How to become a Nursing Assistant

What is a nursing assistant?

Before anything else, let us first give nursing assistant a definition. A nursing assistant, sometimes referred to as nurse aid, orderly or geriatric aide, is someone who supports the nursing staff in hospitals and other health care facilities. As its name implies, a nursing assistant works with the supervision of a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse and performs mostly patient bedside care. A nursing assistant is someone who functions as a support system in terms of transfer and ambulation, proper care and hygiene, feeding, dressing and environmental care. Sometimes, they are asked to set up equipment needed such as X-ray, irrigation bottles, or sterile packs prior to any procedure. Thus, the presence of a nursing assistant in the health care vicinity is very important.

Most of the time, a nursing assistant is tasked to observe and report any unusual responses of client from care that is given to them. Basically, nursing assistants are trained to assist in the basic human needs that exist in the heath care profession. These nursing assistants must possess qualities and characteristics such as good interpersonal relationship, good communication and a sense of humor inorder to lighten up the stress that patients in the health care facilities feel. They are expected to provide and promote comfort and assist people who cannot fully take care of themselves.

A nursing assistant is also considered as a health worker who has undergone series of trainings such as that of Red Cross which should be completed in a few months or in a few weeks. At some point, they are also asked to take vital signs, except for the patient’s blood pressure which should be left for the registered nurse to do. Although there are times that a nursing assistant takes including the blood pressure and does the charting of these vital signs in behalf of the nurse. In a typical setting, a nursing assistant serves as the right hand of the nursing staff in any case possible.

Most of the time, it is the nursing assistant who is in full contact with the clients. In a setting such as in nursing homes where patients are mostly old people, the nursing assistant is the one who helps patients turn to their side every two hours to prevent occurrence of bed sores. A nursing assistant can also be in the primary line to which the client calls for help when the need arises. There may also be times that a nursing assistant performs similar duties of RN’s and LPN’s, provided that he/she has completed a designated level of training and education.

Nursing Assistant – Work Environment

A nursing assistant can work in a diverse and complex health care set up. These settings may include hospitals, private clinics, nursing homes, private homes, or mental health institutions. A nursing assistant is expectedly the busiest person around since he/she mostly has her hands on in the care of patient in terms of moving and lifting patients and many more. In this connection, physical fitness and stamina is definitely a requirement when one plans to become a nursing assistant.

Nursing Assistant – High School Preparation

It is quite easy to become a nursing assistant. For students who long to become one must take medical-related and science subject courses like dental/medical assisting, algebra, biology, nurse-aid training, health occupations, history and also, computer skills. In order to become an effective nursing assistant, you must be equipped with a lot of skills, thus, compliance to the previously mentioned requirements is a must.

Nursing Assistant – College Requirements

Once you have decided to pursue a career in becoming a nursing assistant, you must have at hand the requirements. Most employers will require from applicants as a nursing assistant their high school diploma. You will also be asked to submit certification for trainings in vocational schools, geriatric facilities and the likes. Usually, these courses would run for about six to eight weeks depending ofcourse on the institution you chose to enrol yourself to become a nursing assistant. After completion of the training, the person may choose to take the exam administered by the Mississippi Department of Health for them to become a CNA or certified nursing assistant.

Future as a Nursing Assistant

People who have been a nursing assistant indeed have a very bright future ahead of them. Statistics predict a 21%-35% increase in its job market for the next 10 year. This significant increase may be highly contributed by the rapid growth of the aging population which directly equates to increased demand for medications, rehabilitation and long term provision of nursing care. Consequently, employers will have to build more nursing care health facilities such as nursing homes in order to accommodate more clients thus more available slots for people who want to be in the profession or perhaps assume the role as a nursing assistant.

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