Certified nurse aides give hands-on care to patients as well as provide assistance to doctors and nurses during patient procedures and treatments. Some of the tasks that a certified nurse aide is required to do are help patients eat, dress, and bathe, as well as monitor a patient's pulse, temperature, respiration, and blood pressure.
Certified nurse aides who work in a nursing home or other type of residential care facility are usually the primary caregivers for their patients. As a result, certified nurse aides must be very compassionate and patient in nature.
Certified nurse aides also provide care in the home as well as the psychiatric ward or mental health facility, where they assist with care for patients who are mentally or emotionally disturbed. Individuals looking to become employed as a certified nurse aide can find employment wherever there are patients in need of care: hospitals, health care facilities, residential care facilities, and mental health facilities.
Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) Programs
Certified nurse aides are not required to have a high school diploma, but they must pass a test to prove their competency in the field of health care. Individuals can train to become a certified nurse aide in programs offered by high schools, vocational-technical schools, nursing facilities, and community colleges. These programs provide education in:
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Infection control
- Personal care for patients
- and Communication skills, among other related topics.
Certified Nurse Aide Jobs Outlook
As the population ages, there will be a rise in the demand for certified nurse aides (CNAs), particularly those interested in geriatrics. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of certified nurse aides will increase by more than 28 percent by the year 2016.
