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mardi 2 avril 2013

What is a CNA?

By Sandy Frieta


A Certified Nursing Assistant, or CNA as they're referred to, perform general patient treatment processes under the administration of a Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). Although they are primarily required to complete general functions, nursing assistants also have an opportunity to directly deal with patients. Therefore, CNA accreditation is important to ensure that patients get good health care primarily from highly-trained nursing aides.

Sometimes known as a 'home health aide' or 'patient care assistant', a CNA is taught to operate in a wide variety of settings which range from hospitals and nursing homes to assisted living facilities and personal homes. Satisfying yet demanding, working as a Certified Nursing Assistant is regarded as a launchpad to more enhanced health careers down the road.

CNA and the Nursing Industry

CNA teaching continues to expand as the need to have high quality health assistants continues to be robust. The fact is, the latest market trends project a 26% job expansion for Certified Nursing Assistants and 49% for home health aides leading up to 2016. For that reason, the CNA designation has become an effective entry point for professionals that are ready to start a career in the healthcare industry.

A lot of hospitals possess elevated CNA turn over levels. As a result, the demand for recently trained nursing assistants is nearly ongoing. Certified Nursing Assistants regularly leave the discipline to move themselves up the professional ladder. Registered Nurses and nursing assistants both come across equal stressors. Consequently, aspiring nursing aides have to learn how to develop solid work ethics early in the CNA training phase.

Duties and Resonsibilities

A nursing assistant is assigned by LPNs or RNs to do basic bedside care. CNA-to-patient interaction and communication can be a sensitive process, which is the reason courses and accreditations are required by law.

On the subject of role, CNA training is different from orderlies and medical aides. Orderlies are responsible for handling equipment upkeep and wheelchair issuance in addition to other routine procedures. Medical aides work immediately underneath the physician however, in contrast to nursing assistants, they don't have the need for any official certifications.

The main duties of a CNA include:

- Patient turning and repositioning - In order to avoid bed sores among bed-ridden and post-operative patients, nursing assistants are tasked with repositioning the patient every couple hours. Safety of both the patient and CNA is a first concern for that reason basic fundamentals in correct body alignment have to be observed.

- Hygiene: To make sure of the patient's quality of life, CNAs also help in looking after cleanliness constantly. Ranging from shampooing to basic oral care, nursing assistants are responsible for making sure to keep the patients clean and at ease.

- Vital signs: Vital sign taking and monitoring are basic processes which are crucial for a comprehensive patient analysis. Vital signs include the body temperature, breathing rate, pulse rate and blood pressure level.

Education and Accreditation

Depending on where you are located, a State Licensing Board will most of the time require a prospective CNA to pass a certification exam. The certification only follows after one effectively completes the CNA training required by law. However, the instruction period only lasts somewhere between 6 and 12 weeks, and as a result transition to employment is easier compared to a lot of health care areas.

CNA classes online are also available for individuals that at present have a full-time job yet are interested in pursuing a CNA designation. For individuals who are potentially interested, CNA courses are most often available at technical or vocational schools for a minimum of 75 hours.




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