Nurses are classified into various categories like Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Registered Nurse (RN) or Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). They help patients under the supervision of an LPN and generally work in places like nursing homes, day care centers, nursing homes, assisted living places and personal homes. Although they perform and execute all the duties of a nursing assistant, there are some procedures that a CNA cannot perform owing to legal limitations.
Job Profile
The general job profile is to assist the patients under the supervision of a licensed or registered nurse. However, the responsibilities vary according to the place of work and area. Sometimes, they act as coordinators between numerous patients and the registered nurses. In other words, they act as a link between registered nurses and patients. They look after most of the patients' needs and keep a tab on their (patients') health. They gather all relevant information on the patient's health and report it to the registered nurse. Often, their workload makes their lifestyle hectic, fast paced and demanding. However, with a deep-set compassion towards suffering fellow human beings and the desire to help them is the driving force. Such feelings help the nurses see through their difficult days.
Training
Medical facilities, Red Cross, online schools and community colleges offer these courses. Such courses offered by institutions provide rigorous practical as well as theoretical training. They also enlighten you on the laws abiding the certified nursing assistants. If you want an on the job training, that is possible in clinics and hospitals. However, these are very rare and hard to find since normally clinics do not give trainings. Doing so is a huge responsibility on the clinic. At the end of the course, the CNAs must take an exam to become qualified nursing assistants.
Scope
Normally, nurses want to move up in their medical careers. Therefore, there is a constant demand for CNAs. In other words, it is easy to get a job as a certified nursing assistant since people who start their career from this point move to higher positions. The demand for CNAs is high especially in medical institutions and centers for assisted living of the elderly.
One of the major reasons why there is such a huge turnover for CNAs is the fact that once a CNA, it is easy to get higher education and become a registered nurse. This is possible owing to the Internet. With the advent of online classes, it is easy to continue studying while working as a can. There are many bachelor degree programs that these nursing assistants opt for to get better paying jobs in the field of medicine.
Salary
Normally, CNAs are paid on hourly basis rather than annual salary. Your pay therefore fluctuates according to the number of hours you work weekly or work on a fulltime basis steadily. Although on an average, the hourly pay is $15, however, it may fluctuate depending on the area and location of work.
On a concluding note, being a certified nursing assistant is a noble profession since you are helping the diseased and distressed. If you have a compassion towards the suffering fellow humans then this is the right field of choice for you.
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