Nurses Aide / Nursing Assistant Careers
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What
a Nurses Aide / Nursing Assistant does:
A Nursing Assistant or Nurses Aide is
responsible for providing basic nursing duties
under the supervision of a Licensed Practical
Nurse (LPN) or a Registered Nurse (RN). Nurses
Aides are not registered nurses, so do not have
the powers of a registered nurse. A Nurses Aide
provides assistance to registered nurses in
their duties.
A Nursing Assistant can become
certified and receive the Certified Nursing
Assistant (CNA) credential. CNAs are often very
experienced but are unable to perform many
advanced duties, this is due to legal issues and
lack of full training.
Working as a CNA gives an
individual a good insight into the healthcare
profession, as Nurses Aides can work in any
environment that a Nurse works in, i.e.
Hospitals, Community Centers, Schools, Nursing
Homes and Hospices.
The main duties of a Nursing
Assistant / Nurses Aide include:
- Reporting to the supervising Registered Nurse
(RN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
- Observing patients
- Administering first aid and CPR
- Assisting Registered Nurses in their daily
duties
- Keeping the patient’s area clean and tidy
- Making Beds
- Preparing meal trays
- Assisting patients in daily activities such as
Washing, Eating, Toileting, Shaving etc.
- Transporting patients to treatment or therapy
rooms
Education & Qualifications:
Nursing Assistant programs are run by high
schools, vocational colleges, technical centers,
nursing care facilities, and community colleges.
Courses last for 6 – 12 weeks and cover subjects
such as nutrition, anatomy, physiology, body
mechanics, infection control and communication
skills. Practical skills such as bathing
patients and helping patients eat are also
covered. The CNA is a credential gained by
passing an examination or registering completion
of hours worked in a hospital or other health
care facility. CNAs are not registered nurses so
they are limited their responsibilities.
Salary & Job Prospects:
Certified Nurse Assistants can earn between
$9.50 and $13 per hour. High employment growth
is expected for Nursing Assistants/Nurses Aides.
This is due to the aging population, and the
need to replace workers who leave to pursue
other healthcare careers. Also hiring Nursing
Assistants frees up Registered Nurses and
Licensed Practical Nurses to work on more
critical tasks.
Find an Allied Health School:
Use the red search box above, to find Allied
Health schools and colleges in your area that
offer Nursing Assistant / Nurses Aide programs.
Below is a list of some of the various types of
allied health careers / professions: |
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