Nurse
By: Jose Hernandez
annual salary $72,000.00
monthly salary $6,000.00
savings 10% $600.00
house 30% $1,800.00
car 15% $900.00
miscellaneous 40% $2,400.00
retirement 5% $300.00
100% $6,000.00
Job Description
When someone is in a hospital or nursing
home, accomplishing day-to-day tasks
such as dressing or eating can
sometimes be difficult.
This is where nursing assistants come in.
These healthcare professionals provide
personal care to patients, under the
supervision of nurses.
Job Description
The type of care nursing assistants provide
varies depending on the needs of the patient.
In some cases, patients may be too ill or weak to
perform necessary physical activities by
themselves.
For example, nursing assistants might help them
with eating and drinking at mealtimes, or with
personal grooming activities, such as dressing,
bathing, shaving, and brushing their teeth.
Some patients have problems with mobility.
Nursing assistants will help them sit up, turn
over, get out of bed, or walk around the facility.
Job Description
All of the tasks performed by nursing assistants
are directed by nurses.
They instruct the nursing assistants about the
type of care required by each patient, and let
them know about any special concerns they
should be aware of.
In turn, nursing assistants notify nurses about
any changes they see in the patients’ behavior or
physical appearance.
Job Description
Nursing assistants also monitor patients’ vital
signs, including temperature, blood pressure,
pulse, and respiration.
They must carefully record the results, and
report them to the nurse.
They may also help nurses and doctors care for
patients by setting up equipment, sterilizing
instruments, and stocking supplies.
Other tasks performed by nursing assistants
include changing bed linens, keeping patients’
rooms tidy, and delivering meals.
Job Description
A large part of this job involves providing
patients with company and encouragement.
Patients can sometimes feel depressed or lonely,
and nursing assistants may simply spend time
chatting with them, listening to them, and
helping to raise their spirits.
This type of emotional support can go a long way
towards helping a patient feel better.
Job Description
Nursing assistants are sometimes referred to as
nursing aides or hospital attendants.
If they have passed their state’s certification
exam they are known as certified nursing
assistants (CNAs).
Depending on their level of training, they may
also be called patient care technicians (PCTs).
PCTs often have more responsibilities than
regular nursing assistants.
Working Conditions
Nursing assistants work in hospitals,
nursing homes, and long-term care
facilities.
Some work in private homes. Both full-
time and part-time positions are available
in this field.
Working Conditions
Those who work full-time generally work 5
days a week, 8 hours a day.
Because patients often need round the
clock care, nursing assistants typically
have to work evening and weekend shifts.
Working Conditions
The job is physically demanding, and nursing
assistants must be in fairly good shape.
For example, they are often called upon to help
patients out of bed, push patients in wheelchairs,
or help patients walk.
These tasks involve a great deal of bending and
lifting, which can lead to back problems.
Working Conditions
Working as a nursing assistant can also
be mentally stressful.
Nursing assistants commonly work with
patients who are extremely ill or elderly,
and this can be emotionally taxing.
Sometimes the patients they work with
can be uncooperative, and they may also
come into contact with upset family
members.
Working Conditions
People in this profession are at some risk
of contracting disease.
However, nursing assistants can minimize
this risk by taking safety precautions,
such as wearing masks when appropriate,
and washing their hands frequently.
Earnings
Earnings for nursing assistants vary
depending on experience, employer,
location, and education.
Large hospitals in major cities often pay
higher wages than medical facilities
located in smaller centers.
Earnings
Nursing assistants typically earn between
$7 and $14 an hour.
Assuming they work a 40 hour workweek,
this translates to about $15,000 to $29,000
a year.
Some experienced assistants can earn as
much as $35,000 a year.
Earnings
Average earnings for nursing assistants
across the country are approximately
$20,000 to $22,000 a year.
Earnings
Depending on the employer, full-time
nursing assistants may receive benefits,
including paid vacation, sick days, and
health coverage.
Part-time workers do not usually receive
benefits.
Education
The education requirements for nursing
assistants vary from state to state.
In many states nursing assistants must
be certified, while other states don’t have
certification requirements.
Education
In states where certification is required,
aspiring nursing assistants generally
need to graduate from a formal training
program.
Nursing assistant programs are available
at 2 year colleges, vocational schools,
and some hospitals and nursing homes.
They usually take less than a year to
complete, and lead to a certificate.
A high school diploma is often required
for admission.
Education
Students enrolled in nursing assistant programs
typically take courses in nursing skills, basic
anatomy, nutrition, and infection control.
They also receive on-the-job training in a
hospital, nursing home, or other medical facility.
In some states students are qualified to work as
Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) upon
graduation, while in others they must first pass a
certification exam.
The exam varies by state, but usually consists of
a written and a practical component.
Education
In states where certification is not
required, the educational requirements
are typically less stringent.
For example, some states do not require
any formal training at all. Instead, nursing
assistants often receive on-the-job
training from experienced assistants.
Some employers, such as nursing homes,
may also offer their own training
programs for entry-level employees.
Education
However, even if your state does not have
education requirements, it can be a good
idea to enroll in a nursing assistant
education program anyway.
Assistants who graduate from a formal
training program often have an advantage
in the job market over untrained
assistants.
Similarly, CNAs often have an advantage
over non-certified assistants.
Education
For information about certification
requirements in your state, please see the
link to the National Network of Career
Nursing Assistants’ website in the Other
Resources section.
Education
Nursing assistants need to be patient,
understanding, and level-headed.
It’s also important to be able to follow
instructions carefully.
Education
Some nursing assistants use their skills
and qualifications as a springboard to go
into more advanced nursing.
For example, a nursing assistant may
choose to take a certificate program to
become a patient care technician (PCT).
PCTs are qualified to perform more
advanced duties than nursing assistants,
such as venipuncture (drawing blood
from a vein) or EKG measurement.
Education
Other nursing assistants may go on to
acquire the training necessary to become
licensed practical nurses or registered
nurses.
(See our career profiles for information
about these professions.)
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