The position of nursing assistant is probably one of the most rewarding jobs one can choose when deciding on a career. Unlike a personal care aid or other similar positions, a certified nursing assistant (C.N.A) is a skilled position.
The duties of a C.N.A. include caring for hospital patients or residents in a nursing home in a variety of ways. C.N.A.’s are responsible for assisting individuals with all activities of daily living, such as eating, dressing, ambulation, and personal hygiene.
Some individuals choose to become C.N.A’s as a stepping stone towards other jobs in the field of nursing such as a licensed practical nurse or a registered nurse, while others decide to stay a C.N.A as a lifetime career.
Nursing assistant training is usually 3-8 weeks and can be taken at a local vo-tech school, or technical college. Of course tuition fees are associated with this type of training and will vary depending on which school an individual chooses, and which state the school is in.
Many times, depending on the part of the country one lives in, nursing assistant training is paid for by the establishment the individual is going to work for. There is great advantage in this as the training will be on the job, under supervision of an R.N. (registered nurse), and the student has the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the skilled facility they will actually be working in once their training and certification is complete.
Some things an aspiring C.N.A will learn in their nursing assistant training are skills such as making an occupied bed, in cases where a hospital patient or nursing home resident is immobile. They will also learn skills such as the proper way to feed a patient or resident who is unable to manage eating utensils on their own. Universal precautions are always a part of C.N.A. training courses and include skills such as correct hand washing procedures and the use of P.P.E (personal protective equipment.)
Once certification is complete a C.N.A. soon learns that they are the eyes and ears of the facility. It is up to the C.N.A. to report any situation that needs medical attention, such as discovering a patients condition appears to be worsening, or to report a bruise or mark on the skin not previously seen. Communication between Nurses and C.N.A.’s is vitally important, and once certified, a C.N.A should continue to hone their skills through education and inservices so that they are able to give the best care possible to each patient.
