to become a nursing assistant. Training will generally be split into two parts. You will be doing classroom work that involves textbooks, and the second part is clinical skills which is more hands on in various clinics. Your job duties are going to vary based widely on the facility you work in.
In regards to what you are going to be trained in, there are various aspects and situations you are going to need to learn how to deal with. You will learn to do activities such as oral care, perineal care, colostomy and catheter care, how to deal with violent patients as well as those who have Alzheimer’s, and how to work with patients who have had a stroke.
In order to become a CNA, you will need to be at least 18 years of age and you will need to be a graduate of high school or at least have your GED. The cost of training can range as well as the length of training. Each state requires various things, and along with needing to get your certified nursing assistant license, you will need other skills such as your CPR license and what are called continuing education units. There are several sites that are now offering information to help you get started, and this is a rather rewarding and lucrative career for those of you who enjoy making a difference in other people’s lives.
