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JOB
DUTIES AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS: Nursing Assistants
Nursing assistants usually work in nursing
homes. They are usually known as certified nursing assistants or certified
nurse aides (CNAs), but a few states use other terms. For example they
are called licensed nurse aides (LNAs) in New Hampshire and state-tested
nurse aides (STNAs) in Ohio. Under the direction of a licensed nurse,
nursing asistants provide the majority of hands-on care, helping
residents perform activities of daily living (ADLs) such as eating,
dressing, bathing and toileting; repositioning those who can't move
on their own; and performing clinical tasks such as range of motion
exercises and blood pressure readings. In some states, nursing assistants
can receive additional certification that allows them to administer
medications.
Training
and Registry Requirements
The
federal government requires that nursing assistants who work
in nursing homes receive a minimum of 75 hours of training, pass
a standardized exam in their state, and be listed on a state
registry. The 75 hours of training covers topics such as: communication
and interpersonal skills, basic infection control procedures,
promoting patient rights, and basic nursing skills. Sixteen of
the 75 training hours is devoted to hands-on practice of
clinical tasks under the instruction of a registered nurse.
About
half of the states have additional training requirements. To
check the training requirements in a particular state, click
here.
To
find pre-certification training classes, check with your local
Red Cross. If your community has a community college or vocational-technical
school, they may also offer classes, and some nursing homes do
their own training.
Nursing
assistants who pay for their training and certification are entitled
to have those costs reimbursed by their employers if they are
hired by a nursing home within 12 months of becoming certified.
Moving
to Another State
Certified
nursing assistants who want to work in another state need to
request reciprocity, which means asking the new state to recognize
the old state's license. In some cases, you may be required to
take additional classes or to retake the certification test. Click
here to find detailed information about where to call for
this information.
Click
here to find your state laws and regulations for becoming
a nursing assistant.
For
information from the U.S. Department of Labor about nursing assistant
career paths, click
here.
Click
here for a list of the state agencies in charge of nurse
aide training and testing.
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