Showing posts with label cna training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cna training. Show all posts

Monday, October 19, 2009

Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs Are Rewarding and in Demand

Written by Melanie Ullman
Many people automatically think of a position in a nursing home when they think about Certified Nursing Assistant jobs as it is very likely that is where the biggest demands of the industry lay; however that is not the only place where you can enjoy your career as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).

Obviously nursing is not just about giving a shot or dispensing medication it is about being able to listen to the patients and since that is the basis of paid or free CNA training they are important to the effective treatment of patients when aiding the other healthcare professionals. Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs are very important in places such as nursing homes as often time’s they are the ones that spend the most time with the patients so they will likely be the first ones to notice that something is just off with one of their patients. Perhaps a subtle change in a patient’s attitude is a sign of a serious condition or perhaps a change in their regular medication routine is not producing the desire results. This type of training is one thing that makes Certified Nursing Assistant jobs so much in demand.

Often times there are openings for Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in the area of home visitation. The CNA’s are not allowed to hand out the medication or the jobs that would normally be performed by a nurse, but they can use their training to help those with physical disabilities and may have difficulties performing daily tasks. They may be responsible for helping the person bathe or any other number of chores, something that is of immense help to the person that is receiving the care, perhaps it keeps them from having to be hospitalized or depend upon moving in with relatives.

Many times there are Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs that are available at schools or daycare locations where they can assist children with a number of health related issues before they become a more serious problem. For instance, they may spot a particular infection such as ringworm, or perhaps lice, and get it handled before it gets out of control.

There may also be Certified Nursing Assistant jobs available in rehabilitation groups or some type of similar program. The licensed professionals will, of course, do all of the actually therapy work but the Certified Nursing Assistant will often have much more time to spend with the patients, helping to develop relationships, help tend to their needs, relay important information to the therapists and really become a very important part of the patient’s recovery process.

If you have ever even considered working in the medical field, especially in the specialized area of nursing, there is an abundance of Certified Nursing Assistant jobs available and this could be just what you have been looking for; some will work as a CNA while studying to get their degree in nursing, while others end up enjoying the work so much that they decide to stay right where they are.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs

By Melanie Ullman
Do you enjoy working with people and are compassionate about wanting to improve someone’s quality of life? Are you looking for a career in health care but do not have the time to go to school full time to become a registered nurse but want to see if the medical field is for you? If so then taking looking for certified nursing assistant (CNA) jobs would be the first step before enrolling in CNA training to become certified.

A certified nursing assistant was also known as an orderly, nurses aide, patient care technician or home health worker and works under the supervision of a nurse to give help to patients with their daily tasks. A certified nurse assistant works very closely with the patients on a daily basis helping them bathe, with grooming, feeding them and assisting the nurse with any medical equipment and checking vital signs like blood pressure, temperature and heart rates.

Certified nursing assistants provide vital information on their patient’s daily emotional and physical well being and give patients some social and emotional support as well. Many registered nurses got their start as certified nursing assistants and are better because of that early experience. The nice thing about certified nursing assistant (CAN) jobs are that you do not need a bachelor’s or even an associate’s degree to get one. The requirements are that you have at least a GED and have passed a six to twelve week certified nursing assistant certificate program from your local community college, online educational institution or medical facility.

Some of the subjects you can expect to study will be biology, physiology, anatomy, nutrition, infection control and some basic nursing skills. There will be plenty of opportunity for hands on learning in clinical activities. Each state has different qualifications you need to meet so check with the state medical board for the specific qualifications you will need to become a certified nursing assistant. Home health workers can be certified through the National Association for Home Care.

As the American population continues to age the market for certified nursing assistant (CAN) jobs will continue to increase. Certified nursing assistants work in the home health field in private homes, in nursing homes, mental hospitals, assisted living facilities and regular hospitals. You can expect to start at around $20,000 and can reach almost $40,000 depending on your years of experience and the facility that you work for.

If you are not sure what educational institution to use for your certification you can check out the classified ads and many times assisted living centers or nursing homes will offer the opportunity to earn while you learn to be a certified nursing assistant. This is usually offered to those who do not have any prior medical experience. You will be required to work for some stated period of time after gaining your certification and that the institution may offer to pay for your state exam as well. You will need to pass both the practical and knowledge portions of the CNA skills test to receive your certificate.

Monday, September 7, 2009

CNA: Training, Jobs, Salaries

CNA training is required to become a Certified Nursing Assistant.

Also known as CNA, Personal care Assistant, or PCA, Home Health Aide, the title will vary depending on the area or setting in which you are working. Certified Nursing assistants, are probably the hardest working, and the most underpaid.

The services they provide are immeasurable Nursing Assistants have to be caring, hardworking and dedicated. The position can be stressful yet rewarding. Many CNAs do not get the credit and recognition they deserve.

What is A CNA and How do I Become one? Certified Nursing Assistants work closely under the supervision of Nurses Usually an RN, or LPN. Certified Nursing assistants can work in a variety of settings, including, Nursing Home facilities, Hospital settings, or even provide care in the Home. The C NA functions in the role to assist with patient care needs. Duties vary, according to the location in which you choose to work. For example a home health aide duties, may consist of helping a client with a bath for that day, preparing a meal, reminding or assisting patient in medication, obtaining a blood sugar. Transporting a patient to an appointment, light chore work that may include assisting with laundry, and light house keeping in the part of the home where the patient spends most of the day.

A Nursing assistant who works in the hospital may be responsible for seven to thirteen patients at a time, they will usually do rounds every two hours on the patients, and be responsible for answering any call lights in between. The first round usually consist of taking a full set of vital signs on each patient, assisting with transfers, getting a patient from bed to chair, or putting them back to bed, they may assist with baths as well, and with meals.

Nursing assistants in the hospital settings can assist in inserting and removing Foley catheters, and many other task like such hooking up oxygen and assisting in dressing changes under direct supervision of RN. Certified Nursing Assistants that work in Nursing homes have the most demanding duties, they usually are responsible for ten or more patients at a time. It can be very physical as well, because a lot of the patients are not able to do much for themselves. It requires a lot of patience and understanding.

Certified nursing assistants are very important, for they are watchful eyes, because they spend most of their time with the patient they can alert the nurse to anything that may be abnormal, so that she can intervene.

There are also a number of free CNA training classes, online or through an institution such as a nursing home or hospital.

What kind of Training is Required? You can become a Certified Nursing Assistant in as little as six weeks. Depending on where you live, you can get training that is sometimes offered at local facilities, such as Local Hospitals, Nursing Homes. Technical Schools, or Community Colleges. The Red Cross, and Good will Industries even offer the training. In High School, depending on where you live, Health Occupations, Students of America allows you to obtain certification as a Nursing assistant as well. How the program works is that you take one semester, learning theory, the second semester is based on clinical, and then you are able to take the written exam to obtain certification.

Among others, there are a lot of Allied Health courses even offered on line. The college network, and Ashford university, to name a few offer programs in Allied Health. Certification, includes a written , and clinical demonstration. Clinical demonstration may include proper hand Hygiene, providing privacy, and dignity, obtaining oral and rectal and axillary temperatures. Obtaining a manual blood pressure. Giving a patient a bed bathe, Placing a patient on the bed pan, Making an occupied bed. Colostomy care, Oral hygiene etc.

Salary A certified Nursing Assistant Salary will range for any where between $19,00- $32,000 a year depending on the area where you live. Most Can will tell you that it is not about the money. They simply like what they do.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Certified Nursing Assistant Training

Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant, or CNA, requires completing a CNA training class and passing the state exam. CNAs work closely with patients, under the supervision of a nurse.

This job is also sometimes referred to as a "home health care aide," "nurse's aide," "patient care technician" or "orderly." CNAs provide numerous forms of assistance to patients, including feeding, bathing and grooming. They also assist nurses with medical equipment, take vital signs and relay information about the patients' conditions to nurses, providing enhanced care to their patients.

The CNA position is often considered a stepping stone in the career path of licensed nurse. Many nurses start out as CNAs and then bring to their nursing training valuable experience gained as a CNA. People who have chosen to become CNAs cite numerous reasons for doing so. One of the most frequently mentioned reasons is the amount of direct personal contact that CNAs have with patients.

A CNA is likely to be the medical professional whom a patient sees most frequently. This allows CNAs to provide care in the form of paying attention to a patient's health and emotional needs. CNAs make conversation with patients and collect information about the patients' well-being, symptoms and progress. Some people also cite job stability based on the number of people in the United States who are likely to need nursing assistance in the future remains high, which should keep CNAs in demand for years to come. Others note that the starting salary for CNAs, which can vary depending on years of experience, is in the range of $22,000 to $28,000.

CNAs can work in a variety of locations, including:

  • (1) patients' homes;
  • (2) nursing homes;
  • (3) assisted living facilities;
  • (4) hospitals;
  • (5) hospices;
  • (6) mental health centers.

In order to enroll in a CNA training program, a person needs to have a high school degree or GED. CNA training programs vary in length from 6 to 12 weeks, and are usually offered at community colleges or medical facilities.

Students participate in a classroom component and also practice skils in a clinical setting. In the classroom, students will learn about anatomy and physiology of the human body, nutrition, infection control and certain basic nursing skills. In clinical settings, students will learn how to transfer patients to and from beds and chairs, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and certain other nursing skills.

Clinical portions of a training program are designed to give students "hands-on" experience so that they are prepared to care for patients on their first day as a CNA. In terms of certification to practice as a CNA, the requirements are different in each state. However, most schools that offer training programs also offer certification. Prospective students are advised to inquire as to whether the school they have chosen offers certification. In the event that the school does not offer certification through its training program, it may also be possible to obtain certification through a national association for home health care.

Interested in becoming a CNA? You can find more information about the job, the training, and requirements at CNA Training Class: http://www.cnatrainingclass.com

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Nursing Programs and CNA Training

Nursing school program accreditation is a self-regulatory voluntary process where schools and/or programs that have been found to conform to or surpass certain standards and criteria for educational quality.

For nursing school programs, there are two national organizations that provide accreditation: NLNAC (National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission) and CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education).

Even though not every nursing school and nursing program is CCNE or NLNAC accredited, and it's certainly possible to obtain a quality nursing education without going to an accredited nursing school, a degree from an institution accredited by one of these organizations virtually guarantees you to be qualified to attend another accredited school of nursing, should you be interested in an advanced degree, for example an RN-to-BSN or Master’s degree.

It's also worth noting that some some scholarships are available only to students attending accredited nursing programs.

If you feel unprepared for nursing courses, you can find plenty of courses you to help you get ready to tackle the nursing school program curriculum, as well as a host of online resources offering you advice about various nursing career choices. Some of these resources will even direct you to specific programs for nursing that are in your local area.

You might also want to consider becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). There are plenty of free CNA classes online that can help you get your certification.

No matter where you live, what your position is, you can find nursing school programs that you can enter now, either by visiting the local campus or school directly, or enrolling online.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Nursing School and Other Endeavors

I've been working on Nursing School information for quite some time now. In addition to this blog, there is the Nursing School Programs website, and one on CNA Training Class. These have been progressing well.

In the last few months, I've begun working on some informational sites on other topics. In May I launched a site about annuities and structured settlements.

The same month I launched another 'school' site about scholarship programs. I'm enjoying working in these different areas.

More recently, I started a blog that will look into the American Heart Association Diet plans. As someone who could use losing a few pounds, I expect to get a lot out of this effort!

Given the current financial climate, I started doing some research on mortgages and homeownership. This has led to a new site about the steps in foreclosure.

I will continue to work on the nursing sites, and hope you will continue to visit!