What Really Matters When a CNA Start Working in a Nursing Home

While there are many options for you to work in the nursing field, it is recommended that you start your career from a nursing home. This is one of the health-care sectors that requires a high degree of feelings and understanding towards the needs of the elders. You must be able to see yourself in their positions and work accordingly because some day you too are going to be old and need care. So, what exactly does matters when working as a CNA in a nursing home?

First, you need to assess what part of service for elders you are interested in. Nursing homes have different types of jobs for nurse aides. If you love cooking and wants to to be happy in serving tasty and nutritional foods to the inmates, you can work in the kitchen.

Though nursing homes would hire you without any certification, you must still do the training. This way, you can have some experience in your hand to serve residents and get an insight on the problems they are facing.

Your sincerity and punctuality in the job are important qualities that matter the most. You must be prompt in attending any call bell triggered by the patients. You must always arrive in time at work, and never be late. In fact, is it better if you reach the workplace half-an-hour early for your shift.

Patience is also important while caring for elderly people. You must not get irritated even if any resident behaves with you in a rude manner or complains about you to the supervisor. Since age has caught them up, and they have lost all their physical strength, you need to be more empathetic towards them.

Lastly, you need to love the job no matter you have to change diapers, empty the trash bins, and urine bags, clean their wounds and vomiting. Whatever responsibilities you have been assigned to, fulfilling them with due intelligence and efficiency is all that matters in your role as a CNA.

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CNA Career Resources

A career in the health-care industry as a certified nursing assistant is beneficial for fresher and those who want to switch their jobs. Interested candidates have to complete a CNA certification course, which is necessary to appear for licensing examination. Once you have completed the course and received a license, there is no shortfall of resources.

Hospitals

Hospitals cater to a wide range of patients as they have the latest tools and equipments along with qualified workforce to handle any kinds of health-related complications. These medical centers are owned and operated by a group of people, and by the state and federal governments. There are even high-end hospitals specialized in treating any specific diseases. For this reason, the influxes of patients in these medical centers are more as compared to other treatment facilities.

Long-Term Care Facilities

Long-term care facilities also look after different types of patients. The young and adults are usually admitted for a short-term treatment. However, the most common patients in these setting you will meet regularly are the elders who are troubled with age-related problems and stay for a long period. Since the population of elders are increasing in the United States, these health-care facilities require nurse aides.

Private Clinics

These health-care settings would help you in handling clinical and non-clinical jobs. You may even have to look after the administration and filing work. In addition, receiving patients, interviewing them and fixing appointments would be your responsibility.

Assisted Living Facilities

Here, you will look after people who can walk and move on their own, but require assistance in their daily needs like taking them for a walk, reading them a newspaper, administer medications as per scheduled, etc.

There is no limit of CNA career resources once you are certified. There is also a possibility of working as a freelancer once you are experienced.  

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What does a CNA actually do inside of an Operating Room?

An operating theater (OT) is a place where the doctors perform surgery with the help of different tools and equipments. There are various peoples involved during the operations;doctors, assistant doctors, nurses, and CNAs. Among all CNA (certified nursing aide) is one of the most important person who are required pre-operation as well as post-operation, as they are responsible for performing various duties. Let us have a look at their various duties in an operating theater.

The work of a certified nursing aide in an operating theater includes:

• Arranging the required tools and equipments before the operation takes place
• Assist the doctors with the surgical materials such as scissors, ventilators, etc
• Preparing the patients for the surgery and providing them emotional and mental support, especially to the elderly patients
• Administering the oxygen level and the fluid electrolyte balance during the surgery
• Ensuring that the operating room is clean and there is no threat of outside infection
• Monitoring the condition of the patients in the recovery room and keeping the doctor informed about any uneven situation
• Administering the drugs and other medicines as prescribed by the doctor
• Providing post surgical care to the patients and observe them carefully
• Keeping all the things in its place after the operation is over

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Hospice CNA Job Description

A hospice is a hospital where terminally ill or dying patients are cared for. The place of treatment and care could also be the patient's home since most people prefer to spend their last days with their family. In both the places, the nursing services is provided by certified nurse assistants who are called hospice CNA. These nurses offer palliative care services, and try to make the remaining few days comfortable for the patients. Caring for dying people is a totally different experience where the nurses have to provide maximum possible comfort and relaxation to the patients.

Hospice nurses offer varieties of services to terminally ill patients. They have to offer medical and emotional care to both patients and their families.

Hospice CNA Job Description

Personal Care

A hospice CNA, whether in a hospital or at patient's home will offer all sorts of personal care ranging from changing bed linens and clothing, brushing teeth, dressing wounds, controlling infection, and bathing. The list to do things will go extending when she is taking care of the patient undergoing a chemotherapy. She will also help the family by instructing them how to care for the patient in her absence.

Medical Care

Taking vital signs, reading the pulse rate and heart beats are important medical care the nurse has to perform. She will also help registered nursed in need of administering IV and other medicines given through an insertion into the vein. She will also administer medications as prescribed by the physicians. If the patient is in need of physiotherapy, she will do it herself by giving a massage.

Nutrition

She will monitor the nutritional needs to ensure the patient gets appropriate liquid and solid foods. Since terminally ill patients have a limited appetite, eating food becomes difficult for them. However, she has to take care that the patient is eating at least some meal to complement with the medications. She has to mince the food and feed the patient in small offering. She will also offer meals in frequent intervals to compensate for the required nutrition.

Other Care

When caring the patient at homes, she will also help the family in care-giving needs. She will offer emotional and physical support to the family by helping in meal preparation, cleaning and sterilizing the patient's room. She will also help in shifting the patient from one place to another.

These hospice CNA job description is best handled if you want to help dying patients in embracing the inevitable truth with dignity and comfort. Your job will be to lessen the pain as much as possible by offering nursing care of the highest quality.  

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Finding a Nursing Assistant Job

Jobs in the nursing industry keep growing in parallel to the rising population. Professionals who are most in demand are the certified nurse aides. These nurse aides complete a short-duration course and pass the competency evaluation exam to earn the legal rights for practicing their skills by bearing a license. If you have the CNA license and are finding a nurse aide job, these steps will help in starting your career in the healthcare industry.

1. As soon as you have obtained your license, create an impressive resume to let the prospective employers know about your qualification. If you are lacking in putting your skills and knowledge in words, seek help of a professional writer. We would recommend resumepassion.com to build a job-winning resume.

2. Contact the career center of the institute you have received the training from. They may not be offering job placement, but they can help you with their contacts with the medical fraternities. The counsellor at the center may also make a phone call or two and suggest your name to the employers.

3. Upload your resume on as many job portals as possible. Sometimes, employers search profiles on the portals instead of advertising their requirements. This helps them in saving some money and scanning your profile without your knowledge.

4. Simultaneously, try building up network with people in the similar profession. Since nurses are aware of the internal vacancies, you may receive the first-hand information about the opening. If you have a good nurse network, they may forward your resume to the human resource department. They may even contact other nurses working on different floors to find out any place for you.

5. Take help of the Internet as well in searching the job. Additionally, buy a magazine called “Nurseweek,” that publish details of all prospective employers you can apply to. This magazine also keep adding interesting and impressive articles reading which can help in your career.

6. You can walk-in at nearby hospitals and nursing homes to inquire about employment. If the facility needs you, they may send you to the human resources, or ask you to leave your resume with them.

7. Call your friends and relatives to inform about your job search. If they come to know any new openings related to your profession, they will definitely call you.

By taking immediate attention to these steps, you can get a nurse aide job no matter whether you have the experience or just a fresher.  

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How to Receive CNA License Online

A short training program of four to six weeks is necessary to build a certified nursing assistant career. This flexibility is the essence of this career which is not seen in other medical professions. However, going to the training center and learning in the classroom environment is inconvenient to many students due to their personal problems. Luckily, online courses have become the perfect option that allows students to do the training at their own convenient time and place. If you want to receive CNA license online, then follow these steps.

Registration

Online training programs are offered by the same institutes that are capable and fully equipped in training students within the campus. The requirement to qualify for the training is the same as the traditional program that includes either a high school diploma or GED. The only precaution to take while enrolling is to confirm the state-approval of the training program. Getting training from a non-accredited program will disqualify you for the certification exam.

Training Program

Accessing the online training is possible from anywhere and anytime of the day on a computer and through Internet access. However, some institutes may need to log in for the training at a specific time chosen by you. The idea behind the schedule program is to check if you are taking the training seriously or not. You are also required to communicate with the professor online and submit the homework daily. Complete the nursing theory education by studying through the reference materials uploaded on the website. To complete the clinical part of the training, the institute will arrange a physical location that will either be a hospital or nursing home.

Examination

Exam is held after the completion of the training. Send the exam application form along with the fee to the licensing authority. You may also need to submit a proof of your training, fingerprint cards, and health check report. The required passing percentage in the exam is different for each state. Secure it, and get your profile listed on the nurse aide registry database.

These simple steps and your efforts in the training and success on the exam will help you in receiving your CNA license online.  

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3 Tips to Succeed in Online CNA Training Program

Not all have the liberty to utilize time and money for one particular purpose. We have to look after other commitments and responsibilities as well. For example, there are many with an urge to help people through nursing profession. But they fear to quit their current jobs for the sake of schooling. To help such compassionate people, online CNA training programs have become no less than a boon. However, success in the course does not come unless you are committed. Apply the following three tips to complete the education in the first attempt.

Prioritize Your Work

There are many domestic chores that we all need to deal with daily From running down to the grocery for daily bread, or taking any family member to the doctor, there is hardly any time for study. Therefore, plan out and try refilling your refrigerator with goods that can last about a week. Ask the GP to prescribe medications for the ailing member for a minimum three weeks. When these two important chores are chalked out, you will have sufficient time to give it for the training purpose.

Complete Assignments in Time

The educators will upload daily assignment for you to download, finish and submit. No matter how tired you are, complete it the same day. The instructor will assess it and revert back the next day. It is the best way to judge how well you are doing in the training.

Develop a Habit of Regular Study

Sometimes you may feel like giving up the training when going through medical terminologies that you have never heard before. There will also be topics on legal rights and work ethics. You may feel bored reading them, but believe it as you progress in your studies, you will start enjoying the topics that will help in your career.

Succeeding in online CNA training is easy, provided you are anxious in completing it in time. Motivate yourself, and think about the good things the future holds for you. Additionally, check for the requirements of a CNA class so that you can get familiar with basic prerequisites. 

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