There is no denying that healthcare workers like nursing assistants play an essential role in public welfare. They help nurses provide patient care in hospitals, clinics, retirement communities, rehabilitation centers, and other nursing care facilities. According to BLS, healthcare job opportunities are expected to grow by 13% between 2021 and 2031. One of those in-demand healthcare job opportunities is a certified nursing assistant, an entry-level job that helps nurses in various healthcare settings. So, if you are interested in making your career in the healthcare industry in NY, then consider enrolling in a certified nursing assistant program in Long Island.

Job Responsibilities of a Nursing Assistant –

These professionals are responsible for providing direct, hands-on assistance with a client’s daily activities. Various job responsibilities that a nursing assistant can perform are –

. Providing hygiene care like bathing, cutting hair, trimming fingernails, and brushing teeth.

. Serving food, helping clients eat, and analyzing their daily food intake.

. Changing their bedsheets and linens.

. Help bedridden clients in repositioning and checking for bed sores.

Apart from the above job responsibilities, nursing assistants help an RN or LPN in –

. Help assist them with medical procedures.

. Help in preparing, sanitizing, and restocking examination rooms.

. Reporting client’s health concerns.

. Taking vital signs, like temperature and blood pressure.

. Conveying any requests that the client may express.

Though the responsibilities of a nursing assistant may differ depending on the setting, in general, a nursing assistant can always expect to interfere directly with clients.

Steps that one needs to follow to become a certified nursing assistant –

To become a certified nursing assistant, one must have a high-school diploma or equivalent. Apart from this, one must complete a state-approved education program to become a certified nursing assistant.

To enroll in a certified nursing assistant program in Long Island, one needs to attend a high school or vocational school. Within your accredited nursing assistant program, you can expect to learn how to perform some of the following tasks –

. Help to safeguard patient safety.

. Take care of the patient’s personal hygiene.

. Assist in administering CPR.

Skills required

Working as a CNA is a lucrative career opportunity. As a healthcare professional, one needs to constantly attend to your patient\'s requirements, specifically in a setting where medical emergencies may arise. It is also essential for an individual to have a good bedside manner, as your behavior can affect your patient. A well-qualified and effective certified nursing assistant often performs the following skills such as –

Compassion – As a nursing assistant, you will often be caring for patients facing difficult health situations or various other hardships.

Reliability – As a nursing assistant, you are essential in following a patient’s plan of care to help ensure their well-being.

Time management and organization skills – As a CNA professional, you will be working with various patients and with limited supervision.

Need to be a critical thinker – One may face an emergency anytime in the healthcare field, so it is essential to think on your feet.

Observational skills – As a healthcare professional, it is liable that one may spend more of their time with a patient than their doctor or nurse. Hence, it is customarily your job to report even slight changes in a patient’s mental or physical health to the doctor.

Demanding career path

Working as a certified nursing assistant is typically a good entry point into the nursing profession. This career job opportunity may expose you to various tasks required of a nurse and will provide you with practical, hands-on experience as you learn what it is like to work in healthcare. Some aspirants may use their certified nursing assistant program training in Long Island as a starting point toward becoming an LPN or RN.

Benefits of a career as a certified nursing assistant –

As this career opportunity is demanding, it may contain many perks and rewards. Some of these are –

An ideal job opportunity for sympathetic individuals –

As a CNA, one must take care of the patient’s hygiene requirements (like bathing, cutting hair, trimming fingernails, etc.) and keep track of all the vitals. This position is good for individuals who enjoy taking care of others. Working in this rewarding career tends to be emotional and rewarding, especially in a long-term situation.

Affordability of certification –

This rewarding career opportunity requires fewer training hours than RN or LPN. The duration of training may vary from state to state and is available at many colleges, technical schools, and even online. Once the aspirant completes their training program, the state needs them to pass a state certification exam.

Get the benefit of choosing the work environment –

The aspirants who become certified nursing assistants have the option of choice when selecting the work environment. They can work in various settings depending on their strengths and preferences. They can work as healthcare professionals in various hospitals or hospices.

Gets an enriching and rewarding work experience –

As CNAs have the closest relationships with the patient. They help patients in their daily activities like eating, cleaning, changing clothes, and more.

So, the above is some information that one needs to consider enrolling in nursing assistant training. If you are looking for an accredited training institute to enroll in a certified nursing assistant program on Long Island to start your professional journey as a certified CNA, then consult our team at Joyful Career Center today! Contact our team at (631) 935-0440 for expert guidance!