A certified nursing assistant looks after many duties and tasks. They work at nursing homes, hospitals, and other facilities providing health care. They help the elderly and the sick and perform tasks that these people are not able to do on their own. They help the patients to move from in and out of bed, help them to wear clothes, take bath and brush and wash their hair. Along with that, they give emotional and moral support that helps these people to recover fast.

Assistant nurse also helps other registered nurses. They record daily health of the patients and make sure that they get regular medicines and that too on time. They report to the doctor of any unwanted changes that occurs in the health of the patient. They take blood pressure, administer doses and help a patient recover from the ill health. Apart from this, an assistant nurse performs various other tasks. All these tasks are vital for the recovery of the patient.

They help the patient eat if they are not able to do such a task on their own. If the patient is unable to walk, they will help in that also. If the doctor recommends patients, some regular exercise, the certified nursing assistant’s job description will also include assisting patients in doing their exercises.

Certified Nursing Assistant Qualification and Skills

A high school diploma or a GED is a prerequisite to becoming a certified nursing assistant. After graduation, the person is required to pursue a CNA training course at the local community college. Every college in the local area has one or the other course in nursing and it can help a person to become a certified nursing assistant. They undergo training that involves moving the patients properly from one place to another, given knowledge about nutrition, medical care and more. They are also being trained in lifting heavyweights.

Apart from the training that teaches a certified nursing assistant on how to treat a patient, there are certain qualities that a prospective nurse should be born with. These abilities are as an inner willingness to help people, a self-motivating person. Looking at all the illnesses and pain around him or her the patient is sure to get de-motivated therefore, the nursing assistant should be able to cheer herself up and the patients who are under his/her care and supervision.

Professional Growth

Chances for growth in the career are quite limited for a certified nursing assistant job description. Some other qualifications required to get growth in this career are licensed practice nurses, medical assistants, and registered nurses are some of the common healthcare fields a person can go for. Students who work during their time of college gain valuable experience and it helps them to decide whether to go in for the healthcare industry or not. So for many of them it serves as an entry-level job. Certified nursing assistants normally earn by the hour. The rate per hour can vary from $ 8 to $ 15 per hour. After gaining some experience, the salary can increase to twelve to fifteen dollars per hour.

Published by Sarah Samson

Sarah Samson is a professional career advisor and resume expert. She specializes in helping recent college graduates and mid-career professionals improve their resumes and format them for the modern job market. In addition, she has also been a contributor to several online publications.

Build your resume in 5 minutes

Resume template

Create a job winning resume in minutes with our AI-powered resume builder