Nurse’s assistants provide direct care to patients in medical facilities, performing tasks such as changing beds, feeding patients, and checking vital signs. They must have good communication skills, be compassionate, and be able to work closely with other medical professionals. The job is physically demanding, and they may work long hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays. Advancement opportunities include becoming a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse practitioner.
A registered nurse’s assistant, also called a nursing assistant, is responsible for providing direct care to patients in hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics. He or she can help patients when they need to get out of bed or be transported to different areas in the medical facility. Most medical facilities require their nursing assistants to be certified.
A certified nurse’s assistant is responsible for a variety of duties within medical facilities. Changing beds, pushing patients in wheelchairs, making beds, feeding patients, caring for them, and other general tasks are just a sampling of the job duties this person may be called upon to perform. He or she can even check patients’ vital signs, including blood pressure and temperature.
To become a licensed practical nurse, a person must possess a high school diploma. He or she will need to enroll in an accredited program. These programs generally last between six to 12 weeks. Vocational schools and community colleges offer programs in which students take courses in nutrition, anatomy and physiology, infection control, and basic nursing skills. Some medical facilities offer assistants free on-the-job training that leads to certification.
A nurse’s assistant must enjoy working with people and possess good communication skills. These nursing professionals must be compassionate people and skilled in comforting the sick. They work closely with Registered Nurses (RNs), so they must be able to get advice from other medical professionals.
Because these people provide constant care to patients, they often have more contact with patients than other medical professionals. For this reason, they often form genuine relationships with patients. They can observe patients’ emotional, mental and physical conditions so that they can report any fluctuations to nurses and doctors.
The nursing assistant’s work is demanding, as they are often required to perform a large amount of physical tasks. They spend most of their time standing, walking and standing. Each day, they may have to help patients in and out of bed, and because the job is physically strenuous, they have to learn the proper way to lift patients. Failure to practice proper lifting methods can cause back injuries.
People who hold this job usually work 40 hours a week and are required to work nights, weekends and holidays. It may be necessary for some to work 10 to 12 hours a day. Those who want to advance in the field of medicine can choose to receive additional education to become a registered nurse practitioner (LPN) or registered nurse practitioner (RN).
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