Overview Of Nurse's Aide and Certified Nursing Assistant Careers

Certified Nursing Assistants ("CNAs") are among the healthcare industry's most important practitioners.  Without these professionals, doctors and nurses would have a very difficult time ensuring that patients receive proper care.  This is precisely where there appears to be no end in sight to the demand for CNAs.  Nursing homes, doctors' offices, and hospitals have a growing need for their services.

CNA Career Overview

A CNA, or Certified Nursing Assistant is also known as a nurse's aide or an orderly.  Ordinarily, CNAs work under the direct and close supervision of a nurse or other licensed healthcare practitioner.  Although most CNAs work in nursing homes or hospitals, they may also be employed as in-home healthcare providers.

Their basic professional tasks include helping patients to eat or dress and bathe themselves.  They also perform many of the same basic functions that licensed medical professionals do, such as taking vital signs and drawing blood.  They also assist patients with moving around.

Many nursing assistants work in patients' homes; many are not certified.

Demand and Job Growth of Certified Nurses Aide and CNA Positions

Current estimates project overall job growth for nurse's aides at about 28 percent during a ten-year time span that ends in 2016.  These estimates include those who work in medical and healthcare facilities as well as in-home healthcare providers.

In-home nursing aide job growth is estimated to increase by 46 percent.  This represents the greatest growth projection for any health-related occupation.  Due to this, in-home healthcare remains at the top of in-demand healthcare positions.

Pros and Cons of Working As A Certified Nurses Aide

A lot of opportunities current exist for CNAs and Nurses aides.  The job entry barriers are very low, while job growth potential remains very high.  Indeed, CNA training is relatively easy and requires only a few weeks to finish.

It should be noted, however, that the training and actual job functions can exact a high emotional and physical toll on a person.  Pay may also be relatively low and career advancement is not very plentiful.  Holding a CNA position can, however, be a great position from which to launch a more advanced medical career.

Education and licensure

CNA career requirements are not as extensive as licensed medical career positions.  Be aware, however, that specific requirements vary from one state to the next.  Employers may also have specific hiring prerequisites.

CNAs employed in medical or health facilities must generally undergo a minimum of 75 hours of training.  Certification is not a requirement for many nurses aide jobs, but it is readily available.

Those employed by in-home nursing aide agencies may have to be certified in at least CPR or other lifesaving techniques.

Many vocational, technical, and healthcare trade schools offer certified nurses aide and CNA classes.  Training can typically be completed within 6 to 12 weeks.

CNA and Nursing Aide Salary Expectations

According to Bureau of Labor official statistics, the average CNA salary currently ranges from $10 to $12 per hour.  This is the equivalent of roughly $20,000 to $24,000 per year.

Nutrition should be a focus in everyone's life. It's important to take strides to improve it. Depending on the diet they currently have, this may take lots of work. I hope my advice here will healp you learn to give your body its requirements.

When you're on a diet, remember that healthy eating starts with what you buy. Your cart at the grocery store should be balanced the same way you balance your meals. This means making about half your purchases in produce, a quarter in grains, and the final quarter in lean protein sources. This way, the healthy options are always available when you get hungry.

Carbs are not the enemy. Your body needs carbs to survive and by cutting them out, you can cause your organs damage or even cause them to fail. That said, there are good and bad carbohydrates. The good ones tend to be complex carbs like whole-grain and other fiber-rich foods.

Vitamin D is an important part of a healthy diet. It assists in bone and teeth formation by maintaining calcium and phosphorous levels in the body. Vitamin D also helps in immune function and cell growth. Lowering cancer risk is yet another benefit of vitamin D.

When choosing foods, think about nutrition. Green beans seem nutritious, for example, but broccoli is a knockout in terms of nutrients, so it is better to pick broccoli for dinner. Potatoes are yummy, of course, and quite innocent, when they're not slathered in butter or cream, but if you want to pack a truly nutritive punch, swap them out for sweet potatoes from time to time. They're jam-packed with vitamin A and C and fiber. It's said that sweet potatoes (NOT sweet potato fries, sorry!) are so nutritious, that you could survive on them alone.

Giving your body the nutrition it needs is necessary for a long, healthy life. It may require a little, or tons of effort, mostly dependent on what you're eating now. We can all improve our health and vitality by improving our diet.

Ever been at a loss when it comes to purchasing vehicles? There's no need for that to happen. You CAN take control over your purchasing situation, if have the right knowledge in your hands. Here are some ideas I've come across that I hope you'll find useful.

Prior to even stepping foot in a dealership, you need to know what kind of car you want. If you have kids, maybe you should be looking for a van or large SUV. If it's just you, maybe you want something sportier. Either way, knowing what you want will make the whole process of shopping for a car easier.

Make sure you do some research on a dealer prior to making an offer. You'll be in a better position to negotiate if you're aware of their trade in practices and financing options. If you check out any available customer reviews, you can better avoid being ripped off.

If you're in the market for a used car, a great way to tell if the speedometer is correct is to look at the gas and brake pedals. If someone says the car has 30,000 miles on it, and the brake and gas pedals are worn, it's a good indication the odometer was turned back.

Speak with knowledgeable people before you go car shopping. Such a person has the ability to act as the perfect sounding board, and they can help you avoid a deal that's not so great for you. Consider taking a close friend, parent, or spouse with you to the dealership.

Consider selling your car privately, rather than trading it in for the new car you want. You'll almost always get more for your car through a private sale than you would through a trade-in. Even if the dealership makes it sound like they're giving you a great trade-in value, they'll likely raise the price somewhere else to make up for the difference!

If you already drive a nice vehicle, then you should avoid taking that car to the dealership with you. If they see that car, they'll think you're very well off, and will likely charge you top dollar! Borrow an older, less costly looking car if you have to.

Now, armed with knowledge, you can approach the dealership with confidence. It's time for you to get the deals you deserve!

Good luck, and please be sure to share your experience here on this site.