A CNA, or certified nursing assistant, helps those with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or who are simply those getting on in their years. The CNA helps individuals with their daily routine. This can include taking walks, helping with personal hygiene, and guidance on proper nutrition.
The CNA assures a patient receives proper care. What is a CNA? Someone with the training to properly assist those who need aid in their daily lives. Typically, the environment that CNAs work in, include:
- Private Residences
- Assisted Living Homes
- Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Homes
- Hospitals
Those who work in assisted living homes or through reputable home health agencies have received formal training and passed their clinical exams (standardized testing).
Is a CNA a Nurse?
A CNA is not a nurse. A CNA works, as the name implies, in a certified nursing assistant role. CNAs follow the directions of registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses, and physicians. But, make no mistake, CNAs play a vital role in the care of patients and are required to have proper formal training and to receive a nurse aide certification for the work they do.
The requirements to become a working CNA in Texas include that you must be at least 18 years of age and in good physical health. You are required to pass a criminal background check and be up-to-date with your immunizations. You need to graduate from a certified nursing assistant program in the state and pass the state exam to become registered as such.
What Does a Nursing Assistant Do?
Traditionally women more than men worked in the CNA workforce. That has seen a lot of change in more recent times. More and more men have found their niche working as a CNA, particularly when performing their nursing aide duties and responsibilities for other men.
Certified nurse aide responsibilities depend a lot on the work location. In a skilled nursing facility, as a nursing assistant’s job tasks may include helping people take daily walks. You may aid the patient in brushing teeth, washing their face, or taking a bath.
A hospital-setting CNA works with specific individuals for a shorter period. Often the duties in a hospital setting involve working with people who are limited in their abilities and need to stay sedentary. Often, a hospitalization is for a brief period and you may only spend a limited amount of time with any given patient.
Being a CNA in a Hospital
The CNA’s responsibilities in a hospital make a significant contribution to the patients’ quality of life. As a certified nursing aide, you take on the responsibility of patient comfort. You will aid others with the patient’s overall health care, and you can make a positive difference.
Your job description as a CNA in a hospital is to assist the nurses and physicians in caring for the patients. Beyond aiding with personal hygiene, CNA duties in a hospital may include serving meals and feeding a patient. You may be asked to keep track of vital signs and monitor water intake. You will assist with some medical procedures and equipment. You will also be responsible for observing patients and looking for changes in their health and/or behavior.
What do CNAs do in Nursing Homes?
Long-term care facilities are where a patient will be living for the near future. They will likely need help in bathing and general hygiene which can take a lot of time. This may include washing and combing hair, clipping nails, and shaving. You may need to help transfer patients from a bed to a chair, or wheelchair. Certified nursing assistant duties in a nursing home require:
- Helping with patients’ basic living needs
- Hearing health concerns of the patients
- Taking and recording vital signs
- Dealing with any patient issues or problems
- General housekeeping
If a patient expresses health concerns to you, it is your responsibility to relay those to your supervisor, as soon as possible. Your responsibilities in a nursing home may include measuring blood pressure and heart rate. You will be required to record your readings, and to report any fluctuations to the supervisor.
As a CNA, you may be asked to tend to the redressing of wounds, check on bedsores, and similar care. Some CNA duties in long-term care may also include general housekeeping. You may be asked to change linens, vacuum, organize closets, wash clothing, and clean the bathroom.
CNA Job Education Requirements
Most legitimate nursing care facilities, hospitals, residential care homes, and home care agencies require their nursing assistants to be licensed. To become certified to work in Texas, you will enroll in a five-week program.
Afterward, you can take the Texas CNA skill test and be eligible for your CNA certification as well as a cardiopulmonary resuscitation certificate. The demand for trained and licensed certified nursing assistants is high and growing, not only in Texas but around the county. Once you are licensed, anywhere you may move, you should be able to get certification in that state.
The vocation is expected to grow an estimated 9 to 11 percent in the decade leading up to 2028. This rate is much faster than many other occupations. With that growth comes a growth in salary, too. Certified nursing assistants earn about $2.15 per hour more than non-certified personal care, or home health aides.
Starting CNA Training in Texas
You can sign up to start your training to learn how to become CNA certified in Texas, today! The Southern Careers Institute Nurse Aide Program offers courses on four of its campuses, in Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Pharr, and San Antonio-South.
Obtaining your CNA can be rewarding and open new doors for you as a permanent career, or as a stepping-stone to a further degree in a health care field such as nursing, or one of a variety of other licensed technicians.
By contacting the Southern Careers Institute, you can start your path to being a CNA in Texas in no time. This year, 2020, is the start of a new decade, and a time for Transformation – Beginning a New You.
If you want to help others, while offering yourself a new future, becoming a CNA just may be for you. Give us a call to learn more and get on with that transformation to a new and more independent you!
Sources
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home-health-aides-and-personal-care-aides.htm
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nursing-assistants.htm#tab-1
Blog Disclaimer: Information stated in this blog is for general information purposes only. SCITexas.edu not assume or guarantee income earning potential or salary expectations based on the programs offered at Southern Careers Institute.
This article was published on: 01/6/20 8:30 PM
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