Researching a Career as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

I am seeking a position as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) with Meadowood Retirement Community. Using my well-honed skills, I will assist residents in living a dignified life by helping them in all of their activities of daily living. I am interested in a career as a CNA because I am a compassionate and caring individual who genuinely wants to help others. Being a CNA will give me the opportunity to work directly with patients and their families.

Out of the different healthcare paths that I could have chosen, I decided to become a CNA because I like working in the healthcare field, but I would not like working with needles. Becoming a certified nursing assistant is an ideal job for me because I will never have to start a PICC line to administer intravenous medication or draw blood from patients for laboratory testing.

After obtaining a high school diploma or GED, there is a two-part certification and a training program that is required. A 75-hour course in patient care and clinical externship in which CNA students practice working in the nursing assistant field is also needed to become a CNA. Following all of the educational requirements for a CNA position, a prospective student will have to pass an exam to complete their formal learning.

CNAs, also known as nursing aides, take care of patients in hospitals and elderly people that live in group homes, such as nursing homes. They can work a variety of different shifts, with options of working a full- or part-time, during the day and/or night, within a set schedule.

They assist patients with everyday tasks like eating and bathing and help them move around or from one place to the next. CNAs also take their patient's vital signs. They work under a doctor or nurse’s direction, in a team environment. A CNA must report to a nurse after checking the patient and writing what is observed onto the patient's chart.

Certified nursing assistants are able to take vital signs and provide assistance to the patient that they are caring for, under the supervision of a registered nurse. "The nursing assistant's responsibility includes promoting comfort and assisting the resident for the use of the bathroom along with needs for food and fluid" (Walker and Whitenton, 2009, p. 168). CNAs also take measurements and weigh patients, as well as help them move from one position to another.

A prospective certified nursing assistant must apply for their state certification after passing the state exam. To keep their certification current, certified nursing assistants have to become recertified every 60 months.

The job outlook for CNAs is great. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Employment…is expected to grow by 20 percent from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations.” The website also states that this is “because of the growing elderly population” which increases the need for certified nursing assistants. The median wage is $24,420. Also, the highest number of CNAs can be found in nursing care facilities. This is a greater amount than in all of the other work categories, which include: hospitals, assisted living facilities for the elderly, home health care services and more.

To advance in this profession requires more schooling. There is an option to go to college to receive an associate degree in nursing. Another advancement path is further education and certification to become a registered nurse, or RN, which pays a higher salary. A certified nursing assistant can also become a nursing home administrator. Depending on which state they are in, some require an associate degree, others require a bachelor's degree. Another choice is a geriatric care manager, who works with elderly people. They can stay at the patient's home, working for themselves or choose to work for a company.

CNAs can also obtain career advancement by taking classes to learn new skills, could possibly become promoted. This is because they will be able to perform new duties on the job. Further education also widens the scope of their practice, which would become extended by learning new skills.

There are possible ethical conflicts that come with working in the certified nursing assistant field, as with the healthcare field in general. Patient confidentiality is one issue. It is imperative to keep all of the patient's personal information, as well as medical history and current medications being taken, private. CNAs should not discuss patient information or issues outside of work, only in a facility where the patient is being treated, with other team members that are working with the patient. It is important to share information with the team, though, because it could mean better treatment for the patient.

It is also important to treat patients with respect and dignity. They are human beings, and although they need assistance with some aspects of caring for themselves, they still may want to help themselves as well. They are sensitive to different ways they could be treated, and this is important to keep in mind when caring for them.

Keeping patients informed of what is going on with them medically is ideal because they have a right to know what is being done to them and what their medical plan is. They should be informed about treatments, medications and future health plans. It is imperative that they or their family be consulted during the time that they are being treated. It is ultimately their decision to make how they would like to move forward in relation to their health.

Treating patients with dignity, for example, knocking on door before entering their room, is common practice with health care professionals. This gives them privacy. Also, certified nursing assistants should draw the curtains between beds in situations where more than one patient is sharing a room.

Malpractice should also be considered. Treating patients poorly is unacceptable. Carelessness while working, not being aware of situations and surroundings is hardly professional. This is a position that requires a lot of attention to be paid to the patients. Their well-being is dependent on it. Being impolite to patients is wrong because they are in care for a reason, they need help or they are not well. They could possibly be in a lot of pain. Neglect and abandonment are also negative issues that come up in the nursing field from time to time, unfortunately. This would happen in the case that a CNA does not finish their tasks when taking care of patient, not treating them fully. It is also important to respect their family members, as well. They are part of this process too, as their loved one is being entrusted into a certified nursing assistant's care. Their health is in the hands of their healthcare professionals. The patients' and their family's beliefs are important, too, as is their right to choose their medical options. The patients and their family members will also be making their own final medical decisions.

In researching this profession, there is a lot to be learned. Ways of practicing health change with time. "Healthcare workers today give goal-oriented patient care," according to Acello, Caldwell, and Hegner (2010), "This type of care focuses on the unique individual needs of each person. Physical, mental and emotional needs are all considered" (p. 3). The element of care is concentrated on the patient, not the CNAs and other healthcare professionals. It should be taken into consideration that different patients have different needs. Everyone is unique in their way of thinking, as well as the way they do things. Some patients might have a schedule or routine that they follow. These are important aspects of taking care of the patient and putting them first, that certified nursing assistants should always be aware of and take into consideration when on the job and caring for their patients.

This career path can be both physically and emotionally taxing. It can be physically strenuous in the way that it is a very hands-on position. Being in good physical health for this position is important, as constant contact with patients is required. Activities such as and lifting them and helping them get around from one place to the next is imperative. It can be an emotionally challenging experience because patients can see in pain and while they are sick.

Despite all of this, the CNA career path can be extremely rewarding, as well. As a healthcare worker, the job is centered around helping people. It can be a very positive and uplifting experience to see the outcome of the hard work that is put into this profession. A certified nursing assistant gets to meet and work with different people, which is great. Not only from the perspective of working with patients, but with their coworkers, as well.

Teamwork is important part of this field of employment. A CNA works with the nursing staff and doctors to take care of the patients. After a while, a certified nursing assistant will become better at their job because of this. Learning not only from doing but from others in the workplace is important. Also, friendships and great bonding experiences can come out of these relationships.

I have a greater depth of understanding of the practice and my responsibilities because of the research I have done. It will take a lot of work on my part, as well as teamwork to fully care for the patients. I have the passion to do this, so I know that I will do a great job in this position. I am looking forward to the experience of working as a CNA.

This information will be useful after graduation because I will enter into this position as a certified nursing assistant with the knowledge I might only have learned after working on the job for a while. I have advanced knowledge on what to expect in different situations, and to remember to be empathetic to the different types of personalities and backgrounds of the patients that I will be caring for.

References

Hegner, B. R., Acello, B., & Caldwell, E. (2010). Nursing assistant: a nursing process approach. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar/Cengage Learning.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2012, May 1). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved November 1, 2013, from http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nursing-assistants.htm

Whitenton, L., & Walker, M. (2009). CNA certified nursing assistant. Indianapolis, Ind.: Pearson Education.