Since Nursing has undergone such a thorough growth in terms of their duties, and the general increased necessity for them in the health care sector, many duties have been delegated to a variety of people, all with the title of nurse, in some form or another. The existence of the Certified Nurse Assistant role is indicative of how demanding nursing really is. Such is the weight or need for care givers that even they have sought the help of an assistant. In this instance it’s the CNA which is the assistant to the Registered Nurse (RN), but that term assistant is somewhat misleading. Caring, communicating and comforting patients may seem like a fairly basic outline for the CNA but those words involve a lot more than what it lets on, and it takes a special kind of person to carry out those duties.

Often you’ll hear that the Nursing Aid is the bottom rung on the nursing ladder, and it largely is. That bottom rung though is filled with many of its own unique challenges and the nature of the work is relentless in its demands of the person tasked with performing them. It’s for this reason that anyone considering pursuing a career in nursing should be completely aware of all that comes with the position. It has been known that there are some people who study and go through the apprenticeships earning their certification, licensure or registration, and still find the going too tough. It’s a case of being prepared till a certain point as training can only equip you so much, but once you find yourself in the heat of things, working the hospital or care facility floor, things can take on a whole new complexion and push you to your limits.

Finding people that are capable of doing the work is rare, but it’s an even more uncommon occurrence to find people who are capable and willing to do the work.

Here we take a look at what it takes of the person to do the job as well as the actual CNA job description. Firstly though, we look at a few of the considerations one needs to make prior to any thoughts or inclinations toward a Nursing assistant course.

The CNA Course Requirements

• Educational requirements: There are a number of universities and colleges offering courses for prospective Nursing Aid certification programs, even a great number of CNA online programs. Every course will require the student to possess a high school diploma or GED equivalency. There’s a slight divergence between various states where credit-hours are concerned, but each student can expect the CNA course to last from six to twelve weeks. The respective Departments of Health or Nursing Aid Registry of each state will carry the exact requirements pertaining to their region. The final Exam should consist of two main parts, namely the written test and the practical Skills test. The written side of things of course looks at the scope of knowledge of each prospective nurse, while the clinical Skills test is a veritable trial to judge the students competency in performing certain tasks and putting their acquired knowledge into practice. Once certification has been earned and your name entered into the states CNA registry, some states may require you to undergo/enter constant competency and perhaps enhancement programs on a fairly regular basis. Although CNA’s have become a mainstay in the health care team, many look at it as a stepping stone to more in-depth courses and a vital checkpoint on the road toward being a full Registered Nurse, and perhaps even earning their degree, masters or doctorate.

• Physical requirements: Nurses are expected to be of sound mind and body; they’ll be required to lift objects/patients, push gurneys/wheelchairs and assist people who have trouble walking on their own, thus they need to have a general semblance of decent-to-good fitness. Bear in mind that CNA’s will be required to be on their feet for great parts of the day, standing and walking as they care for residents.

• Individual requirements: the Certified Nursing Assistant job is a demanding one that often requires them to seek reward in the little things as it can often be a thankless toil. Those who are Nursing Aids, or are looking to be one, are invariably immensely selfless people who are very direct in their ways with a good dose of compassion. The work can not only be taxing on the body, but on the mind as well, as they will need strong scruples to handle the really intense and unpredictable situations. Needless to say the qualities required of the person doing the caregiving is special indeed, and as we’ll find out, apart from the physically (as in bodily) messes they have to deal with on a daily basis, there’s also the other human element to consider, that of “handling” patients’ loved ones and communicating with both them and their own superiors (which, in any given hospital, could well be just about everyone on staff, baring other CNA’s of course).

The Certified Nursing Assistant Job Description

As one can expect, when looking at the core subjects of the CNA training, which should include Anatomy, Primary care, First Aid, Communication skills and Computer literacy, the actual CNA job description covers quite a variety of tasks. Although CNA’s will not be doing any diagnosing or unsupervised patient treatments, their roles are still quite specified. A couple of hugely important aspects of the job are cleanliness (personal as well as surrounding hygiene) and safety. Safety issues can often stem from the little details as they can often be a predetermining factor in maintaining a certain level of comfort for the patient one is attending. This of course includes being attentive to the residents requirements and desires as they try to ensure the optimum comfort for all concerned. Details in these regards can also be a major stumbling block for those doing the clinical final skills test.

The following is a list of CNA duties also expected of any Nurse Aid:

• Taking vitals, like the patient’s heart rate, blood pressure and temperature. The frequency at which the vitals should be taken will be dictated by the specific nature of the patient and their condition. For instance, vitals might be taken on routine checks by the CNA as they do their rounds during a shift, or the patient’s condition – due to their illness or a medical procedure they’ve been through – may require constant monitoring.

• Assisting patients with every day activities (for the patients that are unable to carry out their normal undertakings like post-operation residents, elders or terminally ill)). This falls under Primary care and includes duties like washing patients (which may involve brushing their teeth, shaving, combing their hair and dressing them). Also included in this role is feeding residents who are unable to, and supplying them with water if needs be. Some patients who need assistance with going to the toilet will also require the aid of the CNA.

• Acquiring and relaying lab samples and reports that do not require specified laboratory staff (this may also be at the discretion of the CNA’s supervisor).

• Informing and assisting patients with prescribed medical equipment for their treatment – this may include instructing the patients loved ones as well if the patient is being discharged. Included in this area of aid is helping patients and transporting them from one department to another for tests or procedures and treatments.

• Infection control. There are very stringent procedures and protocols that every CNA is required to follow to maintain sanitation and prevent the transmission of any diseases or bacteria. Since Nursing Aids are constantly dealing with patients, practically always with hands-on assistance, the chances of spreading germs and infection is greatly increased (hospitals are known to be very unhygienic as the fight for infection control is an everyday battle). This category is also very prevalent in ensuring that the Nurse assistant themselves is protected against infection and illness.

• Monitoring patients. As a CNA, you’ll be required to be very attentive to the needs of the residents and to log and report on any changes. This will be included in the duties of all CNA’s – the ability to “read” patients and identify certain signs or indicators of certain conditions, like symptoms of low blood pressure. The primary concern for the CNA, in this instance, is the well-being of their patient/s, even if this means protecting them from themselves.

• Recording patients statistics in their respective files – this will comprise the patients physical condition or attributes, like their weight and height, as well as logging and recording their medical history (crucial to this aspect of the job is ensuring that factors like allergies and chronic illnesses, as well as medication that the patient may already be taking, is well noted and recorded).

• Under the correct supervision, some CNA’s may also be allowed to administer medication, like blood transfusions or inserting IVs.

• If requested or required, some CNA’s may be required to administer some basic massage therapy for patients who are laid up and unable to exercise sufficiently, or have temporarily lost mobility (accident victims)

From this list it’s easy to see that the CNA’s job description covers a wide range of things, but for those looking for even more detail, you can simply have a look at some of the CNA practice tests online. In the test you’ll find a number of atypical (for most of us) scenarios that the Certified Nurse Assistant may find themselves in. these scenarios will include instances where they will be required to make certain fundamental decision’s based upon their training in dealing with unruly patients or those with mental illness. Some patients may suffer from temporary mental illness or perhaps Alzheimer’s, in which case they’ll have to handle patients with the utmost care. This applies to those who are experiencing grief as well, whether due to the loss of a loved one or the receiving of news that the patient themself is suffering from a terminal illness.

Included in the CNA job duties is the ability to deal with sometimes awkward scenarios, like finding patients roaming the hallways unattended and assisting them to where they want or need to be, as well as how to handle patients suffering from certain illnesses like Cancer for instance.

The Consummate Care Giver

In addition to all the clinical responsibilities of the CNA, communication and comfort are major aspects as well. Being a good Nurse Aid means ensuring that all the patient’s needs are taken care of, and in the case of comfort, that even some basic factors are seen to that will make their life easier. Factors such as maintaining a clean and comfortable living space for the residents and ensuring that their bedding remains clean and dry, and that user equipment is at hand – like making sure that the call button or TV remote is close at hand.

Communication is a vital cog in the healthcare wheel; if certain information is not relayed timeously or at all, lives could be lost or permanently harmed. So part of the Nursing Assistant job description is maintaining a solid and open communication link through all channels; be it via Nurse to patient or CNA to superior or replacement staff. For instance, it’s essential that necessary patient information is transferred across shifts so as to maintain a seamless change, ensuring that patients receive the best care.

It’s clear to see that the Certified Nursing assistant needs to be a very special kind of person (as one can state for every nurse), to not only be compassionate, but also empathetic to the patients cause. The Nurse Aid may find themselves helping someone who is experiencing, veritably the worst days of their lives, so supporting them through this intense time is an unparalleled duty, and essential to the process of healing.

The post Knowing The CNA Job Description appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

With the growth in the nursing field one would expect to find a CNA job with relative ease, but sometimes an oversupply of choice can present its own problems. The Bureau of Statistics has projected only further growth for Nursing since there’s been an increase in retirees as well as an increase in the amount of people in need for special care. Thus Nursing will continue to provide good opportunity for employment for some time to come (at least it’s safe to say for the next decade or so). Indicative of this trend is the fact that universities and colleges are recording full classes for their Nursing programs, as well as the ever more popular online courses.

Over the years, nursing has expanded just as the medical fraternity has, in that the varying types of nurses these days just about equal that of the varying types of doctors around in their specializing fields. These days there are nurses for every medical field, just about, and students can choose to specialize at a very early stage in the career as it may come as a more lucrative option (albeit with its own unique challenges), as the more rare the field (and specialized the qualification) the higher the earnings will be.

Examples of the variety in the Nursing field are: Clinical Nurse Specialists (nurses who work more with nursing staff than patients), Nurse Practitioner (often specializes in certain areas such as Gerontology and Paediatrics), Neonatal Nurse (they care for ill or premature infants), Psychiatric Nurse and the Orthopaedic Nurse (they mostly work with Arthritic sufferers and diabetics). Of course you then have your more familiar Registered Nurses, LPN’s and CNA’s which you may find in hospitals or general health care facilities.

For Nursing Aids though, their expertise remains within a set parameter and do not expand beyond it, with their primary concern being that of the patient and everything pertaining to their specific needs from a purely primary care giving perspective, providing comfort and assistance.

The Duties Of A Certified Nursing Assistant

To distinguish Certified Nursing Assistant’s from all other Registered Nurses, specialized or otherwise, here is a summarized list of duties they’re typically tasked with performing.

• Monitoring patients and recording any changes.

• Ensuring that all changes or developments are reported to their supervising nurse.

• Infection control – maintaining good personal hygiene as well as maintaining patient hygiene, including bathing residents and ensuring that things like hair and nail care as well as brushing the patients teeth are seen to.

• Monitoring and emptying catheter bags.

• Assisting patients with toilet visits – those who cannot do so on their own accord.

• Intermittent checking of vital signs including blood pressure, heart rate, temperature and respiration – as well as specific care with regard to patients who need constant monitoring (usually post operations).

• Recording food and fluid intake as well as feeding the residents and ensuring that water is always available.

• Maintaining a clean and sanitized working environment (falling under infection control as well).

• Ensuring that beds are clean and dry.

• Assisting patients by transporting or escorting them to the appropriate department for treatment or testing.

• Administering some prescribed medication (under a supervisors guidance) and nutritional supplements.

• Assisting incapacitated patients by turning them to prevent bedsores as well as providing necessary massages or therapy to patients who’ve temporarily lost movement – it ensures that there’s a necessary blood flow to certain extremities to aid in the healing process.

So for prospective, certified nursing assistant jobs can be sought at any facility requiring basic nursing under the appropriate and applicable supervision (usually by an RN or LPN). The CNA training program typically takes from six to twelve weeks to complete and includes subjects like Anatomy, First Aid, Sanitation and Primary patient care. Newly Certified Nurse Assistants can expect competency tests and/or “updates” every few years to maintain a certain standard of service and to even improve on it.

Typical shifts last around seven and a half hours with either an hour long break or a divided thirty minute and two fifteen minute breaks. They get paid by the hour and an entry level CNA can expect a starting wage of about ten dollars an hour (depending on their location and employment facility).

Qualified certified Nursing Aids are very much in demand, and according to the National Bureau of Statistics, that demand will only increase in the next few years. Needless to say though, there’s plenty of availability of certified nursing assistant jobs within the nursing sector as a whole.

Regions Of Employment

Since the role of a certified Nurse Aid is not a specialized one, CNA’s are thus employable at just about every facility which requires nursing care. In any classifieds or online searches you’ll find plenty of companies in need of qualified CNA’s. Usually though, the governing factor motivating people to become Nurse Assistants are personal reasons (though that is changing). Some people are spurned on by the need to take care of a loved one and looking to provide special care, whereas others are looking to climb the ladder of the nursing field with views to greater things. Of course there will always be a limit to what the CNA may be paid, which is another reason to pursue higher education. Location may be another mitigating factor in the search for employment; if a change of state is on the cards then qualified CNA’s should note any change to the nursing regulations (some states do differ from others in this regard – and in extreme cases, Certified Nurse Assistants may be required to complete additional classes or undergo an additional state sanctioned final exam to earn certification in that respective state. Of course governing and hiring bodies are aware of this apparent discrepancy and may be willing to make allowances in particular cases. All these aspects are usually sorted prior to taking the CNA program as students invariably have an inkling as to where they will eventually end up.

Some institutions have a clause in their contract so that those studying under their custodianship or through their official bursary have to then work for the company for a pre-agreed upon period. The downside of this is that you will not have any choices as to your employment and will be tied to a certain company for a set few years, fulfilling a certain bargain. The upside though is that it offers stable job security and that the issue of any job search will be of no concern to you. This means that you’re guaranteed work and by association are guaranteed some invaluable experience.

Requirements For Certified Nursing Assistants

If you’re reading this then you must surely know by now what it takes to be a Certified Nursing Assistant and that the CNA job is not just any service but is essential to the wellbeing of patients. Although all you need to qualify in order to study to be a CNA is a High School diploma or GED equivalency, and that it doesn’t realistically require anyone with prior experience in the health care field, the prerequisites of this job is way more. When you consider what it really takes to conduct yourself in this demanding job, selflessly with compassion and often subservience, it’s obvious that it takes one who possesses something special. Thus, any employer will no doubt have to assess their prospective employee thoroughly to assure themselves that they are the right person for the role.

The Need For Certified Nurses

As mentioned above, the demand for nurses is quite high, but don’t let this statistic fool you into thinking it’s a relatively easy route to acquire money and job security, you have to have what it takes to survive the arena. Seeking and finding employment should not be a problem, but sometimes it’s locating the right fit that is most taxing. CNA’s are typically empathetic and tolerant people (they have to be) but you still need to find an area of employment that suits you, whether that be the rigors of a city hospital or the quieter, though no less demanding, confines of a nursing home/long term care facility or clinic.

Since the government has finally woken to the need of the health care sector and subsequently has vowed to throw more support behind it. There’s been something of a knock on effect in that if the general health of society improves, more people will live longer, but then that leads to an increase in the elderly populace in need of special health care – meaning the greater need for Nurses (Caring for the elderly is the primary area in which CNA’s are required), a problem that’s already on our hands.

Slim respite is that nursing training programs are filling up with a decent amount of competition for placement, which has also increased the popularity of the online programs. The bottom line is that there are thousands of Nursing Assistant job opportunities available within the medical fraternity and healthcare sector.

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Being a CNA comes with a lot of advantage such as job security and entry into the nursing profession, one of the fastest growing and most stable professions at the moment. Becoming a CNA is a way for you to get your foot into the door of the nursing profession, and from there you will have plenty of room to grow and expand until you are a professional in the health care domain. An important thing that you may want to consider, however, is the CNA salary that you will be able to earn. This article contains all of the basic information about CNA pay. And should help you in your decision about whether or not you want to be a CNA as well as informing your choice about where you will work once you are a CNA.

Average CNA Salary Figures

Let’s consider first the national averages for certified nursing assistant salary. These of course are not a true reflection of what you can expect to earn in each individual state and city, but it does serve as a basic outline of what you are getting into with a nursing assistant job. The average hourly rate is about $8.37 to $14.34. CNAs can expect to earn an overtime CNA salary of around $7.93 to $21.54 an hour. In some instances CNAs are eligible for a bonus of anything between $0.00 and $810. This makes the average nursing assistant salary for a year around $17,555 to $31,988.

This however is not a conclusive analysis of a CNA salary. There are a number of factors that can affect CNA pay. These include things like:

• The employer that you end up working for
• The specific industry in which you choose to work as a CNA
• Your gender
• What level of CNA education you have managed to earn thus far
• The exact location that you work in as different cities and different states pay a different certified nursing assistant salary

We will have a look at each of these factors in more detail later on in the article. If you are thinking about becoming a CNA based on the salary that you hope to earn you will need to have a close look at all of the different aspects that play a part in affecting the salary that you stand a chance of earning in your particular area. There are places where you can earn a very good CNA salary if you know where to look.

Certified Nursing Assistant Salary by Industry

Different places will pay you a different salary. For example, a nursing home will pay about $8.52 – $13.81 an hour, while healthcare pays around $8.58 – $14.47 an hour. Long-term care and rehabilitation come with a CNA pay of around $8.51 – $13.83, a hospital will pay around $8.87 – $14.99, and in home health care you can expect about $8.18 – $14.46.

As you can see there are a number of different industries that you can work in as a CNA. The CNA pay for each industry is also not bad. When it comes to finding work as a CNA there really is something for everyone as there are a wide variety of different options to choose form in terms of the location that you would most like to work in as a CNA. This allows you to choose a job based on the CNA salary as well as on the actual job that you would like to have and the location where you would like to work. As you can see there is a pay range in this regard, so you cannot be completely sure about how much you will earn in each industry, however the numbers given here are a fairly good indication of the certified nursing assistant salary that you can expect to earn.

CNA Salary By Gender

Gender also has a significant effect on your CNA pay:

Women

• Women make up 90% of the people employed as CNAs
• Women earn an hourly rate of $9.32 – $12.23

Men

• Men make up only 10% of the people employed as CNAs
• However, men earn a slightly higher hourly rate of $9.51 – $12.46

Unfortunately there still seem to be slight gender differences in the field of nursing, and these even affect the CNA salary that you can expect to earn. Men are fewer in number when t comes to this career, but at the same time they earn slightly more money. This is something that is slowly starting to equalise, however so for now you will just have to accept the inequalities as given.

As you can see both men and women stand a good chance of earning a decent salary if they are willing to go through the training and certification process needed in order to work in this field. There are a lot of advantages to working as a CNA and the CNA pay that you will then be eligible for is definitely one of the more persuasive aspects of being a CNA.

Nursing Assistant Salary By Employer

There are a number of different employers that offer work for CNAs, each of whom pay a slightly different CNA salary. Let us consider some of those employers now:

If you work for HCR Manor Care Inc you can expect a certified nursing assistant salary of about $8.93 – $12.61 an hour while those CNAs employed by Kindred Healthcare can expect CNA pay of around $8.79 – $13.66 an hour. At Golden Living Centers you can get a salary of about $8.73 – $14.06, at Life Care Centers of America you can expect to earn around $8.63 – $13.38, and when you work for Home Health and Hospice Care the average CNA pay is approximately $8.07 – $12.79. Those CNAs working for NHC Healthcare can expect a certified nursing assistant salary of about $7.54 – $13.09, while hose working at Maxim Healthcare Services Inc. can earn in the region of $8.05 – $15.00 an hour. At Nursing Centers you can earn about $8.06 – $12.76, at Sunrise Senior Living, Inc. you can earn about $8.64 – $13.03 and at HCR – ManorCare you can earn about $9.52 – $13.22.

The average CNA salary for hose working at Genesis Healthcare Corporation is in the region of $9.46 – $15.45 an hour, while those who are employed by Comfort Keepers can earn an average pay of about $8.04 – $10.34. At Emeritus, Assisted Living you can earn around $8.69 – $11.13 an hour while the average salary at Memorial Hospital is about $7.93 – $17.25. Those CNAs choosing to work at Care Centers can earn something like $9.17 – $14.30 an hour and those who work at Kindred Hospital can expect a certified nursing assistant salary of around $9.20 – $15.89 an hour. At The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society you can earn $8.86 – $12.85, at the Brightstar Healthcare LLC you can earn $9.06 – $12.48, at Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital you can earn $8.68 – $15.55, and at Sava Senior Care you can earn $7.80 – $13.51, which are all fairly good rates of CNA pay. For those CNAs employed by Sunbridge Care and Rehab the average CNA salary is around $7.96 – $14.88, and those working for Home Instead Senior Home Care can expect an average pay in the region of $7.44 – $13.09. At the Uhs-Pruitt Corporation CNAs get paid around $7.32 – $11.40, at Autumn Care they get about $8.21 – $12.59, at Bayada Nurses Inc they get approximately $8.10 – $13.18, and the average pay for Heath Nursing Care Center is around $7.15 – $13.69.

Working for Extendicare Health Services Incorporated gets you a salary of around $8.08 – $12.73 an hour and working at Lifecare Center should earn you something in the region of $8.69 – $15.05. Those working at Select Specialty Hospitals can earn a salary of about $10.07 – $16.34 and at Visiting Angels, Inc. you can earn around $7.70 – $12.28.

How Your Degree Affects Your Salary

Your level of education can have a significant effect on your CNA salary. Let us consider the effects that the most basic degrees can have on your pay:

• If you have an Associate’s Degree you can earn about $8.70 – $14.79 an hour
• If you have a Bachelor’s Degree you can earn about $8.41 – $14.45 an hour
• If you only have a GED or High School Diploma you can earn about $8.23 – $14.74 an hour
• If you have a High School Diploma you can earn around $8.18 – $14.96 an hour
• If you have a Certificate (Cert), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) you can earn about $8.65 – $14.42 an hour

As you can see it is better to get as high a qualification as you possibly can in order to stand a chance of earning a higher CNA salary. The higher your CNA pay the happier you are likely to be in your chosen career as a CNA. However if possible you should not base your entire decision about which qualification program to be involved in on the salary that you can earn. You should choose the program that will make you the happiest and that suits your needs and schedule better than the other programs that are available out there. Although the amount of money that you can expect to earn has to be one of your considerations, it should not be your primary consideration and you should think about which degree program to do carefully before making your final decision in this very important matter.

Cities That Pay The Most

As mentioned previously your location can affect how much you can expect to earn as a CNA. A nursing assistant salary can differ quite significantly from city to city. If you know which city you plan to work in once you are a qualified CNA you should take a bit of time to find out what the CNA pay options are for that city. There are definitely state differences to consider but what some people don’t realise is how much a salary can differ from city to city within the same state, so this is a consideration that you absolutely have to take into account when deciding where you plan to work as a CNA. The facts and figures are available online as well as from other sources, so look into the details carefully before making your final decision about where you want to work as a certified nursing assistant.

If you want to stand a chance of earning the highest nursing assistant salary possible you should try to get a job in one of the following cities:

• St. Paul, Minnesota
• San Francisco, California
• Seattle, Washington
• Boston, Massachusetts
• Washington, District of Columbia
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Phoenix, Arizona
• San Jose, California
• Fort Myers, Florida
• Allentown, Pennsylvania
• Sacramento, California
• Denver, Colorado
• Baltimore, Maryland
• Portland, Oregon
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Madison, Wisconsin
• Portland, Maine
• Mesa, Arizona
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Providence, Rhode Island

Those are all of the facts, figures and statistics for a salary that are currently available. With this information in mind you are now equipped to decide if becoming a CNA is the right thing for you. It should also help those who have already made this choice to decide where they will work in order to benefit from the best CNA possible. This is not a decision that should be made lightly or flippantly and requires a lot of thought as it will affect your future career options.

The post What Can A Certified Nursing Assistant Earn? appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

Getting a CNA license may be one of the better things that you could choose to do with your time. This is because:

• It will gain you access to the stable and ever-expanding health care sector.
• It will open up new career paths for you in the future.
• It does not take a lot of time.

Eligibility Requirements

How Old Must You Be?

In order to apply for a certified nursing assistant license you do have to be at least 18 years of age. This holds true for all states in which the license is available and there is no point in applying if you are longer. Fortunately this is one of the requirements that you will have after time, so if you wait patiently you will soon be old enough.

The Competency Course

You will also have to pass a written competency course in order to get your CNA license. It is very important that you are well prepared for this course and that you work hard to pass it. The course includes a certain number of practical hours which you will have to complete under the close supervision of a qualified nurse.

High School Education

The nest thing that you will have to have is a high school diploma. You need to have completed high school or the equivalent thereof. You will have to submit your high school transcript when applying for entry into a license program. If you have attended any college courses in any subjects at all you will also have to provide those transcripts too so that the course you enrol in will be aware of your academic skill level.

How Good Is Your English?

A very important part of being a CNA involves speaking with patients on a regular basis. In fact this in some ways is the primary task that you will perform. As a result you will need to be fluent in English to make conversation easier if you want to get your CNA license.

CNA Licensing Exam

The license exam is divided into two parts, namely:

• The Clinical Exam, and
• The Theoretical Exam

Both of these exams are essential to getting your certified nursing assistant license and you will not be able to qualify as a CNA if you have not passed both aspects. This is just the way it is.

In the clinical exam you will have to demonstrate that you have learned everything that you were required to earn during your practical training. You will be examined in a clinical setting and you will have to show that you know how to perform a number of tasks that you will be required to perform on a daily basis once you are a CNA. There are a few things to keep in mind during this part of the exam. The first thing is that you should not panic. Stay calm and do your best. You also need to remember that the examiner will be watching everything that you do, so concentrate hard and stay focused during the test. If you have prepared properly then this part of the license exam should be no trouble for you at all.

Once you have done the clinical exam you will need to write the theoretical exam. DO NOT attempt this exam unless you are sure you can pass it. A good way to determine whether or not you are ready is to look for sample questions online and keep on answering them until you get them right most of the time. Be well prepared.

Steps In Getting Your License

Step 1

The first thing that you will have to do is to get hold of the application form from the CNA license authority and then send it to the State Licensing Office. You will have to have your application form notarized before sending it off.

Step 2

You will then have to verify the training that you have undergone by completing the verification of training form. This is to check that the school or program you attended was accredited. If it was not accredited you will not get your license.

Step 3

To the Department of Public Safety you will have to submit a fingerprint card and a background check. You will also have to pass the required health check to ensure that you are fit and able.

Step 4

You will then have to sit back and wait to see if your application for your CNA license has been approved or not. This may take a while and there is nothing you can do to speed up the process, so patience is required at this point.

Step 5

You will have to pay a licensing fee in order to get your license, so make sure that you get this money together. The actual amount you will have to pay varies depending on the state you are in, so find out this information early

Step 6

Remember that you will be sent notification regarding your application. It is not a good idea to call the State Board of Nursing to check on the progress of your application.

CNA License Renewal

So now that you have your CNA license you will need to keep it updated. The license you are given will only be valid for a very limited time. You will need to find out all about license renewal for your particular state as this can also vary from state to state. In most states your license will have an expiration date and certified nursing assistant license renewal will have to occur about once a year. There is usually a fee involved, but again, the fee for license renewal depends on the state in which you are working as a CNA. These amounts can vary quite drastically so make sure you know well ahead of time exactly how much money you will have to get together to renew your license. In addition to the fee you may also have to provide proof of continuing education for your CNA license renewal in some states. Continuing education comes in the form of training programs that you have to complete in order to keep your knowledge of the field updated. This is very important and when it is made compulsory it means that the general standard of CNA service in that state is at a higher level. Find out how much continuing education, if any, you will have to do for your license renewal, and then do it with a smile on your face because it is very beneficial. Some states inform CNAs of CNA license renewal dates and requirements, but some states require that you check the information for yourself.

CNA License Verification

In order to practice as a CNA you will not only have to have a license, but you will also need to have a license that is valid. It is your responsibility to check the validity of your license, and the method that you go through to determine CNA license verification is very similar to that used in the previous section for renewing your license. There are a lot of factors involved in license verification, it is also suggested that you get your hands on the original copy of your CNA license as this is the copy containing the official seal of the state board of nursing and will therefore be the most convincing document you will have to prove that you have a certified nursing assistant license. Some steps in license verification are:

• Go to the Nurse’s Aide Registry and type in the name of your state to get the telephone number you need.
• Some states have an online CNA license verification system, so check your state’s registry site for this.
• If you decide to actually visit the registry office make sure that you take all information such as your licensing number with you.
• There is a fee to pay in order to get license verification, but again this varies from state to state.
• You can then have the license mailed or emailed to you, but the hardcopy option is definitely the best.
• There are also independent organisations through which you can get license verification.

Transferring Your License To Another State

If you want to start working in a different state you will have to transfer your CNA license from your current state to that other state in order to continue practicing as a CNA. There are a few things that you need to keep in mind when doing this.

Some states have a reciprocity policy which means that they automatically accept licenses from other states without any trouble at all. This is true for states where the licensing procedures and coursework are very similar. All you will have to do if reciprocity is indeed practiced is to submit your employment proofs, social security number, educational proofs as well as background check. The license will still have to be transferred, but in many cases you will be able to start working while you wait for the transfer to go through, and thereby not waste any precious time.

If the state does not practice reciprocity you will have to write the clinical and theoretical examinations for that state in order to get a certified nursing assistant license that is valid for that state in particular. This is very important, and one of the first things that you will have to do before moving to another state is to find out what the license transference policies are so that you will actually be able to work once you are there. Once the license has been transferred it may take a while for it to actually get to you so you need to be patient and wait it out.

Suspension Of Your License

In some cases you may get your CNA license suspended. This is of course not ideal, and hopefully you will never be placed in this situation, but it is worth mentioning the procedures and so on here so that you are prepared for all outcomes.

The suspension of your license can be initiated by either the person or company you are employed by, or the State Board of Nursing. A complaint will need to be made about you to the State Board of Nursing and this will initiate an investigation into your actions as a CNA. Once the investigation is concluded it will be decided that either you were in the wrong or you were not. If you are deemed to be in the wrong, your CNA license will be suspended. The CNA in question will have to attend a hearing. In some cases, if the offense is particularly bad, the CNA may also be fined or even have their license permanently removed.

When applying for a job it looks bad to have on your record the information that your license was previously suspended. If you want to keep your credibility as a CNA you will have to do everything in your power to keep your certified nursing assistant license in good standing. If you do not this could affect you in a variety of extremely negative ways which you should avoid at all costs. Ensuring that your license has no blemishes in its history, and keeping your education up to date, are two of the best ways to keep your license in good standing.

Now that you have all of the information required should be well informed regarding your CNA license and how to get it. The facts above are fairly exhaustive and if you follow the suggestions and steps laid out in this article you will have no trouble at all getting your license. Becoming a CNA allows you to later progress to becoming an LPN and perhaps even an RN in the future so this qualification can be used as the first stepping stone in your nursing career.

The post Getting Your CNA License appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

Now that you are a qualified CNA you will need to write a winning CNA resume in order to get the job of your dreams. This is not as easy as it sounds, but there are some tips you can follow to make it easier.

Steps In Writing A Nursing Assistant Resume

Objective

It is important that you draft everything before you write it in your resume. A certified nursing assistant resume needs to have an objective. An objective is just a short summary of what your aim is in terms of creating the resume. If you look online for a sample resume you may find one with a resume objective like “I am experienced certified nursing assistant with 5 years of experience, seeking a certified nursing assistant position in a reputed health organization where I can apply my best clinical skills”. This is the kind of thing you should write, but be original and don’t just copy the CNA sample resume word for word.

Aptitude

There are a number of things that can go in the aptitude section of your CNA resume. For example you could include information about the following:

• Educational background
• Licenses you have received
• Voluntary certifications you earned

Remember that the person reading your resume is also reading a whole lot of other resumes as well. They will not have the time or inclination to look at a resume that is exactly the same as all of the others. The trick is to write a resume in such a way that you are original but that is at the same time still professional. This list of your aptitudes can be the eye catching moment that makes the reader interested.

Professional Expertise

In the next section you should highlight your professional expertise. What things are you really good at doing? This section will be easier to write if you have more work experience. Some CNA resume examples do not include this as a separate section but rather put it in with work experience. However if you are an accomplished CNA you need to take the time to highlight the tasks you are especially good at, particularly those tasks that you can perform without supervision, in your resume. A good nursing assistant resume will be one that is laid out in the best way to draw attention to your skills, which is why you cannot simply copy just any sample CNA resume you come across.

Work Experience

Like we said previously you need to include your work experience in your CNA resume. A good certified nursing assistant resume will include a fairly comprehensive list of the places you have worked in as well as what skills you learned there and what tasks you were responsible for performing. This is a great way to draw attention to your skills as a CNA in your resume.

Other Awards And Achievements

Good CNA resume usually include things such as:

• Above average graduation grade point average
• Admission to the Dean’s List
• Other honours

This is because these things can make you look really good to potential employers so you should not forget to include them if you have them. However it is not a big deal if you have no special awards or achievements. This is not compulsory for writing a resume. CNA resumes that have a something special like this are just more likely to be followed up with. This does depend of course on what the reader is looking for in the resume. Again, don’t just copy the many CNA resume examples that you can find online.

Future Goals In The Nursing Profession

It is a great idea to mention in your resume what your future goals are in the nursing profession as this will show that you are dedicated to the profession and that you are willing to do what it takes to upgrade your qualification and move on in the industry. Employers like to have CNAs on their staff who are willing to maybe later upgrade their qualifications and become LPNs or RNs. However this is not the main point of your nursing assistant resume so do not devote too much space and time to writing about where you want to be in the future. Keep your resume short and to the point so as not to bore the reader.

References

You should also list any references you have from previous jobs on your resume, especially from those jobs where you felt that you really did a great job. If you have had a bad experience at a previous job try not to include that employer in your list of references in your certified nursing assistant resume. You need to be able to present your prospective future employer with a list of people he or she can contact in order to find out a little bit more about work ethic and style. If you don’t have much space on your resume sometimes it is acceptable to put “References available on request” on CNA resumes as you will see in any sample CNA resume on the internet.

Creating A CNA Resume In Your Word Processing Program

Step 1

The first step to creating your resume on your computer is opening your word processing program. Most computers will have a word processing program available on them. The most common is Windows Microsoft Word, but there are other options as well. Basically it is a program that you can type text into. Once you have typed the text into the program you will be able to print it or save it for future editing or use. If you are new to using a computer it won’t take you long at all to figure out how your word processing program works, and once you have got the hang of it you are ready to get started with your CNA resume.

Step 2

The next step in writing your certified nursing assistant resume is to write four lines of text:

• Full name on the first line
• Address on the second line
• Telephone number on the third line
• Email address on the fourth line

You will see in resume examples that this information is in the middle of the page at the top. Highlight what you have written by dragging the mouse over the words. Then click on the “centre” button at the top of the screen so that these four lines of text will be moved to the middle where they will be a lot more obvious to the reader.

Step 3

These four lines of information are generally considered to be the most important part of resumes because without this information an employer who is interested in hiring you will not know how to contact you. Consequently it is important to make this information stand out. You can do this by underlining it or making it bold. Highlight the words by dragging your mouse over them. Then click on the bold icon (B) at the top of the screen, or the underline icon (a U which is underlined). You will see that this is a common thing to do when you look at any CNA sample resume. Make sure that this information s accurate so that you can be easily contacted.

Step 4

Now you have to write the education sections. Make sure that this is written to the left side of the page and not in the middle. Type the word “Education” and make it bold or underline it. Under this heading you should then write all of the schools you have attended, including your high school and the CNA program you attended. Make sure that you write the dates you attended these schools in your resume, and state what qualifications you earned once you left. This is an important part of CNA resumes. For formatting advice have a look at a CNA sample resume, but don’t copy exactly what it says, just use it as a basic guideline.

Step 5

The next heading you need to write is “Experience”. Write it in the exact same way that you wrote the “Education” heading. Now you need to make a list of all of the work experience you have as a CNA in your resume. Make this list a bullet point list. You will see that this is common in most resume examples. Make sure that you give the years that you worked at each of the places you list. If you left the place, say why you left. Make sure you include contact information. Keep it short and simple so that the person who reads your nursing assistant resume doesn’t get bored in the middle of reading the most important information.

Step 6

An important thing to include on your CNA resume s any community involvement you have taken part in. This can include things like:

• Church positions
• Volunteer experiences
• Any other way that you served your community

Even if it is not related to being a CNA, include it anyway. It makes you look good in your employers eyes and will increase your chances of getting a job. List this information in the same way that you have listed your education and experience as good CNA resumes always have a consistent pattern throughout. Don’t be shy. As you can tell from any CNA sample resume the point of a CNA resume is to sell yourself and make yourself seem as good as possible.

Step 7

Now you need to write a list of your skills in your resume. Again write a heading. This time the heading will be called “Skills. Under this you need to write all of your personal skills that you think will help you to be a great CNA. You can include things like:

• compassionate
• hard working
• detail oriented
• a multi-tasker

There are many different personality skills that would make you a great CNA, so be sure to include them all. Look for ideas online from the resume examples that you can find on the Internet, but remember not to just copy a CNA sample resume. It is better to be original.

Step 8

You will then have to save you resume. There should be a button in the top left hand corner that you can click on to find the save option. Make sure that give your resume a name that you will be able to recognise easily when you want to find it again. Reasons why you will want your nursing assistant resume include wanting to edit it because you have more experience and wanting to email it or print it out in order to apply for a job. If you do not take the time to save the CNA resume all of your hard work will be lost. If you exit the program without saving it will ask you if you want to save. Always click “Yes”.

Step 9

If you need to send a hardcopy of your resume to your prospective employers you will have to print the resume out. For this you will need a printer that is connected to your computer. Hold down the “ctrl” button and hit the “p” button at the same time. This will allow you to print your CNA resume. When you go to a job interview you should also take an additional copy of your resume with you just in case. This means that if you have to have your resume printed by someone else because you don’t have a printer you will have to make sure that you get more than one copy of your resume so that you can give it to all of the relevant people.

The post How To Write A CNA Resume appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

If you want to be a CNA you need to know what the various CNA industries are that you can work in. Firstly, it is important to note that becoming a CNA is one of the best things that you could possibly do. This is because it is the easiest way for you to get your foot in the door of the health care industry. Why would you want to do that? Well, while other industries are on the decline, the healthcare industry always remains strong. There will never be a time when people will not need the medical attention of a healthcare specialist like a CNA. Consequently, there are a number of different areas and industries in which a CNA can work. Some of the main areas are listed below. Because healthcare specialists are in high demand you will most likely always have a job if you qualify as a CNA. And, because there are so many different job options available you will almost definitely be able to find a CNA industry that suits you.

Assisted Living Facilities And Nursing Homes

These are the kinds of facilities where elderly people and people who are unable to adequately take care of themselves live. In these facilities it is the duty of the CNA to help these people with basic daily activities as well as to do some basic medical tasks. A CNA in these settings as well as in most others has to answer to a doctor or a more senior nurse such as an LPN or an RN. In this situation your main tasks as a CNA will include:

• Bathing the patient
• Changing the patient’s bedding
• Washing out bedpans
• Using needles
• Taking vitals
• Drawing blood
• Keeping the patient comfortable
• Helping the patient in any way possible
• Being very friendly
• Dressing the patient
• Helping the patient to eat
• Physically transferring the patient from their bed to chairs
• Transporting via wheelchairs
• Toileting

These are all of the basic tasks that you will perform but you must also note that a big part of working in this CNA industry involves providing the emotional support that the patient’s need. Often they are there all alone and many of them do not receive visitors. You will be one of the constants in their lives, and it is therefore your duty to make them feel as happy and comfortable as possible in the assisted living facility setting. If you feel that you do not have the personality required to do this job properly in this setting then perhaps you should either consider a different CNA industry or you should look for another job altogether.

Clinics And Hospitals

Clinics and hospitals are the better known places for nurses in general to work, and this is what people usually think of when they consider pursuing a career in this industry. If you work in a clinic or a hospital as a CNA your tasks will differ significantly depending on the patient that you are taking care of. As a CNA you can deal with:

• Men
• Women
• Children
• Geriatrics

Clearly each of the above people will require a different type of care and a different level of interaction. It also depends on the type of illness or injury that the person has. In addition CNAs work in different wards or departments of hospitals or clinics, which will also affect what they do. For example, different tasks will be required in the emergency room than in the operating recovery room.

In hospitals and clinics CNAs do the following things:

• Take patient vitals
• Settle the patient to wait for the RN and doctor
• Check in on patients
• Record vitals
• Obtain medical documentation
• Ask the patient what occurred
• Ask about the patient’s reason for being admitted
• Do simple procedures like drawing blood

There are often other tasks that they will have to do as well, but these are the main duties of a CNA in the hospital or clinic industry.

Doctor’s Offices

A CNA can work in a doctor’s office. In a doctor’s office you may be responsible for a fair amount of admin, so this is an additional skill that you will need to have if you want to work in this CNA industry. You will also have to have very good interpersonal skills. A CNA that works in a doctor’s office usually has to work at the front desk, which means that you will be the first person that the patient meets when they come in. In order to convey a good image of your employer’s practice you will need to know how to relate to these people adequately. This also extends to your telephone skills. You will be the one in charge of phoning patients and ensuring that they are coming to their appointments, as well as making new appointments with them. In many cases you will be required to assist the doctor in the actual examination of the patient. Several of the skills that you will need for a hospital setting also apply here. Keeping patient records up to date will also be one of your primary tasks, and this will require data capturing skills as well as organizational skills. Although you will still be working closely with patients in this setting you will not be with them as constantly as in other settings. In addition the ailments that you will see in a doctor’s office tend to be less severe than those you would see in a hospital, for example, so there is a lower degree of emotional support required.

Home Health Care Agencies

Another CNA industry in which you may be interested in working is the home healthcare industry. As the name suggests in these cases you will be required to assist a patient in their own home. This is when the patient is unable to care for themselves but who does not want to be kept in a hospital. Usually elderly people will have a home-based CNA. Your tasks for this industry will include:

• Bathing and dressing the patient and basically keeping track of their hygiene.

• Monitoring vital signs.

• Ensuring that medications are taken appropriately.

• In some cases a small amount of cooking and cleaning may form part of the job, although you are not obligated to do this.

CNAs who work in a home environment have a lot more freedom as they are unsupervised. However the still have to be very careful not to do anything that falls outside of their scope of practice. CNAs are monitored by the agency that employs them to ensure that the best care possible is provided to the patient. Patience and people skills are really important for this particular CNA industry because you will be dealing a lot with patients on a one-to-one basis. This could, in the end, get very tedious, especially if you are dealing with the same person day in and day out. However this is just the kind of constant interaction that suits some people who like to develop strong relationships with their patients.

Hospices

This is one of the hardest jobs that a CNA could have and it is definitely one of the toughest CNA industries to work in. this is because the vast majority of patients that are in a hospice are terminal. A hospice is essentially a facility that exists to keep patients comfortable in the last days of their life. It is important that you are able to deal with the concept of death if you are to work in this industry. Death is something that you will have to deal with on a daily basis in this situation and you cannot let this get the best of you. In a hospice you have to be at the same time detached enough to survive the emotional rollercoaster and able to communicate with your patients easily and provide them with emotional support. Finding this balance is difficult and many CNAs working in this industry tend to burn out eventually if they do not make an effort to talk about what is happening. You will have to take care of yourself as well as of the patients in your care if you want to be an effective CNA in this healthcare setting.

As you can see there are a lot of different CNA industries to choose form. Remember that not all industries suit everyone. For example you need to have the right personality to work in a hospice where you will mostly be dealing with terminal patients on a daily basis. This can be highly stressful and extremely emotional even for the strongest person. This is something that you will need to be able to deal with without letting it get you down. The kind of patients you want to work with will affect which of these CNA industries you decide to get involved with. Think about it carefully and make sure that you make the right choice of industry for you.

The post Industries In Which CNAs Can Work appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

Whenever considering a new line of job it is important to look into the salary. Work as a CNA in one of the following areas:

• Nassau-Suffolk, NY Metropolitan Division
• San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
• San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division
• Anchorage, AK
• Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division
• Las Vegas-Paradise, NV
• Fairbanks, AK
• New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division
• New Haven, CT
• Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA

This is because the areas mentioned above are the highest paying metropolitan areas for CNAs. It is important that you remember, however, that there are a number of factors that affect how much you will get paid as a certified nursing assistant. You need to consider all of the parameters carefully before making a final decision about whether or not a CNA is what you want to be because there are a number of salary considerations to take into account. However, once you are a CNA, you will have the opportunity to become an LPN and maybe even eventually an RN which means that you will earn even more.

CNA Salaries Overview

Before we look at salaries for metropolitan areas let’s take a quick look at the average CNA salaries across the country.

An overview of the statistics shows us the following interesting information:

• Hourly Rate: $8.40 – $14.37
• Overtime: $7.27 – $21.60
• Bonus: $0.00 – $623
• Total Pay: $17,598 – $32,073

These are very general numbers that reflect the fact that there are different salary expectations in each individual state across the country. This is one of the biggest variables in determining how much you will be able to earn as a CNA.

Your experience plays a big part in how much you will be able to earn. Here are the average salary figures in terms of experience:

• Less than 1 year: $14,517 – $39,380 a year
• 1-4 years: $13,817 – $39,454 a year
• 5-9 years: $15,713 – $41,947 a year
• 10-19 years: $14,683 – $38,318 a year
• 20 years or more: $17,557 – $43,692 a year

As you can see if you have a lot of experience in the field you can fairly well in this line of work. There are, however, a number of factors that affect how much you can earn. As you can see there are wide salary ranges for each of the above mentioned years of experience. This is because there are a number of factors that affect your salary. For example if you are male you will most likely earn more on an hourly basis (an average of about $9.59 – $12.53) than a female ($9.33 – $12.26) even though women make up a substantially greater portion of the industry than men. The level of qualification you have can also significantly affect your CNA salary. If you have an Associate’s Degree you can expect to earn about $8.69 – $14.72 an hour, while a Bachelor’s Degree will get you something in the region of $8.39 – $14.53 an hour. A GED or High School Diploma will earn you around $8.33 – $14.69 on an hourly basis, a High School Diploma will earn you around $8.24 – $15.10 on an hourly basis, and a Certificate (Cert), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) will earn you around $8.66 – $14.16 on an hourly basis. Again the ranges are very wide because of the differing rules and structures that govern each individual state. Finding out what the specific policies are in your state is one of the best things that you can do.

Annual CNA Salaries In Metropolitan Areas

As mentioned in the introduction there are certain CNA salaries in metropolitan areas that are higher than others. Annual salaries in each of these locations are as follows:

In Nassau-Suffolk you can expect a CNA salary of $35, 160 a year. In San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara you can expect to earn something in the region of $34, 660 a year, and in San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City you can expect to earn in the region of $34, 610. In Anchorage the annual salary that you could hope to earn is about $33, 580 and in Oakland-Fremont-Hayward you will earn something like $33, 480. In Las Vegas-Paradise you can expect to earn $33, 340, in Fairbanks you can expect to earn $33, 270, in New York-White Plains-Wayne you can expect to earn $32, 760, in New Haven you can expect to earn $31, 420, and in Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta you can expect to earn about $31, 190.

However, because it is not always possible to choose the exact location where you work you may not be able to find jobs in these metropolitan areas. In that case it is well worth considering which states pay more than others and to try your best to find a job as a CNA in those particular states. When it comes to the best paying states the following annual rates apply:

• Alaska: $34, 210
• Nevada: $31, 370
• New York: $31, 320
• Hawaii: $31, 020
• Connecticut: $30, 590

Hourly Pay

It is also worthwhile looking at the hourly rates that CNAs can expect to earn in the top paying metropolitan areas. In Nassau-Suffolk the hourly rate is in the region of $19.90, in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara the hourly rate is in the region of $16.67, in San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City the hourly rate is something like $16.64, in Anchorage the hourly rate is $16.15, in Oakland-Fremont-Hayward the hourly rate is in the region of $16.10, in Las Vegas-Paradise the hourly rate is somewhere around $16.03, in Fairbanks the hourly rate is about $16.00, in New York-White Plains-Wayne the hourly can be something like $15.75, in New Haven the hourly rate is about $15.11, and in Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta the hourly rate is around $15.00.

Again, because you may not be able to work in these particular metropolitan areas it is well worth looking at the hourly rates for the top paying states in general:

• Alaska: $16.45
• Nevada: $15.08
• New York: $15.01
• Hawaii: $14.91
• Connecticut: $14.71

Top Payers

According to http://www.nursing-assistants.org/certified-nursing-assistant-salary there are a number of Top Payers out there when it comes to being a CNA:

Top Paying Industries For CNAs

• Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) – Hourly Rate: $17.18 ; Annual Rate: $35, 730

• Insurance Carriers – Hourly Rate: $15.92 ; Annual Rate: $33, 120

• Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools – Hourly Rate: $15.10 ; Annual Rate: $31, 410

• State Government (OES Designation) – Hourly Rate: $13.99 ; Annual Rate: $29, 100

• Rooming and Boarding Houses – Hourly Rate: $13.95 ; Annual Rate: $29, 020

As you can see the exact industry that you work in affects CNA salaries in metropolitan areas. The above are merely general figures for the entire country, but the industry you work in clearly affects the amount that you earn.

Popular Places For CNAs To Work

Not everyone wants to work in the top paying industries just for the chance to earn some more money. The most popular industries and employers are as follows:

Popular Industries

• HCR Manor Care Inc: $8.97 – $12.85 an hour
• Kindred Healthcare: $8.76 – $14.17 an hour
• Life Care Centers of America: $8.61 – $13.60 an hour
• Golden Living Centers: $8.23 – $14.12 an hour
• Home Health and Hospice Care: $8.11 – $13.02 an hour

Popular Employers

• Nursing Home: $8.51 – $13.80 an hour
• Healthcare: $8.57 – $14.46 an hour
• Long-term Care / Rehabilitation: $8.51 – $13.83 an hour
• Hospital: $8.86 – $14.99 an hour
• Home Health Care: $8.17 – $14.44 an hour

Now that you have considered the salary information above you should be well equipped for finding a good CNA job that will pay you well. You should also be n a better position for making that all-important choice about whether or not you want to be a CNA in the first place. If the salary does not look spectacular to you now just remember that you do not have to stay in the position of a CNA. You can become a Licensed Practical Nurse once you are a CNA and you will find it easier to get into a program to become an LPN or to get financial aid form an employer if you are already working as a CNA. There are a number of career options open to you. And let us not forget that this is a very rewarding job that will leave you feeling fulfilled and content with your life. The salary is not everything, and if you compare it to other occupations that require a similar skill level, CAN salaries in metropolitan areas are also not all that bad. If you want to get a foot in the door of the ever stable and ever growing health care industry then this is your way in.

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As a qualified CNA, your uniform will play an integral role in your identification as both a caregiver and as an ambassador of the medical institution you are working for. It is important to note that most medical establishments will have their own uniform policies, and for some their requirement may be that you wear a uniform that has been designed specifically for their establishment.

General Guidelines

The most basic uniform of a CNA consists of a white collared V-Neck, button- up shirt with one chest pocket and two larger waist pockets. Shirts should be comfortable and made of a breathable fabric, such as cotton. As your shirt is likely to be the item most exposed to wear and tear, the fabric should be slightly thicker than a regular shirt to reduce the amount of wrinkling and it should be easy to wash.

Trousers are, as a rule of thumb, made up of a solid darker color (such as navy) and it is recommended that you choose as elasticated waistband to allow for optimal movement.
Your shoes should be closed, neutral in color and most importantly, comfortable enough for you to wear them on long shifts without discomfort. For this reason, many medical staff opt for orthopedic shoes as this reduces not only the discomfort on your feet, but they also aid with the correct foot support required for maintaining a healthy back.

When purchasing your uniform, the basic guideline is to get three shirts, two pairs of pants and if possible two pairs of shoes. Certain outlets sell these items in packs at a slight discounted rate, making it easier and more cost effective for you.

There are other kinds of CNA Uniforms you will encounter, such as scrubs or a military uniform. Again, this is dependent on the institution you are working for. Whilst Military Uniform policies are very straightforward, scrubs come in many designs and can be personalized to your preference if your institution will allow it.

Additional Items You Will Require

As a qualified CNA, you will have a few additional items that will essentially form part of your Uniform.

• A Watch – A watch with a second hand is necessary and many nurses are opting for small pocket watches which can be clipped to your uniform. These watches are incredibly practical considering that they essentially free up both your hands and are not subject to damage that one might experience when using a wrist watch. Should you decide that you would prefer a wrist watch, it is recommended that you select a watch with a comfortable strap and, of high importance, is ensuring that your watch is waterproof.

• Scissors – A small pair of pocket scissors is also an incredibly useful tool for a CNA. It may become the second most used tool along with your watch, and eliminates time spent searching for a pair of scissors on the ward, even when doing something as simple as cutting off a hospital bracelet or cutting gauze to size.

• An Organizer – A small organizer that will help you keep all your items like pens, thermometers and scissors together in your pocket is also incredibly helpful. Most hospitals do not worry about what these are made out of, so you will be able to express a little of yourself with color and design.

The Average Cost Of CNA Uniforms

The price of CNA Uniforms varies dependent on the style, design and brand-name you have chosen, however you can expect an average starting price of $5,00 per item (e.g. per shirt or per pair of pants)

• Should you decide you would like to order a pack of shirts, for example, the average starting price is $15, 00 for a bundle consisting of pants and a shirt, or packs of three shirts.

• The average costs for a full uniform, including one basic Shirt, one pair of pants and a pair of shoes, will come to approximately $50, 00.

• Pocket watches naturally vary in cost, according to the brand and material, but you can expect anything from $2 upwards.

• Pocket scissors range from $6, 00 upwards.

Where Can You Purchase Your Uniform

Many supermarket chains, such as Wal-Mart, do stock basic nursing uniforms and you can enquire about the stores in your area, or get a guideline from your institution. Some hospitals will have their own uniform on sale at their premises.

Excellent websites to consider are:

• www.nursemates.com – This website is an excellent source for all items in your uniform and is a global online store used by nurses around the world.

• www.tafford.com – Tafford stocks many styles of uniform and has some fun designs. Shoes are also available from this site.

• www.shoebuy.com – Shoe Buy is an excellent stockiest of nursing shoes with a wide affordable range.

• www.mynursinguniforms.com – My Nursing Uniform stocks many well- known brands in the industry.

• You can also source both new and second-hand uniforms on www.Ebay.com , as well as many different accessories.

As the list of requirements and accessories for CNA Uniforms can be quite extensive and therefore quite expensive, finding a store that offers discounts on uniforms can be immensely helpful, especially when you are a student.

An excellent resource for stores that have discounts and coupons is www.4cnas.com , where you will find discounts under the Uniform and Scrub Coupons tab.

Expectations Of Your Appearance

As a caregiver to the public and as a representative of your institution, attention to your overall appearance is of vital importance.

It is a job that requires people to put utmost trust into you, and therefore adhering to policies regarding appearance will aid in easing your patients anxiety and helps to establish standards in the profession.

• Hair: Your hair should be kept off your face at all times. It is a both a functional requirement, as well as an indicator of personal hygiene from the view of your patient. Loose hair poses a risk of getting caught in equipment, as well as being subject to being splashed with food or bodily fluids.

• Nails: Your hands will come into contact with many strains of bacteria and nails are the perfect breeding ground for them. Nails should be kept short to avoid spreading bacteria and to avoid accidentally scratching patients during lifting and bathing.

• Perfumes: As you will be in an environment where you are exposed to many people, it is best not to wear an overbearing perfume. Caution is especially recommended within a hospital environment, as there are many people who are allergic to perfume and sprays. A neutral anti-perspirant roll-on is the best way to keep fresh during your shift.

• Jewelry: Jewelry is best kept to a minimum as it poses a very high risk for you personally. Necklaces are not recommended as they can easily snag on a piece of equipment or a patient could grab hold of it, posing a choking threat to you. Keep all jewelry simple and take into account the wear and tear your accessories are exposed to on a daily basis in the nursing profession.

• Tattoos and piercings: These will most likely have to be covered up, dependent on your institution. The age range of your patients will vary greatly and some will consider them unprofessional. It is best to purchase a long-sleeved vest or cotton top in a neutral color (most opt for white), which can be worn under your official uniform. It is very important to confirm with your institution what is acceptable and what is not, however there is a general consensus that tattoos and piercings are to be covered at all times. Most institutions will allow small stud earrings, however if you have more than one ear piercing, you may be expected to remove the others or cover them with a beige plaster.

Always ensure your uniform is kept neat and clean. Shirts should not be wrinkled or missing buttons. Ensure that your pants are hemmed and are not dragging on the floor to avoid getting dirty or tripping. Shoes should be kept clean as far as possible. Part of the CNA profession involves coming into contact food, bodily fluids and other spills, and whilst it is understandable that there may be occasions where you may find yourself a little less tidy than when you started your day, the onus is on you to maintain your appearance as best you can. Most hospitals will stock Aprons to protect your uniform; however it is always helpful to keep a spare shirt handy.

Your career as a CNA can be incredibly rewarding and is certainly something you can be proud of. Your uniform is something that is reflective of a profession that serves the public and offers assistance to those in need, and your uniform is one of the forefront indicators of the work you do. Taking pride in your uniform and appearance is often reflective of the pride you take in the care of others.

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If you have an interest in the medical field but you don’t want to become a doctor or any other kind of medical professional, you could register to become a Certified Nursing Assistant, or CNA. CNA skills are similar to those of medical practitioners in that you need to be empathetic, patient and have a good head for potential diagnoses.

Becoming a CNA requires a lot of qualities but there is a lot of room to specialize if you prefer one type of work over another. This is a world based on people skills and on getting to know yourself and what you are good at, while you help others. For example, you may decide to work in the geriatric field rather than the pediatric field, but either way, will grow yourself.

So how do you know if you have CNA skills? How can you determine whether this is the right career path for you? Well, consider these scenarios:

• In the geriatric unit, you will be faced not just with those who have aged, but also those who are suffering from problems associated with their age, such as Alzheimer’s, Diabetes and Emphysema. Some of the patients will be friendly and sweet, while others will be grumpy, moody and downright mean. All of these behaviors are associated with their age, but you are the one who has to deal with them.

• For those who think pediatrics are better, consider this: the pediatric unit is home not just to children who are ill, but also to those children and adults who suffer from mental retardation and other forms of brain damage. This means that you will be dealing with children who have severe behavioral problems, and like the elderly, you never know how they will behave.

If in reading this description, you were thinking, “Sounds like I can do a lot of good,” then you have the CNA skills needed for this field. If your reaction was negative, then maybe this is not the career for you.

CNA Skills For Those Entering The Field

To become a CNA, you need a couple of personality and physical traits that are essential to the job, namely:

• Patience: Learning CNA skills is a long and drawn out process, and requires a lot of patience. When you’re dealing with patients who tend to be moody, grumpy and angry, you will need a lot of patience too, and a firm hold on your temper. If you tend to have a short fuse, or you don’t like dealing with people, then following the road to becoming a CNA may not be for you.

• Distance: Although you may feel as though you are saving the world, a good CNA can distance themselves from their patients. It is hard not to get emotionally involved, but a CNA who knows what he or she is doing will be objective and not get involved in the personal lives of patients.

• Physicality: In some cases, you will be called upon to lift patients or materials that are bigger than you are. In these cases, you will need physical strength. This is not a job for the petite.

• Why you’re doing it: Consider why you want to become a CNA. If it is for the money, know that you probably won’t make very much. Only those who see it as a calling should pursue it.

• Determination: Each day that passes will test your patience and your determination. You may have to face some pretty scary sights, from human waste to blood and who-knows-what-else. This is not a job for those with a weak constitution. Also, you will likely be tested in your determination to do the job each day, and will be questioned constantly. Only those with a strong sense of determination will make it.

Becoming a CNA is a calling, and those who wish to do it know that you are doing your bit to contribute to the health of the world. But it is not an easy job. That is why those with CNA skills are to be commended for the contributions they make, and those who are not completely committed to it should not pursue this career.

How To Learn CNA Skills And Get A Job

Becoming a CNA is not difficult, despite all of the statements made above. However, the area in which you live will generally determine not just the amount of time you need to spend studying, but also the type of environment in which you will work. You can get more information on learning CNA skills or becoming a CNA from a government organization or even by doing a search on the internet. If you use your local search engine, type in CNA and your area. This will help you identify the facilities that can help you on your path to becoming a CNA.

A CNA is often known by a variety of names such as a nurse aide, orderly, patient care technician or even home health aide. Usually, you can learn while you earn, which entails taking short courses while you start working. However, these are generally not with accredited institutions, and the certificate you receive will only help you in that specific job.

In exchange for the training, you will also be required to work at that institution for a period of time, and though this means you probably won’t have to pay for the training, it does restrict you to staying with the company. Another option is to seek training with the Red Cross. These classes tend to be pricey, but the Red Cross is an accredited institution, which carries a lot more weight.

Of course, there is no comparison to learning on the job. Though getting formal training is very important, you will gain valuable experience in your first year of actually working. This is why it is valuable for anyone just starting out in the field to shadow someone else, or assist other CNAs. To qualify, you will be asked to take a written test and a practical test, to determine whether you have gained enough knowledge to become a CNA.

When taking the written tests, remember to go over your notes and learn health and safety rules. In the practical test, remember to go slowly and breathe when you feel you are getting too nervous. You may be asked to demonstrate all types of skills, from locking wheelchairs to raising bed rails. These skills are vital since they protect the safety of your potential patients.

Remember the importance of good health too, and wash your hands. It is also important to demonstrate respect, so be sure to knock on the door before entering a room and be polite to patients. These measures will gain your extra points, since part of CNA skills is a good demeanor. Once you have passed your written and practical tests, you can make the decision on where you wish to work, or in what field you will specialize.

Where Should You Work?

So once you have completed your CNA skills training, where will you work? There are a lot of places that need CNAs, but you should in essence follow your heart. A great way to decide on the right place for you is to try a few different locations. That way, you can compare the different types of jobs that you could potentially be doing and decide on what you suits you best. It is also a good idea to ask around. Ask other CNAs, especially those with a lot of experience what they think you will be best suited to. You may decide to go with becoming a home care aide rather than working in pediatrics or even become a teacher’s aide in a special school.

It is absolutely vital that no matter where you go, you gauge the atmosphere of the place. You want to work in a place where CNAs are respected and where you feel your contribution will be valued. CNAs are in demand due to the pressures of the job, so no matter where you finally decide to go, know that your contribution is very necessary.

Your choices generally include:

• Pediatrics – working with children can be very rewarding, but in this case you also may be working with those who have mental deficiencies. This means you need to be very patient and kind.

• Geriatrics – if you choose to work with the elderly, know that you may need to buckle down to some difficult tasks, such as changing adult diapers, bathing your patients and even assisting in administering medication. You will be faced with resistance, bad moods and even physical problems, but the reward is great too.

• Home aide – if you prefer to go into the private sector, you can assist with home care for those who need it, either due to advanced age or because they suffer from an ailment. This means you will be a companion and may have to assist in physical therapy and the like. The job is strenuous and you will only be interacting with one other person, but it can build a strong friendship.

• General hospital work – you can also work in a hospital environment, either in general work or in a specialized department, such as cardiology. This could mean talking to patients, assisting doctors in their work and even performing some of the duties that other nurses should be performing.

CNA skills are not easy to come by and unlike what most people think, they are inherent in certain individuals. If you have the drive and the passion to become a CNA, you can do very well, though it is doubtful that you will earn a huge amount of money. However, if you want to be engaged in a job where you are constantly helping people and making a contribution to a better world, then becoming a CNA may be right for you.

If you are still at a crossroads in deciding which career path to pursue, and CNA skills is one of the options on your list, then do some careful research and exploration before you pursue it. Remember the important traits you will need to become a CNA. You will need a strong stomach and an even stronger sense of determination. You will need a lot of patience and a desire to help people. The most successful CNAs are all about people. They love interacting with people, talking to people and learning from other people.

CNA training takes time, so a commitment to this field should not be half hearted. If you do choose to pursue this field, it will help you to take biology and languages while you are still at school. This will give you a basic idea of how the human body works and what can potentially go wrong, and will allow you to communicate effectively with potential patients, even those who do not speak the same language as you do.

If you are considering becoming a CNA, consider how this will affect your future income. As a CNA, you will be able to survive, but you will not be rich, and in some cases, may even have to supplement your income by getting a second job. However, if none of these things deter you and you are fully committed to a career as a CNA, then start pursuing your studies today.

One thing that is for sure if you have decided to pursue a career as a certified nursing assistant, you will learn a lot about yourself while you help others. You will grow immensely especially in the first year of working and will probably find that you are a lot more patient than you knew. You will also meet a lot of interesting people, do a lot of different types of jobs and become well-versed in issues relating to the human body. If you are a CNA, or planning to improve your CNA skills, you are valuable member of society and should be regarded as an excellent citizen, concerned with the well-being of the world.

The post Looking At Becoming A CNA And Which Skills You Will Need appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

Applying for a job in any field can be really daunting, but if you want to make a good impression, you should include a CNA cover letter with your resume to tell the potential employer a few things about yourself. The problem that many people find when they sit down with pen and paper to write their cover letter is that they’re not quite sure what to say. Should they talk about their background or their future? Should they include personal details about themselves or keep the letter formal? These considerations often get lumped together and the cover letter that ensues is a mess. Help is at hand for those who need it. There is a format you can use when writing your cover letter to ensure it looks goods and reads even better.

If you are wondering why you should even bother with a cover letter, consider this:

• Your cover letter is your first point of contact with a potential employer and gives them some insight into how you work and what you are like. If your cover letter is laced with spelling errors, their immediate assumption will be that you don’t pay attention to detail, and this could keep them from hiring you. If your letter is too personal, they may feel that you do not know how to draw the line between work and your home life. However, if your letter is excellent and engaging, they will feel that you too are excellent, and will usually request an interview.

• The cover letter is a way for you to give your potential employer a quick view of what you do well. By listing some of your skills and the training you have had, your potential employer can make a quick decision about whether you are right for the job, without have to even read your resume.

• Your cover letter is all about the impression your give. Make a good impression, and it lasts forever.

• Your cover letter is your advertisement of yourself. If you advertise yourself well, you will get a job. If you focus on your weaknesses and make apologies, you probably won’t even be asked for an interview.

Now that you understand why a CNA cover letter is so important, consider how you should be writing it.

How To Write A CNA Cover Letter

Before you even put pen to paper, you need to consider why you are writing the cover letter. Besides the reasons given above, you need to be sure that you are using it to apply for a job you really want.

Start your cover letter by greeting the reader. The greeting should be formal and if you know their name, include it. Next, give an introduction. This should detail the position you are applying for and why you think you qualify for that position. This doesn’t have to be long, usually about two or three lines that give a general feel for you and your skills.

Next, explain a bit about your background but only in relation to the position being advertised. Your potential employer doesn’t want to know about your life in high school or what your family is like. They want to know about your training and education and the other important factors that qualify you for the job. This includes any experience you have had that may contribute to the position, even if it is not as a CNA.

In your conclusion, give the interviewer a way to contact you. Furnish them with your contact details and thank them for the opportunity to apply. This makes the letter sound more formal. The traditional salutation is ‘Sincerely’ so end with that and your name.

Once you are done with the letter, proofread it to ensure your grammar and punctuation are correct. If you spot any errors, correct them, since this will make an impression on the potential employer. When you have done this, ask someone else to read your letter and given their impression. A parent or teacher is always a good person to ask because they will know about you and will be able to determine whether you have brought yourself across well in your letter. Remember the letter should be short, definitely no longer than a page, and if typing the letter, use an 11 or 12 font size.

Writing a CNA cover letter is important because the field is so competitive. So when you think about your cover letter, consider the following factors:

• What distinguishes you from everyone else? If your education and experience don’t separate you from the pack, then think about how your cover letter can. You may find that through language and through your passionate descriptions of why you want the job, you will stand out from the pack. Remember that standing out does not mean using a silly font or making wild claims. It is about presenting yourself in a way that makes you seem like the ideal candidate for the job.

• Be honest. There is nothing worse than reading a letter in which the author has clearly made up a lot of what they are saying. Be honest in your experience, be honest in your education, and above all, be honest about why you want the job. There are ways of saying things without actually stating them bluntly, so if you want the job because you enjoy money, or the sense of recognition, say that you want the position because it indicates growth and because you enjoy helping people. These are both true, but just a different way of saying what you mean.

• Also important is the skills you have to do the job, and this is not just the training and education that you have had, but also the soft skills. Becoming a CNA requires a certain type of personality, so when applying for a job, state in your CNA cover letter why you feel you have these skills. This can include patience, tenacity, intelligence and the like. If you want to endorse this, ask a teacher or friend to write you a reference, proving that you do have these skills.

• Keep it short and simple. People assume that when you write a cover letter, it has to be filled with fancy words and all manner of wild ideas, but remember that this is a reflection of who you are. If you don’t usually use big words when you speak, don’t use them in your letter, because they give a false impression of who you are. Instead, write out the letter in the way you would speak, using simple language and being honest. Don’t go over a page because the reader doesn’t have time to read the cover letters of forty to fifty applicants if they are all two or three pages. Introduce yourself, say what you want to say, and then conclude.

• Back it up. Remember that anything you say in your cover letter should be reflected in your resume, so if you mention something in your cover letter that doesn’t come up in your resume, the interviewer will be confused. For example, if you talk about your training in a private hospital, but this does not appear in your resume, the interviewer will be confused and may think that you are making it up.

The best piece of advice you can get when writing your CNA cover letter is to be yourself. People assume that when they write cover letters, they need to pretend to be better than they actually are. What ends up happening, unfortunately, is that they make a big mess and don’t even get asked for an interview.

You don’t need to be someone else to make a good impression in your cover letter. You just need to be the best version of yourself. This means being honest about what you have done, where you have been and why you want the job. It also means being honest with yourself about why you want this job. If you don’t know why, then perhaps this is not the right job for you.

When you are asked to attend an interview, make sure you know everything there is to know about what you wrote in your cover letter and resume, so prepare yourself by reading everything you wrote. In this way, if the interviewer asks any questions, you will be well prepared to answer them. Also ensure that everything you have put in your cover letter is true. There is nothing more embarrassing than being caught out in a lie in an interview and this could ruin your entire career.

As previously mentioned, be yourself. The interviewer is not expecting you to be perfect, nor are they expecting you to be someone else. If you are asked to come in for an interview, it is because the interviewer has seen something in your cover letter that they like. Your cover letter is like a mirror that reflects who you are, and if you are honest about your skills, your personality and your aspirations, you will be asked to attend more interviews than you can handle.

The post All You Need To Know About Writing The Best CNA Cover Letter appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

The nurse aide registry came about when the United States Federal Government passed a law called The Omnibus Reconciliation Act in 1987, which is a law that mandates that a Registry be kept of nursing assistants in each state. The registry is maintained by the Department of Public Health. Enrolment on the registry is generally for a period of 24 months, after which you will need to renew your enrolment according to the requirements of the state in which you practice.

The duties of the nurse aide registry include reviewing and approving or disapproving the nurse side training program curriculum; to review and approve or disapprove training programs; to review and approve or disapprove nurse aide testing. The registry is also tasked with developing and maintaining a list of nurse aide and non-technical services workers; maintaining a registry of nurse aides that have been accused of abuse, neglect or misappropriation of goods.

It certifies nurse aides, provides public education and develops policies, rules, procedures, and all the applications and forms necessary to implement the program.

It contains the following information about each and every nursing assistant, and various other healthcare workers:

• Full Name
• Address
• Training Information
• SSN
• Any findings of abuse/neglect or misappropriations of property.

It is incumbent upon you to contact the registry when:

• Your name changes (due to marriage or divorce) – if you change your name at any time after being placed on the nurse aide registry, you are required to inform the registry in your state. Your Change of Name request must be accompanied by written documentation such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree or any other official documentation showing the reason for your change of name.

• You move – you are required to keep the registry appraised of your current address at all times.

• CNA Renewal – renewal of your Certified Nurse Aide License

• Nurse aide Registry Verification is required

• Nurse aide Certification Verification is required

• Nurse Aide Test Information is required

Under federal law it is no longer possible for an individual who has not worked in paid nursing-related services for a period of 24 consecutive months or more to remain on the nurse aide registry. Failure to inform the registry of any updated status or apply for continued enrolment may jeopardize your enrolment status.

If you somehow lose your registry card you may apply to your state’s nurse aide registry for a duplicate to be sent to you. Most states have a Duplicate Registry Card Request form in their Department of Health handbook or on their website. There is usually no charge for this service.

All healthcare employers must verify registry status of individuals applying for employment. Nursing assistants/aides who work in licensed and or certified skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies or intermediate care facilities must be certified.

There are slightly different requirements for getting your name into the registry in various states. In Alabama, for instance, you will need to successfully complete the state-authorized Nurse Helper course and competency valuation and must pass the certification exam comprised of written and skills tests. Alabama also requires that you work at least 8 hours within a 24 month period in a nursing home, infirmary agency, medi-care facility, or a hospice in order to remain on the registry; this must be paid work – volunteer work and self-employed work does not count. InArkansas, the Office of Long-term Care and the Arkansas Dept of Human Services has concluded a contract with Prometric to manage the state’s registry. You can find an examination bulletin on the Prometric site which will give you more information regarding the Nursing Helper Exam. The Pennsylvania Department of Aging has a contract with Pearson VUE, an independent testing company, to develop, score, and report the results of the examination program required for the registration of nurse aides.

Verification can be done via telephone, e-mail, mail, in person or via the particular state’s Department of Public Health’s website.

What Is The Importance Of A Nurse Aide Registry?

For Nurse-Aids

In order for your name to be entered in the registry, you need to have completed a CNA course and passed both the clinical and theoretical exams in order to qualify and get licensed. Once you have done all that is required and applied for licensure, you will need to check the validity of your licence and ensure that it remains valid.

Getting and maintaining your CNA licensure will ensure that you gain access to an ever-expanding health care sector and new career paths with further study. It will also help you to get employment easily and in far more institutions, and also means better pay as most employers prefer to employ licensed CNAs.

For Employers

A nurse aide registry is important for employers in the healthcare industry because it protects both them and the public. In order for a name to be entered into the registry the individual concerned must have met both written and skills test criteria so that they could be certified for employment in long-term care settings, generally in nursing homes. This ensures that only those who are qualified to take care of the most vulnerable of our citizens do so.

Because the nurse aide registry also contains and maintains records of those who have been found guilty of abuse, neglect or misappropriation of property, it means that they are effectively taken out of the system and cannot continue to use their jobs to abuse people or their belongings.

What really makes the registry invaluable is the fact that any facility or individual may inquire as to the status of a nurse aide by quickly accessing the registry through the internet. Here the individual can use a voice automated system, talk to a registry customer service technician, or use the web-based verification system. This means that there is no delay in verifying the registry status of a prospective nurse-aid employee. It also means that prospective employers can be assured that they are not employing someone who may abuse or neglect their patients or loved ones.

CNA License Verification

It is your responsibility to ensure that your license is valid at all times, as you will struggle to find employment if it is not. Firstly you should make sure that you get the original copy of your license, which contains the official seal of the state board of nursing and is the best proof of licensure you can get. It proves that you have a certified nursing license and will be the most important document in your curriculum vitae.

The steps to verify your license are:

• Go onto the nurse aide registry website and type in your state to get the telephone number or website details

• Check whether your state’s registry site has an online CNA license verification system

• You can also visit the registry office in person; if you do this make sure that you have all pertinent information with you, including your licensing number

• You will have to pay a small fee in order to verify your license; this fee changes from state to state

• You can request that your license is either mailed or e-mailed to you

• There are also various independent organizations through which you can verify your licens

CNA License Renewal

CNA licenses are only valid for a certain period of time, generally for one year, and once it expires it is up to you to ensure that it is renewed so that you can continue to practice as a Certified Nurse Aid. You will need to find out from your state as to what is required from you in order to renew your license so that you remain in good standing on the registry.

Most states will require a fee for re-licensing, but this differs from state to state, so it is best to find out exactly what your state charges. You may also have to provide proof of continuing education for your CNA license renewal in some states in order to prove that you have done training programs that have kept your knowledge of the field updated.

Remember to verify your license renewal on the nurse aide registry once you have received the renewed license.

Reciprocity

If you are a nurse aide who is in currently listed on your state’s registry as being active and in good standing according to Federal nursing home nurse aide statutes, and are about to move to another state, you can apply to that state for enrollment into their registry if they have a reciprocity agreement with the state in which you are currently registered.

In order to find out whether you can be enrolled in the nurse aide registry of the state to which you are moving, you should access their registry’s website and find if there is reciprocity and complete the reciprocity form.

The post What You Need To Know About The Nurse Aide Registry appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

There are often courses, which are a little more specialized than the norm, that are included in the training of healthcare careers. Some of these include training such as Rehabilitation and Restorative Nursing. Even though we can set the two parts separate in that we would say that it is rehabilitation vs. restorative nursing, the two can in reality not be pitted against each other. The two parts of this aspect would complement each other as the one often leads into the other. As a result in most instances the one cannot exist with the other. They do however, have different skill requirements.

A quick definition for restorative nursing is that it is in place to assist the resident or patient to maintain the functional ability that they have achieved in short-term rehabilitation. Thus, preventing them from slipping back and losing the ability achieved through the assistance of rehabilitation. Rehabilitation nursing assists with long-term physical disabilities, chronic illnesses and are able to deal with limitations of individual patients. The Rehabilitation nurse would also assist the persons to reach their full potential through various means of training skills.

While you are doing your CNA training, you could look into this particular field and do some volunteer work to find out whether this is what you would like to do. It is definitely a niche and it would assure that you are always in need.

The Skills Requirements For Rehabilitation Nursing

The Training of a Rehabilitation Nurse

It is required of the Rehabilitation Nurse to attend nursing school and obtain at least an associate degree or a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. This is where you would specialize in rehabilitation nursing by taking the extra classes and doing more in depth study on what you would be dealing with.

Rehabilitation is a skilled discipline that can only be administered by staff members that are licensed to administer therapy and who have the necessary certification or qualification. They are often assisted by skilled assistants. It would therefore not be a part of the treatment administered by the restorative trained nurses. This is one way therefore, in which one could make a distinction such as rehabilitation vs. restorative nursing.

The Application Of The Skills

With rehabilitation, you would need more than nursing skills and have more specialized training as this involves assessment of injuries as well. They would apply their knowledge and clinical skills for which they have been trained to assist the person to complete the rehabilitation process.

The Tasks Of The Rehabilitation Nurse

It is also a matter of establishing and setting in place a program for the individual to follow with the guidance and assistance of either the therapist or the assistant. The program can be applied in an inpatient or outpatient setting. The program could include the following:

• A wide range of motion exercises that would increase the mobility of the person

• It might be similar to that of the restorative nurse, but would have a more invasive action to address a muscle, for example.

• There is need for the mobility to include exercises of ambulation especially if the person is learning to walk again.

• It is important that, in severe cases the person might need to re-learn activities of daily living.

• It is important that the rehabilitation addresses alignment and positioning as well.

• In many instances the persons have to relearn bowel and bladder actions.

• It is important that while the rehabilitation as well as the restorative nursing is being administered that the weekly and monthly height and weight monitoring continuous.

• Eating or swallowing training is also an essential task in this instance

• They would also take care of a patience amputation and prosthesis training care

• Communication training – The person might need to relearn how to speak and communicate again.

• There is also the definite need of assisting the patient with a splint or a brace assist

It takes much longer to go through a session with a patient than you would when applying restorative nursing. This is also a tougher program that the patient has to go through in that:

• It depends entirely on how much can be done for the patient.

• This is a question of how much potential there is for the patient to have his or her mobility restored.

• It is important that the patient is treated in a safe way. This means also that it is safe only if administered by a trained therapist and his or her assistant.

The best ways in which the rehabilitation is administered, is through individual programs for each patient. This is because injuries and ailments are not the same for all and hence, whatever the person is going through and experiencing, has to be individualized.

The programs are highly specialized as it would address any loss of independence and abilities, which could include memory loss, physical disabilities, or chronic illnesses, which could also be long-term issues. It is for this reason that a highly skilled and qualified therapist would also include the family in the process. In the end it would still require the restorative nursing to take it further. Thus, again it is not a question of rehabilitation vs. restorative nursing. These two aspects work together as a team program to send someone on their way to full recovery.

The Skills Required For Restorative Nursing

The Training Of A Restorative Nurse

Once you have trained as a Certified Nursing Assistant and worked for at least one year in this field, it is just a matter of adding thirty-five to sixty hours of additional training before you can become a restorative nurse. It is thus, an additional training for you if you are a CNA and this could assist you in furthering your career in this way.

The Application Of The Skills

Again, it is important to note that it is not a matter of rehabilitation vs. restorative nursing, but how these complement each other. Restorative nursing is a skill (but not a specialized skill) that can be administered by nursing staff and this includes the Certified Nursing Assistants as it does not require specialized skills. This also means that restorative nursing can be applied by a licensed or an unlicensed healthcare worker.

Any patient in any healthcare facility can benefit from restorative nursing as this is not dependent on rehabilitation. There is no need for safety precautions as it is a matter of getting the persons to show:

• An improvement in whatever condition they might have

• A forward moving restoration of their health as opposed to it getting worse

• Further assistance if they are undergoing therapy

• Show them how to be safe (especially in new found mobility, for example) in their own home and on the street as well.

• Curb any development of new ailments or added difficulties to what they are already experiencing

• Adjust or adapt to a situation with which they are not familiar

• Improve the quality of their lives

The Tasks Performed By The Restorative Nurse

The focus of restorative nursing is on getting the patient or resident at a healthcare facility to maintain the improvement experienced and achieved in therapy. Thus, it is not really a matter of rehabilitation vs. restorative nursing. It is taking the rehabilitation further into assisting the person to be on his or her way home after the rehabilitation program. This is done through everyday stimulating experiences to make sure that the patient would be able to cope with daily life again. This deals with simple matters such as learning to:

• Walk again
• Transferring from a bed or chair into a wheelchair
• Eating by holding their own utensils
• Bathe themselves
• Use the toilet
• Get dressed by themselves again

The aim is to facilitate the process to independence and self-sufficiency.

It is important that they make sure that the patients do stretching exercises as well as motion activities in order for them to regain their mobility. It is important that they report to the therapist or to the therapist assistance if the patient experiences any pain or discomfort while they interact with the patient.

The Application For Rehabilitation vs. Restorative Nursing

It is important that the statement is again reiterated that these two aspects are not in competition, but in light of the statement:

• It would mean that you would have a choice between the two depending on where you are in your healing process.

• It would mean that you would be directed into either the rehabilitation program or the restorative program.

• Even though this is the case, there are many similar aspects that you would find in the two programs.

• The only difference would be in the intensity of the program.

• For example, the therapy program would be more intense and invasive than the restorative program.

• Both the nursing assistance form part of a team that would allow the individual to restore full mobility or as much as is possible.

• They can also be a part of the team that would counsel patients on physical therapy exercises, proper nutrition, the right amount of sleep and any medications that can help. The medication aspect would be reserved for the Rehabilitation Nurses

Where These Nurses Will Find Jobs

The Rehabilitation And Restorative Nurses

The fact that the training includes nursing means that you are able to become part of any health care facility. Some of these places could be more specialized than other places. You would be able to work at:

• Hospitals with rehabilitation facilities
• Physical Rehabilitation facilities
• Substance Abuse Rehabilitation facilities
• Healthcare Centers
• Travel to homes of patients

Long-term care facilities such as:

• Nursing Homes
• Hospices
• Veterans’ hospitals

It is also to take care of:

• stroke victims and
• those with head injuries

Within these facilities there are also a variety of different places and spaces where you might feel more comfortable in using your skills. There places such as:

• The Cardiovascular Department in the hospital: This is where you will work solely with the rehabilitation of those who have suffered cardiac arrest and are in the process of recovering.

• You could assist Diabetics to manage their disease as best they can

• You could also become part of a mental health center

• There is the Neurological Rehabilitation Unit where your interest might be in assisting these patients in their needs. This is known as neuro-rehabilitation.

Furthermore you are able to improve your qualifications all the time and hence, you would be able to participate in any of the following as:

• Administrators – this could be at a hospital, a private clinic or any other health care facility.
• Case Managers
• Researchers and
• Educators

You must also take note of the fact that there is a difference in salary for making your services available to a hospital and if you are going to work in home health care.

This means that rehabilitation vs. restorative nursing is just a question of what your need would be as a patient and in what your training would be for you to slot in where you would like to be. Most people would want to earn more money, but you must take into consideration that there is also the factor of job satisfaction.

It is vital that rehabilitation vs. restorative nursing is taken into consideration when a patient is admitted to any facility. The various injuries and its intensity would determine who would take responsibility at the start. None of the two nursing areas would be excluded as the first step would be assessment. If the injury falls under acute therapy, the rehabilitative nurses would be assisting. After the process of rehabilitation is complete, it becomes the turn of the restorative nurse to complete the patients’ journey to health.

The post Rehabilitation vs. Restorative Nursing Toward A Healthy Life appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

As a CNA you will not be able to specialize in a certain field. The first step to obtaining nursing specializations is to become an LPN or an RN. This can be done through CNA to LPN or CNA to RN bridge programs. Once you have completed a bridge program you will be able to study further to specialize.

CNA To LPN And CNA To RN Specializations

It is very important that you take the time to get either your LPN qualification or your RN qualification before you choose to pursue nursing specializations as a CNA because you will find it very difficult to do so without a more advanced qualification.

The CNA To LPN Option

To become an LPN form the starting point of a CNA the following things need to be kept in mind:

• The course will take about a year to complete. Make sure that you are aware of the entrance requirements for the particular course that you are interested in as well as for the particular state that you wish to practice in as these requirements can differ substantially.

• Ensure that the course that you enroll in is appropriately accredited and that it covers all of the necessary coursework for successfully completing the required examination.

• You will be required to do theory as well as clinical training.

• You will be taught the nursing basics.

• After you have completed the course you will be required to sit the NCLEX-PN examination that will qualify you to be a licensed LPN with the right to practice in the health care industry under that title.

The CNA To RN Option

The CNA to RN option will take longer as you will need to, at the very least, complete an Associate’s degree. It should take anything from two to four years to complete, but once you have an RN qualification there will be a large number of nursing specializations open to you. The course that you take must prepare you to write the NCLEX-RN examination so that you can become a fully licensed RN with the right to practice in the healthcare industry under that title. It must also be accredited by the relevant bodies.

The Most Popular Nursing Specializations

Critical Care Nurses

Main Duties: In this line of work you will be responsible for taking care of patients who are very seriously ill and that require a high level of care. In addition you will be responsible for the emotional well being of their families. This is a highly intense, as well as stressful and complex nursing specialization for you to choose.

Skills Needed: Vigilance and Advocacy will stand you in good stead.

Cardiac Nurses

Main Duties: Here your job will be to deal with patents that have heart ad cardiac problems. This could mean before surgery or during a surgical procedure. In addition you will take care of the patient after surgery as well.

Skills Needed: You will need an advanced knowledge of medical equipment as well as the procedures related to the heart, such as:

• Transplantations
• Heart pumps
• Mechanical-assist devices

Medical/Surgical Nurses

Main Duties: With a nursing specialization in this field you will be required to really stay ahead of the game by providing state of the art care to patients who are seriously ill and assist them all the way to the recovery stage.

Skills Needed: It is absolutely essential that you be aware of the most recent advancements in technology in the health care industry and that you constantly improve ad advance your knowledge in this regard.

Oncology Nurses

Main Duties: Oncology refers to cancer, so with a specialization in this area you will be required t work with patients who are suffering from cancer as well as with their families. Part of your job will be to educate people about:

• Screening
• Prevention
• Detection

Skills Needed: You will need to be empathetic and be able to appropriately counsel people (and their families) who are facing potentially terminal conditions.

Orthopedic Nurses

Main Duties: IN this specialization you will address the musculoskeletal problems of your patients. You will be required to be active in this field in terms of:

• Education
• Treatment
• Rehabilitation

Skills Needed: You will need to have an advanced understanding of the bone structures and functions within the body as well as of the treatment procedures for conditions relating to those structures as these forms the cornerstone of your work.

Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurses

Main Duties: In this specialty you will be involved in:

• The assessment of people’s mental health issues
• The diagnosis of people’s mental health issues
• The planning of people’s mental health issues
• The implementation of people’s mental health issues
• The evaluation of people’s mental health issues

Skills Needed: You will require advanced training in psychiatric health issues and you will need the right personality for the job.

Rehabilitation Nurses

Main Duties: Rehabilitation involves assisting a patient in returning to their full level of health. You will be required to:

• Provide healthcare
• Prevent complications
• Advocate
• Manage cases
• Counsel
• Educate

Skills Needed: You will require patience as these processes can take a long time. In addition you will need to show empathy and understanding to your patients as well as to their families as they get through this difficult time.

Addiction Nurses

Main Duties: This is quite a difficult and challenging nursing specialization to choose as it involves working with patients that have an addiction of some kind to drugs or to alcohol or some other substance.

Skills Needed: You will need to be prepared to work n potentially dangerous situations and you must have a strong personality and a positive outlook on life to prevent this job form getting the best of you.

Correctional Nurses

Main Duties: Again this can be an extremely dangerous specialization as you will be required to work within a prison offering primary healthcare to the inmates that live there.

Skills Needed: ON top of all of the general nursing skills that all nurses you need you will also require some specialized knowledge of how to deal with dangerous patients as well as those suffering from issues related to prison life.

Emergency Nurses

Main Duties: Emergency nurses work in an emergency room in a hospital. Their job is to assess and treat a patient in the crucial seconds that they have when they are brought into the emergency room.

Skills Needed: You will need to have:

• A very broad knowledge as you cannot know ahead of time what sort of ailments will be brought in.

• The ability to think quickly under pressure and to keep your head.

Geriatric Nurses

Main Duties: This is a great specialization to get involved with because there is a large portion of the American population who are currently reaching their elderly years. Nurses that specialize in this area work with the elderly and advocate for their rights.

Skills Needed: You will need to have a broad understanding of things related to the elderly patient population and you need to know how to broach subjects such as death and dying tactfully.

Hospice Nurses

Main Duties: This specialty involves providing care to patients who are dying and can therefore be highly stressful and emotional. Often you will work in the patient’s own home or in a hospice facility designed for the purpose.

Skills Needed: You will need the skills to:

• Help the dying and their families come to terms with the illness
• Treat symptoms
• Provide the best medical treatment possible for a specific individual

Neonatal Nurses

Main Duties: This is one of the more popular specialties as it involves looking after babies form the moment they are born until they are 28 days old. It also includes caring for the mother of the baby as well.

Skills Needed: You will need specialized knowledge about how to care for a baby. A love for children will also help.

Pediatric Nurses

Main Duties: This involves working with child patients. In this line of work you may deal with all range of illnesses and it can be stressful when a child under your care dies.

Skills Needed: You will need a love for children as well as an ability to relate to them. to a certain degree you will require objectivity so as not to be too emotionally drained by the work.

Because there are so many different nursing specialty options to choose form it is highly likely that you will find it easy to find something that suits your personality and your skill set once you have advanced from being a CNA to being a, LPN or RN. Generally speaking RNs are more likely to specialize than LPN’s so the best first step for you to take would be to do a CNA to RN degree bridge program so that you will stand the best chance of being allowed to specialize in your chosen area of nursing.

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A certified nursing assistant, known also as a CNA plays an important role as part of a medical team and they assist licensed practical nurses and registered nurses with a variety of tasks. It makes sense that the longer you remain in the field of certified nursing assistance, the more sought after you will be because of your broad experience and your salary can only improve. If you have completed your training at a highly reputable nursing school or college, your salary would also be higher than the average salary of someone who did their training at an unrecognized college. Some CNA positions also pay more than others, and if you are working in an ICU of a well known hospital, you would also get more before of the intensity of the work. The type of medical facility that you work in will also impact the amount that you earn. Yes, CNA salary by state do differ and your salary in New York for instance will be at about $30,000 to $50,000 while in one of the small towns you could be looking at $20,000 to $30,000.

When you are hired to work as a certified nursing assistant, make sure you  receive a job description so that you know exactly what you will be required to do in exchange for the salary you receive. CNA salary by state will also be determined by the setting you find yourself in.

Accredited Training Institutions In New York Equals Better Salaries

Manhattan Institute for instance offers a certified nurse assistant course with the convenience of studying during the day or evening. They offer life-time job placement assistance for all CNA graduates, and the beauty of it all is that their course tuition is low. The Manhattan Institute is a New York State licensed and accredited institution with licensed practical and registered nurses. They offer the best certified nurse assistant training in the industry,making use of classroom, hands-on, and audio video training. When you take into account that CNA salary by State vary because of what each one offers, you can see that by putting Manhattan Institute on your CV, it is going to increase your chances of getting a better salary, because they are highly recommended as an accredited and reputable training institute in a big city.

Salaries For CNA Differ From State To State

The certified nursing assistant salary will definitely vary from city to city and state to state, but the more courses you have completed and the longer you are employed, the better your salary will be. For those interested in knowing what the earning per hour would be, you are looking at earning from $12 to $20 per hour. If you want to learn more about the salaries and jobs of certified nursing assistants, payscale.com is an excellent resource in that they have been providing salary and career data for millions of people and cover thousands of job titles in different countries. According to Payscale.com, CNAs employed at hospitals made a yearly salary of $28,753 in 2011. Nursing homes offered CNA professionals a wage of $23,422 per year in 2011 according to PayScale.com.

• work area – it makes sense that the more specialized the work area is the higher your salary will be.A certified nursing assistant working in an emergency room will get a higher salary than a certified nursing assistant who works in the ward. Employers look at the qualifications and characteristics of the CNA and then decide where to place certain staff. Sometimes a certified nursing assistant will be placed in a specialized area in a hospital and may receive compensation pay for the time they are assigned to a particular work area. They may even receive hazard pay if they are required to work in dangerous areas where their stress levels go up considerably. Certified nursing assistants are sometimes called upon to fill dangerous positions in correctional facilities or in military settings, and they can receive $5,000 more than a CNA in a general hospital setting. Your salary might also be higher if you work as a traveling certified nursing assistant, because you are compensated for being on the road so often. You may not receive the same financial packaging as a general certified nursing assistant, but you will be entitled to a higher hourly wage.

• location – a certified nursing assistant who is working in a home care setting will be earning less than a certified nursing assistant who works in a large and well know hospital with every kind of facility for patient care.

Nursing Facilities Recognize The Value Of Their CNAs

Many nurses enter the nursing industry simply because they love the work and want to help others in their need. Because the medical care field rates nursing assistance as entry level, the pay is lower when compared with licensed practical nurses or registered nurses, and cause nursing assistants to feel somewhat unacknowledged for the type of work they do. The median salary for a nursing assistant in the US is $24,383, but the sum will depend on your experience as well as the locality of your job. Most certified nursing assistants who have a passion for nursing and who want to change their earning capacity as quickly as possible, start looking towards becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse as soon as possible because they will be looking at a salary in the region of $45,000. These nurses certainly have a lot more responsibility and far more training.

Many hospitals and nursing facilities recognize that nursing assistants put in a lot of hours taking care of the more menial yet highly necessary tasks in keeping the facility running smoothly, and they do everything they can to make the working conditions for their certified nursing assistants as attractive as possible and they know too well that a good nursing assistant is hard to come by. They would rather raise the salary of a quality nursing assistant than have to go through the process of looking for new staff and having to train them from scratch.

Experience and Certification Increases Your Chances of Better Pay

A certified nursing assistant is an entry-level health professional and duties are always performed under the supervision of a licensed health care professional. For anyone wanting to start a career in this industry, certification is required. A certificate program is offered by community colleges and require that students complete prerequisite courses before going into a certified nursing assistant program which will include learning things like CPR, nutrition, basic computer knowledge, infection control, medical terminology, the human body and well as first aid. Students will learn how to care for and meet the needs of patients and get training in real life settings in hospitals. Students have to complete the recommended hours for certification, and at the moment the federal government requires at least 75 hours of nursing assistant training.

The requirements for becoming a certified nursing assistant will vary from state to state. Once you get your certification, you are able to start working in the state where you are registered. In every job, experience is always a strong benefit and a nursing assistant with five years of experience may earn in the region of $20,000 while those who have been closer to ten years will be looking at $35,000.

The Cream Of The Crop Always Stand A Better Chance

Because of the shortage of nursing schools and community colleges as well as qualified nursing educators, many hopeful candidates are turned away, and to streamline the selection process, applicants with the highest points and who will are likely to complete the nursing program successfully are given top priority. During training, the certified nursing assistant will get theoretical as well as hands-on patient care. Some of the tasks of the CNA include caring for patients, massage as well as basic physiology, anatomy and nutrition. Maine Medical Center for instance, offers a certified nursing assistant course of 180 hours, after which students take the State Certification Examination. Their course covers some of the following:

• CPR and basic life support
• communication skills
• patient care
• infection control
• age specific care
• mobility skills
• nutrition and the importance of it for health
• common health problems

There are several things that will affect salaries of CNAs. CNA salary by state and there are a number of things that will affect the type of salary you earn:

• your education level
• having your own transport
• your years of experience
• day or night shifts your professional certifications

Different Health Settings Offer Different Payment Scales

Certified nursing assistants work in many different health care settings, and while specific duties vary depending on the type of facility in which you work, the tasks are geared towards helping patients with their ablutions and to settle them for the day. They also perform basic medical tasks like taking vital signs like blood pressure or temperature. Any changes in a patient’s condition are reported to the doctor on duty or the registered nurse.

Becoming a certified nurse assistant should improve your salary from that of when you are a nursing assistant. Gaining on-the-job experience is a way to earn higher wages. Doing as many courses as possible will certainly increase your salary. If you are wanting to apply for a better position, the more education you have, the better chances you have of getting a well paid job. For instance, having
complete a basic life support course will certainly help to influence your salary.

Do Nurse Salaries Really Vary From State To State?

The job of nursing assistants comes with attractive financial benefits, and unlike other industries that know good and bad times, the nursing industry is infallible and no matter how the economy suffers, the demand for nurses, especially with the burgeoning population, is always going to be great, and in fact the demand for certified nursing assistants in particular states like Arkansas and Ohio for instance is increasing.

While the salary varies from state to state, the salary of the CNA doesn’t go below $15,000 in any of the states, and can actually rise substantially where the demand for nursing assistants is particularly high and the chances of employment are good. Make sure as a certified nursing assistant, that you register with the State Nursing Board so that you can move to another state where there are better salaries.

Conclusion

Certified nursing assistants or CNAs can get jobs in hospitals, doctor’s rooms, clinics, nursing homes or in home care. The bottom line is that working as a certified nursing assistant is not going to make you particularly wealthy, but it will certainly provide you will a respectable salary to afford you a comfortable lifestyle. To become a certified assistant, they would have undergone a number of training programs which always vary from nursing school to nursing school. . Once you have completed your programs, you will need to pass the examinations required to actually become a certified assistant, which will certainly give you a salary advantage.

You can’t get away from the fact that the best way to increase your salary is to educate yourself from an accredited nursing college. It pays to get your training from a reputed college. Because you are working with the lives of people, people who want to make a career in the medical field need the very best education and certification. An advanced certified assistant salary is better than the salary of regular certified assistants.

There is a real need for certified nursing assistants and if you want to become a CNA there are certainly benefits and compensation for you. CNA salary by state vary considerably and they take into account where you got your training, Bear in mind that there are also highly reputable training facilities for you to get your certification online, and you can also complete the correct training hours and criteria. The certification program provides a nurse with the required skills and knowledge about nursing, and the nurse feels more confident in practicing with the required skills. Certification brings financial benefits and also recognization in the medical care industry.

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What Is A Neonatal Nurse (NICU)?

A neonatal nurse is a nurse that works specifically with newborn babies. The first hours of a newborn child’s life can be essential and there are so many things that could go wrong. The neonatal nurse is responsible for the care of the baby as well as his or her mother and cares for healthy as well as sickly babies in their first few hours and days in this world.

Nature Of The Work/Duties

There are three levels of neonatal nursing with different tasks involved. At the first level of neonatal nursing you will be required to look after all of the healthy babies that are born and ensure that nothing goes wrong in their first hours of life. The second level of neonatal nursing involves looking after premature babies and babies who for some reasons get sick after birth. The last level is the most intensive and requires the highest degree of personal strength of character as it involves taking care of babies that are severely ill or born with serious conditions. This is one of the more heartbreaking aspects of neonatal nursing and a nurse working at level 3 needs to be prepared to deal with loss on a relatively frequent basis throughout her career.

Employment

Based on the levels mentioned above we can split the locations in which neonatal nurses are employed into two categories:

• Neonatal intensive care units, or
• Mother-baby or newborn nurseries taking care of healthy newborns

You will either work in an area where you are dealing with health babies or in an area where you are dealing with mildly to severely sick babies. Many hospitals have maternity wards, which is where you will be employed if you choose to work in a hospital as a neonatal nurse. There are also a number of other settings where you could be employed such as special maternity hospitals that specialize in this line of work. Employment options are good but, as it is a popular area to work in, the competition can be relatively stiff for a position.

Neonatal Nurse (NICU) Requirements

Although you will definitely need an RN license, apart from this requirement there are very few other stipulations for neonatal nurses. To a large degree the requirements depend on the facility that you plan to work in. some facilities require that you have experience as an RN once you have graduated from an RN program. In these cases you may find it helpful to work as an RN in just about any setting for about a year before reapplying for a job as a neonatal nurse. Other institutes will hire you straights after you leave your RN school. This usually depends on the demand for neonatal nurses at a facility as compared to the number of nurses available. This is one of the easier nursing specialties to become involved in as the requirements are not stringent.

Personality Traits

The personality traits for a neonatal nurse are as follows:

• You must have excellent people skills for dealing with your patients, the families of your patients, and the colleagues that you will work with such as the obstetrician.

• You must have empathy so that you can show your patients and their families that you understand their situation and that you are part of their world.

• You should also have a clear and intelligent understanding of the needs of newborns.

• You should not have a personality that is easily clouded by your emotions.

• Because of the many health care professionals involved in birth you need to be able to work well with a team.

• You must also have excellent and quick critical thinking skills and an ability to work under pressure.

Educational Requirements

The first step in terms of your education is to become an RN. To do this you will need to attend an RN degree program. The two more popular degree programs are the associate’s degree in nursing and the bachelor’s degree in nursing. Both of these will allow you to sit the NCLEX-RN examination (which is the national licensing exams for RNs) and get your license. After that you can return to graduate school and earn a master’s degree which will allow you to be a neonatal nurse practitioner. In between degrees you should get some experience as a neonatal nurse so that you can decide whether or not it is, in fact, the course of action that you would like to take in terms of furthering your career form that point.

Licensure

To be a neonatal nurse you need an RN license. In order to get an RN license the following steps must be taken:

• Firstly you need to attend an RN program. These programs are offered by universities and colleges and last for 2 to 4 years depending on the degree that you work towards.

• Once you have graduated from the program you will need to apply to your state board of nursing for licensure. Note that different states have different licensing laws, so you will need to look into those carefully before applying.

• Once you application is accepted you will have to set a date to write the NCLEX-RN examination. Passing this examination will earn you RN licensure.

• The license needs to be renewed periodically and depending on the license renewal requirements of your state.

How To Become A Neonatal Nurse (NICU)

Training, Advancement And Other Qualifications

To maintain your NR license you will need to do a certain number of continuing education at set intervals in order to maintain it. Once you have met all of the necessary requirements for being a neonatal nurse it is a good idea to focus all of the continuing education that you do from thereon out on neonatal aspects. Some states require that your continuing education is done in very specific areas, but in those states where you can choose your continuing education credits it is always a good idea to focus on the area of nursing that you have chosen to specialize in which is, in this case, neonatal nursing. You have to these credits anyway so it is in your best interests to choose credits that will boost your skills and confidence level in your job.

Source An Accredited Education Program

When you do your RN training it is essential that you do it through a program that is accredited. If the program is not accredited you will waste your time and money as you will be required to do the program again from scratch. There are a number of ways to check accreditation:

• Find out where current nurses did their training as they cannot be RNs unless the school they trained at was accredited.

• Enquire with your state board of nursing and have a look through the list of accredited schools that they provide you with.

• The school itself should be open and forthcoming about this information, but be wary because there are false schools (especially ones that offer online training) that may blatantly lie about their accreditation status.

Earn Your Associate’s Degree

An associate’s degree is the lowest level of education that you need in order to be an RN by writing the RN examination. To obtain an associate’s degree you will firstly need to find a school in your area that offers an associate’s degree program in nursing. Once again your state board of nursing is a great resource to turn to if you want to find a list of accredited schools. Consider the options. Some schools will be more expensive than others; some will be further away, and so on. Choose your top options and apply for the associate’s degree program. Then you simply have to work hard and complete the course to earn your associate’s degree. These degrees take a few years to complete. This degree allows you to write the NCLEX-RN exam.

Obtain Your Licensure

There are no additional licensing requirements to being a neonatal nurse other than the RN license, but it will make things easier for you if you have a nurse practitioner license. To get a nurse practitioner license you will have to return to school and get your master’s degree in nursing. You can do you master’s degree with a focus on neonatal nursing and all topics related to babies. This will make you, at the end of your course, a neonatal nurse practitioner. This is essentially a higher position and you may be eligible to earn more money if you have this advanced qualification. Requirements for nurse practitioner training and certification vary from state to state and it will be up to you to research the requirements for your particular state.

Online/Distance Education Programs

To a certain degree you can become a neonatal nurse through online study. However, when you consider the basic education requirements that you need, in other words, your RN qualification, it should become apparent to you that the degree cannot be complete entirely online. This is because the degree consists of two main parts:

• A theory section which is made up of textbook knowledge that you will need to learn.

• A clinical practice section which requires that you get hands-on training in a health care setting.

This second aspect of the training program cannot be done online. Most online courses will inform you that you need to make your own efforts to complete the clinical coursework yourself. Any course claiming otherwise should be treated with deep suspicion. Some online courses have agreements with healthcare facilities, and these are the better options to choose.

Job Outlook

The health care industry in general and the nursing industry in particular, are on the increase in terms of the number of jobs that are available. While other industries suffer due to economic hardships, the medical industry stays strong. Increases in the number of RN jobs that will be available are expected to be huge over the next year. In addition RNs that have a specialization in neonatal nursing will be able to benefit from the fact that there has been an increase in the number of premature babies born, the number of multiple births that have occurred and an increase in fertility treatments, all which lead to the conclusion that there is a growing number of babies that need your skill and your care.

Earnings

A neonatal nurse can earn between $46,166 and $100,755 a year. If you add the potential bonus that they can receive a year of $0.00 – $10,122 it brings the total to $45,207 – $113,531. Your level of education can affect how much you are paid as a neonatal nurse:

• A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) will earn you $64,053 – $101,699 a year.

• A Bachelor’s Degree will earn you $30,521 – $76,562 a year.

• A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) will earn you $38,884 – $81,389 a year.

• A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Neonatal Nurse Practitioner will earn you $70,000 – $86,110 a year.

Popular cities that pay well are:

• Denver, Colorado
• Houston, Texas
• Dallas, Texas
• Nashville, Tennessee
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Seattle, Washington
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The main thing to remember about being a neonatal nurse is that working with children is great, but the tragedies, when they occur (and they will), will hit you a lot harder than if you are working with adults. Consequently strength of character is required for this line of work and, if you feel that you do not have the required strength of character, you should consider an alternative line of work. Another important thing to remember is that you can work in NICU if you do not have certification, but becoming a neonatal nurse practitioner will improve your career and you salary and earn you a higher degree of respect.

The post How To Become A Neonatal Nurse (NICU) appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

There are certainly many CNA career opportunities available for certified nurse assistants simply because of the nature of their jobs. One of the good things about becoming certified is that you will always have plenty of employment opportunities. You will hardly find a nursing facility that doesn’t rely on the services of nurse assistants. The number of people in need of health care is growing, not to mention the number of people with disabilities, and this provides an endless number of exciting and challenging job opportunities as a certified nursing assistant.

For anybody wanting to become a CNA, you may believe that working in a nursing home is your lot, but it is very far from being your only option. Yes, many do work in nursing homes, but there are plenty of other job opportunities. Certified nursing assistants are in demand for providing basic nursing services, even though these services are under the supervision of a licensed practical nurse or a registered nurse. The courses that they do focus on things like wound prevention, restorative care, nutrition, skin care as well as dementia care, and career opportunities center around what the CNA has been trained in.

CNAs Can Take On Specialty Care Responsibilities

After successfully completing training, CNAs can take on specialty care responsibilities. Many certified nursing assistants decide to study and advance from CNA to LPN positions. They can be found in a number of settings, providing many nursing tasks to make life in the nursing home, physician’s office, hospital or private nursing setting more efficient and lighter for more senior nurses. Certified nursing assistants are increasingly in demand and according to US Labor Bureau statistics, more of these nursing personnel will be needed than ever before.

CNAs do not have the same responsibilities and powers of a registered nurse, nonetheless their duties are broad; some of which are observing patients and reporting anything out of the ordinary to the supervising nursing staff. They feed and bath their patients, set up meal trays, and make records of the food and fluid intake of their patients.

Administrative- And Physician Office Careers

CNAs also fill administrative positions. They perform certain administrative requirements where they are taught how to manage billing and to also complete other administrative responsibilities. Many medical facilities prefer to hire certified nursing assistants to run the reception office. On top of that they may be required to have a driver’s license because as a travel nurse as well, they drive patients around or visit them in nursing homes and in home care environments. They will need to keep health care records of their findings in terms of their vital signs. In a physician’s office they assist with preparing the patient for medical examinations. They are taught to sterilize instruments and prepare medications , alter dressings of wounds, take electrocardiograms and so on.

Nursing Restrictions For CNAs

CNAs cannot provide health care without the supervision of a registered nurse. A CNA employed by a staffing agency that provides home care nursing will be required to take certain courses and be certified as a Home Health Provider, and even then, they are still under the supervision of a more senior nurse. Sometimes the agency will provide a more senior nurse to check in every once and again on CNAs in home health care positions. They provide health-related services like administering prescribed medications or they will be able to check the patient’s temperature. Mostly their services are related to housekeeping and personal care such as changing bed linens and helping the patient in and out of bed. They are not permitted to change wound dressings or catheters as well as attending to other more complex medical procedures.

Certain Training Is Required To Fulfill Career Critera

With CNA career opportunities you need to make sure that the training you have received meets the requirements of the state you are in. Each state has different requirements for the number of hours of training a nursing assistant must complete, and your state’s department of health can provide you on more information. The federal government stipulates that the minimum training hours for nurses in a nursing home for instance will be 75. Because the CNAs scope of practice is less than that of a licensed practical nurse or a registered nurse, the salary is also less. Many CNAs opt therefore to work and study at the same time towards becoming a licensed practical nurse, where the scope of practice provides more responsibilities and more pay.

Certification for a CNA will differ from state to state but generally it can be achieved within six months, and once the program is completed, the graduate will do the certification exam in order to be able to use the title of Certified Nursing Assistant. Although the job only requires a high school diploma, some US states may require more qualifications. In most states, a high school diploma is sufficient to become a CNA.

Writing Exams Opens Up More Career Opportunities

Different states have different requirements for the number of credit-hours to be completed. For any queries regarding eligibility for certification, you can check with your state Board of Nursing. The CNA will need to do written test and a practical exam. Without this exam your career opportunities are nil. There are many programs available and the cost of the program, whether it is done at a college or on-line, will all contribute to the qualities and training of the can in preparation for the variety ofjobs up for grabs. As the primary caregivers for millions of different age group patients, CNAs must be well trained and prepared to do their jobs well. CNA career opportunities are abundant and they fill many positions in settings where the LPN or RN can supervise them. With more training, CNA career opportunities mean more advancement and you too can go on to become a licensed practical nurse or a registered nurse.

The Certified Nursing Assistant Can Advance Their Career

To further your career to an LPN, you can expect to get a much more generous salary. CNA to LPN programs are offered by community colleges, universities and nursing schools and this bridge program takes about one year to complete and covers fundamental nursing knowledge, preparing the CNA for the license examination. The beauty of these bridging programs is that you can take the CNA to LPN program part-time and still carry on working. To qualify you should be at least 18 years old and have graduated from high school with your diploma.
With a CNA to Registered Nurse Program, you will have to take a two-year associate’s degree in nursing to prepare you for the NCLEX-RN licensure examination. After examination, there will be just that many more job opportunities awaiting you.

Lots of Exciting Career Opportunities For The CNA

There are nursing agencies who specialize in matching qualified certified nursing assistants to the job best suited to them and in a variety of different locations. They prefer their nurses to have technical training beyond that of high school as well as a number of hours of relevant continuing education to maintain CNA registration. There are a variety of career opportunities open to certified nursing assistants and some of these are:

• psychiatric care
• acute care
• care of geriatrics
• private clinics
• correctional services
• hospital nursing
• schools
• home care… and others

CNA career opportunities don’t extend to merely making beds and taking daily care of patients. They are also trained to take care of those with mental problems like in a nursing home that would have a unit for alzheimer’s patients. Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative cognitive disease, and the fact that it affects millions of people around the world, it is important to have caring nursing staff with the knowledge in the care of Alzheimer’s patients.

Working With The Mentally Impaired Is A Rewarding Career Opportunity

Often the nursing staff with the most direct contact with Alzheimer’s patients is the certified nursing assistant who assists these patients. The registered nurse in charge of the dementia unit relies heavily on CNAs for their assistance during the day and the ability to report changes in the patient’s condition. Certified nursing assistants who care for Alzheimer’s patients will try to assist the patient to achieve as much independence as possible. The CNA will assist the patient with mobility and take part in activities with the patient that will stimulate the mind. Caring for an Alzheimer’s patient is mentally and physically demanding, Nursing care facilities rely heavily on the limited but essential nursing care which the certified nursing assistant provides to those with Alzheimer’s disease as well as other memory impairments. Nursing homes are always looking for CNA applicants who enjoy working with the memory impaired and who have an interest in making a difference in the lives of these patients.

Career Opportunities In Home Health Care

Many people are deciding to keep their loved ones at home; and in fact the trend toward individualized care is demanding more from CNAs, and with appropriate training and support, these nurses and the patient both thrive in these home care environments. Take Bayada Home Health Care as an example. They were founded in 1975 and they provides nursing, rehabilitative, therapeutic and hospice care to adults and children in their homes. They employ thousands of nurses, social workers and therapists who serve many different communities. They value the work of certified nursing assistants, and employ them to fit into many different home care nursing jobs. A typical advertisement for a certified nursing assistant which was recently posted on their website read like this:

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Bayada Home Health Care needs certified nursing assistants to help in these specific area and they offer excellent pay and benefits for a certified nursing assistant applying for these jobs. They invite certified nursing assistants to review all their CNA job openings for positions that will suit their interests and qualifications. Some of the outstanding benefits that full time CNAs can expect are amongst others:

• paid holidays
• medical insurance
• life insurance
• disability income protection
• retirement program

Conclusion

Around the world, apart from the hospitality industry, there isn’t another career that offers so many employment opportunities as nursing. Hospital and nursing homes are permanently full with young and old people suffering from all manner of illnesses and injuries. From certified nursing assistants to licensed practical nurses to registered nurses as well as psychiatric nurses, nursing personnel work in many different settings whether it is research, administration, education or in the health care system. Most nurses work in hospitals but CNA career opportunities extend to working in clinics, schools, research institutes, correctional facilities, health care organizations and nursing homes and clinics as well as home care.

Providing basic nursing services to patients is the main requirement of most CNA jobs, but these jobs are found in a variety of settings and descriptions. There is no hard and fast rule of a typical CNA job because each health care job will have its own set of characteristics which will determine whether it becomes popular with the certified nursing assistant or not. It is true that the certified nursing assistant must also perform tasks that are unpleasant like emptying bedpans, but then no experience is eve wasted and it may be the motivation the nurse needs to investigate further studies to advance to a more senior position and different career opportunities.

There are plenty of opportunities for the certified nursing assistant to further their careers and study to be an LPN, RN or to specialize. Nurses start with the basic high school diploma and acquire additional training to take on increasingly more exciting jobs with more challenges and responsibilities.

The post Exciting And Stimulating CNA Career Opportunities appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

What Is A Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse?

Psychiatric mental health nursing involves working with patients who are experiencing psychiatric problems. The term ‘patient’ in this context can refer to a single individual as well as to groups of people, families, and, in some cases, entire communities. The job is intensive and complex and requires many years of training. Consequently this is not the best line of work for all nurses.

Nature Of The Work/Duties

Psychiatric mental health nurses have a wider scope of practice than the average RN. Firstly they are permitted to develop their own diagnoses of patients within the mental health patient population. Like RNs they can develop a plan of care for the patient and implement the nursing process, but in this case it is specifically in relation to mental health patients. You will be able to offer primary care services to members of the mental health population. In addition you can diagnose, assess and treat patients as well as entire families and groups who you feel are at risk for developing mental disorders and that already have such disorders. You will also be permitted to prescribe psychiatric medications as well as administer psychotherapeutic techniques in order to facilitate the recovery of your patient.

Employment

As a psychiatric mental health nurse the primary places where you will find employment are:

• Mental health institutions and facilities
• Hospitals
• Private practice

Because of the level of education needed to be a psychiatric mental health nurse you will find that this job will bring with it a level of autonomy that you will not get in most other areas of nursing, even in many of the other nursing specialties. Consequently you can branch off and start your own private practice where you will, essentially, be self-employed. Even working in a facility brings with it a degree of autonomy as it is assumed that you will be able to handle the various issues that may (and do) arise on a daily basis with the greatest of ease given your skills and standing in the domain of psychiatric mental health nursing.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Requirements

There are a number of requirements for entering this profession. First and foremost you need an RN license. An RN license can be achieved by earning an associate’s degree. In order to move forward, however, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in nursing. A bachelor’s degree will allow you, after you have written the licensing exam, to enter a master’s degree program. This is the level of education needed to become a psychiatric mental health nurse. In some cases you will be required to have a certain amount of experience as an RN before you will be permitted to enter a master’s degree program, specifically in areas where you may come into contact with mental health patients. Completing the program earns you the right to complete the psychiatric mental health nurse certification exam.

Personality Traits

These are the personality traits required:

• Because communication is a key element in ensuring that a patient receives the care he or she requires, good communication skills are a must.

• Empathy, or an ability to place yourself in another person’s position, is also required.

• Nurses in all area of the profession need to possess and display genuine caring.

• In order to maintain the level of control needed in a psychiatric mental health setting you must exude confidence.

• A sense of humor will keep you positive in the midst of seemingly hopeless situations.

• Because this is a line of work that can be depressing and taxing on the psychiatric mental health nurse herself, it is essential that you seek professional help when.

Educational Requirements

The educational requirements, to begin with, are very similar to those for most other nursing specialties. You need a high school diploma or an equivalent thereof, such as GED. Once you have graduated from high school a degree in nursing must be earned. Although you can become an RN with just an associate’s degree you will need a bachelor’s degree to move forward with a career in psychiatric mental health nursing, so that is the degree you should aim for. It will take about 4 years to complete. Once you have completed this degree and have an RN license you will need to go back to school in order to earn a master’s degree in nursing, majoring in psychiatric mental health nursing. All of these educational qualifications will include required practical experience and clinical work throughout.

Licensure

To be a psychiatric mental health nurse you need to be a licensed RN. An RN license can be earned by following these steps:

• Firstly you need to complete an RN program. If you have a career as mental health nurse in mind you should complete a bachelor’s program to facilitate your progress.

• Graduating from this program will allow you to apply for licensure form your state board of nursing. Make sure that you know what all of the licensure requirements for your particular state are before applying.

• If your state board of nursing confirms your application you will be able to make an appointment to write the NCLEX-RN examination.

• Passing the examination means that you will receive your license. This license must be renewed regularly depending on the rules of your state.

How To Become A Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse

Training, Advancement And Other Qualifications

There are a number of specific areas within the field of psychiatric mental health nursing that you could choose to specialize in, including child and adolescent mental health nursing, gerontological-psychiatric nursing (this is psychiatric mental health nursing for the elderly), forensics, substance use disorders (you could also choose to specialize as an addictions nurse in order to deal with this aspect of mental health), and collaborative, integrative health care with primary care providers. When you complete your master’s degree in psychiatric mental health nursing you can choose to focus on one of these specialties or to approach the subject form a broader perspective. This is an ideal way to advance as an RN as there are few other nursing specialties that come with the degree of autonomy that psychiatric mental health nurses receive.

Source An Accredited Education Program

An accredited nursing program is one that is approved of by your state board of nursing. Non-accredited programs will waste your time and your money as you will be unable to continue with your current career path if the program you attend is not accredited. There are three main sources of information that will help you source an accredited training program:

• The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)
• The National League for Nursing
• The website of Psychiatric Nursing Graduate Programs at www.apna.org

The AACN and the National League of Nursing are the two bodies that accredit nursing programs and will therefore be able to provide you with information regarding whether or not the bachelor’s degree and master’s degree programs you are interested in are in fact legitimate options to choose.

Earn Your Associate’s Degree

This is one of the nursing specialties where earning an associate’s degree will not be enough to become an expert in the area. However it is a good way to enter the nursing profession and a good stepping stone to use on your educational journey to becoming a psychiatric mental health nurse. Locate accredited program in your area that offer the degree and create a shortlist of your favorite programs that best meet your career goals. Apply for each of these program (applying for more than one program broadens your chances). Each program will have its own entrance requirements which you will have to adhere to. A mistake at this point of the process may cost you approval. Choose a school from among those that accept you and complete the program through hard work and dedication to earn your associate’s degree.

Obtain Your Licensure

Once you have obtained your RN license you need to work towards becoming certified as a mental health nurse. To do this:

• Complete the necessary master’s degree program in mental health nursing.
• Pass the credentialing examination that will allow you to become certified as a psychiatric mental health nurse.

It is important to remember that there are a number of different subcategories in mental health nursing. In many cases these subcategories require their own special form of certification. Take note of what certification you would like to receive and be sure to adhere to the certification requirements for that specific subcategory. Information about the different levels and the different requirements for each level can be found by visiting the website of the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

Online/Distance Education Programs

When searching for the degree programs necessary for becoming a psychiatric mental nurse you will realize that there are several schools that offer these programs online. However it is important to remember that the clinical sides of these degree programs must be completed in a healthcare setting where you will be able to get hands-on experience. Consequently there is no such thing as a nursing degree that can be completed entirely online. In addition online study does not suit everyone who wants to be a nurse. Not all students have the high level of motivation and self-discipline required to get through a degree course on their own and without a lecturer spurring them on. In addition you will not benefit from the valuable interaction with other students that can be so helpful in the learning process.

Job Outlook

There are a number of very compelling reasons why becoming a psychiatric mental health nurse is a good career move:

• The job prospects for all RNs are improving dramatically with each passing year.

• In addition, the job prospects for advanced practice nurses specifically are increasing at an even faster rate.

• With a growing acceptance for the mental side of ailments across the country, more and more jobs for psychiatric mental health nurses in particular are becoming available.

You will benefit from all of these factors as a mental health nurse. You will have general RN training, allowing you to work in general RN jobs. Your certification as a psychiatric mental health nurse means that you are an advanced practice nurse, so you will benefit from that aspect of future projections as well.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Earnings

Psychiatric nurses earn quite well. ON average their hourly rate is anything from about $20 to about $40 an hour. In addition they can expect annual bonuses in the region of $0.00 – $2,068 a year. The total salary that they are eligible to earn is between $43,000 and $85,000. The industry you work in will affect your pay. This is a list of popular industries including the pay you will earn when working in them:

• In Healthcare you can earn about $22.50 – $38.19 an hour
• In a Psychiatric Hospital you can earn about $22.25 – $37.26 an hour
• In a General Hospital you can earn about $22.88 – $38.74 an hour
• In Community Mental Health you can earn about $20.80 – $34.77 an hour
• In an Acute Care Hospital you can earn about $23.28 – $39.38 an hour

Different states and different cities offer different salaries. The top paying cities tend to be:

• San Diego, California
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Phoenix, Arizona
• New York, New York
• Seattle, Washington
• Denver, Colorado
• Richmond, Virginia
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Chicago, Illinois
• Boston, Massachusetts
• Rochester, New York
• Portland, Oregon
• San Antonio, Texas
• Louisville, Kentucky
• Jacksonville, Florida
• Kansas City, Missouri

A career as a psychiatric mental health nurse can be a very stressful one in terms of the mental pressure you will place on yourself. A decision must be made at a personal level regarding whether or not the salary and other benefits are worth the emotional strain.

The post Facts About A Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

What Is Transplant Nursing?

Transplant nursing is the area of nursing that involves working with patients that are either donating an organ or receiving a donated organ. In addition to simply caring for the physical needs of these patients before and after the transplant surgery takes place, it is also necessary to discuss the risks involved with both parties and prepare them emotionally for the surgery. Finding donors is also part of your job. Transplant nurses sometimes also assist during the transplant procedure.

Nature Of The Work/Duties

The following are the main duties you will perform as a transplant nurse:

• You will need to take medical histories for both the recipient and the donor as part of ensuring that the procedure can go forward safely.

• In the case of organ transplants the donor and recipient need to match in terms of their DNA. As a transplant nurse your job will involve ordering lab tests to confirm these matches.

• Once you have assessed the donor and the recipient thoroughly you will be able to give the go-ahead, declaring that they are fit for the transplant surgery.

• After surgery both the donor and the recipient could experience negative side effects that may be severe. Consequently you will be required to carefully monitor their vital signs in the recovery room and after.

Employment

As a transplant nurse you will only be able to work in areas where transplants are performed. However, in addition to that, you can work in areas where RNs are employed with no specialties, provided you keep your RN license and training up to date. The most common places to find transplant nurses are in hospitals where these procedures are performed as well as at special facilities that are aimed at furthering the research into transplant technology and where special transplant procedures may be performed. In some cases transplant nurses are hired specifically to speak to potential donors about donating an organ of some kind, such as their corneas, after death, or while they are still alive (as several transplant procedures can occur between living patients, e.g. kidney transplants, liver transplants).

Transplant Nursing Requirements

The basic requirements that you will need to meet to become a transplant nurse are as follows:

• You will need to earn an RN license by completing the necessary training degree programs and passing the NCLEX-RN examination.

• You will then need to get experience working as an RN. The best areas to get experience in are critical care, in intensive care, or in medical-surgical nursing as these will all provide you with some of the basic skills you need to be a transplant nurse.

• Once you have worked for the number of years required by your state as an RN you will be eligible to take the Transplant Nurse Certification exam through the American Board for Transplant Certification.

• Completing this exam will certify you to work as a nurse with transplant nursing expertise.

Personality Traits

In order to be a successful transplant nurse you must be thick-skinned. This will come in handy when talking to patients or their families about what will happen to their organs after death. If you work in a transplant research center a thirst for new knowledge will be invaluable. Generally this is a good trait to have in any nursing profession. Because transplant nursing involves a large degree of uncertainty as well as multiple occurrences throughout your career that you will be unable to plan for, you will not be suited for this job if you are tied down by routine and prefer everything to be carefully planned out. A positive attitude and an undying positive energy will stand you in good stead as you help your patients face the daunting process of having a transplant.

Educational Requirements

The following educational requirements are necessary when becoming a transplant nurse:

• You must have a high school diploma or GED before you can enter RN training
• You need to have a Nursing Diploma, OR
• You need to have an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN), OR
• You need to have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
• You need to take elective courses in medical-surgical nursing during your nursing training
• You must take it upon yourself to find educational resources that will prepare you to take the certification exam

In short, you need to become an RN before you can become a transplant nurse. The different degrees mentioned above will take varying lengths of time to complete. The higher your qualification, the longer it will take, but the better your resume will look.

Licensure

The license that you need to hold in order to work as a nurse with a specialization in transplant nursing is your RN license. To earn your RN license you will need to attend an RN program. If you are already an LPN there are a number of LPN to RN training programs that you could take advantage of that will speed up you’re the achievement of your RN qualification. Once you have completed the accredited RN training program you need to apply for licensure form your state board of nursing. Often there is a fee involved in this. Once your application is confirmed you write the NCLEX-RN examination. Passing the exam means you are licensed. Your license must be renewed at set intervals (determined by your state board of nursing).

How To Become A Transplant Nurse

Training, Advancement And Other Qualifications

There are several qualifications that you can earn in the field of transplant nursing, all of which are offered by the American Board for Transplant Certification (ABTC). These are:

• You could consider becoming a Certified Clinical Transplant Coordinator (CCTC)
• You could consider becoming a Certified Procurement Transplant Coordinator (CPTC)
• You could consider becoming a Certified Clinical Transplant Nurse (CCTN)

A coordinator will be in charge of transplant operations at a facility where such procedures are performed. If you are a procurement coordinator your job will involve finding sources of organs to be used in specific transplant cases that are urgent, or just building up a list of future possibilities. Lastly you can simply be a certified clinical transplant nurse which involves all of the general transplant nursing tasks mentioned here.

Source An Accredited Education Program

An accredited program is essential if you want to be guaranteed that you will be able to complete your qualification and become a nurse with specialty in transplant nursing. Your state board of nursing will be able to inform you regarding which programs in your area are accredited and which are not. This is more reliable than asking the schools themselves for accreditation information. The bodies that accredit schools of nursing are also useful resources to turn for and there are many websites on the internet providing lists of accredited schools. One reliable way of finding an accredited program is by asking current registered nurses where they studied – they can only be nurses if the program they studied through were accredited, making this one of the best sources if information possible on the topic.

Earn Your Associate’s Degree

There are several degrees that you could choose to complete on your path to becoming an RN with a specialty in transplant nursing. These are:

• A bachelor’s degree in nursing
• An associate’s degree in nursing
• A master’s degree in nursing, and
• A doctoral degree in nursing

The associate’s degree is one of the more popular options. To earn an associate’s degree you will have to look into what nursing degree programs are offered in your area and choose one based on whether or not it meets your criteria. Apply for the program by adhering the application procedures and requirements of that particular school. Completing your program will take a few years and will require hard work and effort. Successful completion of the program results in an associate’s degree allowing you take the licensing exam.

Obtain Your Licensure

The only license that you need to be transplant nurse is an RN license. However there is a certification examination that you can pass in order to receive certification in the specialty of transplant nursing specifically. To do this you will first need to achieve the required number of years of experience in the field of nursing in the capacity of an RN. In addition to this you should focus on continuing education credits that will be useful in transplant nursing. You then need to apply to the American Board for Transplant Certification to write the Transplant Nurse Certification exam. There are a number of courses offered online and offline for the specific purpose of preparing you to make a success of this examination. Passing the exam will earn you transplant nursing certification.

Online/Distance Education Programs

Online distance education programs are possible for both aspects of your training, namely:

• Your RN qualification, and
• Your Transplant Nurse Certification exam preparation

However it must be noted that, when it comes to your NR qualification, it can only completed partially online. An RN program consists of a theory side as well as a clinical side and you need to complete both in order to become qualified. Clinical hand-son training cannot be done online. Consequently you will at some point be required to find a facility where you can complete your clinical training

You Transplant Nurse Certification exam, on the other hand, is merely a preparation course to write the theory-based exam and can therefore be completed entirely online. It is not even a requirement, just a suggested method of ensuring that you pass the exam first time.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for transplant nursing is excellent as there is a significant growth in the number of people who require organ transplants each year. In addition, advances in medical technology are making it possible for more and more complex procedures to be performed. As a result of this a nurse with a specialization in transplant nursing will be in increasingly greater demand as the years pass. Nursing in general is growing at a very fast pace, affecting all nurses for the better. Because transplant nurses are required to engage in the same RN training as general RNs, they are also able to work in general nursing settings, expanding their job options even further. For stability and room for future growth and advancement, this is one of the best industries to choose.

Transplant Nursing Earnings

The median salary for nurses working in transplant nursing is about $76,522 a year. This can vary greatly, however, as you can see below:

• In the tenth percentile nurses earn $63,536 a year
• In the twenty fifth percentile nurses earn $69,725 a year
• In the seventy fifth percentile nurses earn $83,752 a year
• In the ninetieth percentile nurses earn $90,333 a year

However even at the bottom end of this range the salary is fairly impressive and makes the job of a transplant nurse seem highly attractive. Other things that can affect the salary that you are eligible to earn in this specialty are the level of education you have, the state that you work in, and the industry in which you are employed as a nurse with a transplant nursing specialty.

The fact that you can earn a fairly good salary as a transplant nurse is one of the main factors that this line of nursing has in its favor. In addition, as compared to other nursing specialties, the education path to becoming a transplant nurse is not as intensive. That being said not all nursing specialties are suitable for all nurses. Before choosing a career in transplant nursing or any other field of specialization you need to think carefully about the pros and cons of the field before determining whether or not you have the personality, skills, and will to complete the necessary steps to becoming a specialist in that area and to leading a successful career in that area.

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What Is An Occupational Health Nurse?

An occupational health nurse is a Registered Nurse that holds the relevant RN license and that has additional training to be employed in a work/business environment in order to:

• Identify situations that will place the workers in that environment at risk of incurring injuries or illnesses.

• Treat any injuries or illnesses that may arise in the workplace where the occupational health nurse is employed.

Nature Of The Work/Duties

There are a number of duties related to this nursing field. As an occupational health nurse one of your primary goals is to recognize as well as prevent potential workplace hazards (which is done through careful assessment of the working environment in order to identify anything faulty in the way the environment is maintained) as well as treating any injuries or illnesses suffered by workers. In addition you will need to educate employers and employees on a number of topics, including personal protective equipment, common workplace illnesses and injuries, and the law in relation to Occupational Health. Ensuring that everyone is informed of potential hazards as well as their rights if something were to go wrong are essential parts of your job. It will be your responsibility to carefully document all injuries and illnesses that occur in the workplace.

Employment

There are a number of settings in which occupational health nurses can find employment:

• Occupational health nurses can work in schools
• Occupational health nurses can work at construction sites
• Occupational health nurses can work at factories
• Occupational health nurses can work in hospitals
• Occupational health nurses can work in offices
• Occupational health nurses can work as independent consultants
• Occupational health nurses can work for the government

One of the any benefits of the job is that you will have better working hours than most other nurses because you will be subject to office hours rather than to the shifts that nurses working in hospitals have to endure. There are, in addition, plenty of employment opportunities for nurses interested in this line of work.

Occupational Health Nurse Requirements

To become an occupational health nurse you first need to become an RN. To enter an RN training program you need to hold a high school diploma or an equivalent GED. There is quite a lot of competition for entering RN training programs, so it is important that you work hard in order to stand out from the crowd during high school. If you are still in high school now remember that it is helpful in terms of getting into nursing school to take subjects like biology, math, and science. There are a number of different RN programs that you can complete, but in order to be an occupational health nurse you will need to have a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Consequently this is the qualification you should strive towards form the beginning. You also need an RN license.

Personality Traits

The personality traits required in an occupational health nurse are very similar to those required by most other nurses:

• Empathy: Because you will work with people in difficult health positions every day, you need to demonstrate empathy in order to support their emotional needs in addition to their physical needs.

• Communication Skills: on a daily basis you will communicate with many different people in the work environment. Clear communication could mean the differences between the health and illness of the workers under your care.

• Attention to Detail: Assessing a work environment for potential hazards requires a close attention to.

• Flexibility: There are a variety of different issues that you may face in this occupation, so flexibility and an ability to deal with them all is necessary.

Educational Requirements

There are a number of educational requirements involved in becoming an occupational health nurse. As previously discussed you need a bachelor’s degree in nursing. This requires you to attend an RN program, for which you first need to have a high school diploma or GED. Once you have completed the basic nursing requirements you will have to engage in additional training that will result in you becoming a Certified Occupational Health Nurse (COHN), a Certified Occupational Health Nurse-Specialist (COHN-S), a Certified Occupational Health Nurse/Case Manager (COHN/CM), a Certified Occupational Health Nurses-Specialist/Case Manager (COHN-S/CM), a Certified Occupational Health Nurse/Safety Manager (COHN/SM), or a Certified Occupational Health Nurse-Specialist/Safety Manager (COHN-S/SM). There are different requirements in terms of the education needed for each of these qualifications from state to state, so consult your state board of nursing for specific information.

Licensure

As an occupational health nurse you must be:

• A licensed RN
• A licensed occupational health nurse

The first is achieved by completing an RN training program and applying for licensure through your state board of nursing. If your licensure is approved you will be allowed to write the NCLEX-RN examination and receive licensure. The occupational health certification must then be obtained after completing the necessary training and then writing the certification exam. Your state board of nursing provides information on the licensing procedures and laws tend to differ from state to state so be sure that you know exactly what is expected of you in your state. Your state board of nursing can only license you to work as an RN in that particular state so additional licensing requirements are needed if you move.

How To Become An Occupational Health Nurse

Training, Advancement And Other Qualifications

The training path to becoming an occupational health nurse is a fairly simple one to follow. To start off with you must complete the required bachelor’s degree in general nursing through an accredited school. Completing the program and meeting all of the program and state requirements is essential in order to receive your certification. Completing the course will allow you to write the NCLEX-RN examination and receive licensure as an RN through your state board of nursing. A master’s degree in nursing is then required, on top of your bachelor’s degree. This master’s degree should specialize in occupational health nursing. Technically speaking there is no actual license to become an occupational health nurse, but you do need certification of some kind through an organization like the American Board for Occupational Health Nurses.

Source An Accredited Education Program

It is extremely important that you source an accredited RN bachelor’s program as well as an accredited occupational nursing master’s program when working towards these qualifications. This is because you will be unable to be licensed and certified if the program that you attend is not accredited by an appropriate accrediting body. There are a number of ways to find accredited programs:

• Your state board of nursing usually provides a list of the program options that you have in your area. You can also ask them about specific schools and programs that you are interested in attending.

• Schools are required to advertise their accreditation status on their websites, but this is not always reliable.

• Current nurses will know of accredited programs as they will have completed one in order to be where they are today.

Earn Your Associate’s Degree

An associate’s degree is a popular first step to becoming an RN. It is shorter than a bachelor’s degree program and most associate’s degree programs allow you to write the NCLEX-RN examination once you have completed it. It must be kept in mind that, if your final goal is to become an occupational health nurse, you will need to earn a bachelor’s degree and then a master’s degree. Consequently your associate’s degree is only a stepping stone. To earn an associate’s degree compile a list of the accredited nursing schools in your area offering the qualification and create a short list based on your personal preferences. Research the application requirements for each and, if you meet the requirements, apply for at least three schools to keep your options open. Completing the course will warn you the degree.

Obtain Your Licensure

Although a master’s degree in nursing is one of the more popular methods through which to become eligible for occupational health nursing certification, there are actually two main paths open to you. You can either:

• Work 3,000 hours in 5 years in health nursing, OR
• Complete a master’s degree program in occupational health nursing

However it must be noted that in order to get the above mentioned experience an employer may require you to have a master’s degree in occupational nursing in any case, so this is still the most sensible option. Re-certification must occur regular as per your state’s requirements (which can vary significantly between states) and requires you to complete:

• 3,000 hours of occupational health work experience
• 50 Continuing Nursing Education hours in occupational health practice

Online/Distance Education Programs

Studying online can be very convenient, but it does not suit everybody. A large degree of self motivation is required. In addition you must not forget that for most nursing programs hands-on training is also required, meaning that it is not possible to complete your entire training program online. There are some good online schools that offer these programs. Oakland University School of Nursing which offers the Occupational Health Certificate, the University of North Carolina Online which offers the Master of Public Health in Occupational Health Nursing, UNC Gillings School of Public Health which offers the Occupational Health Nursing Certificate and the University of South Florida which offers the Occupational Health Nursing qualification are some of your options. However this requires careful thought and consideration before a decision to study online is made.

Job Outlook

There are three main reasons why the job outlook for occupational health nurses is extremely good:

• The nursing profession in general is growing at a faster rate than any other profession at the moment.

• Nurses with advanced qualifications in general are in higher demand in the current medical climate.

• Health and safety regulations in working environments are becoming stricter every year, increasing the need the for occupational health nurses in particular.

Because occupational health nurses also have general nursing qualifications they are also eligible to work in any area where RNs are employed and where special certification in a nursing specialty in not a requirement. Consequently occupational health nurses benefit from all of the aspects mentioned above with no exceptions. Job stability is one of the main attractions of this line of work.

Nurse Earnings

Overall, occupational health nurses earn about $47,459 – $77,932 a year. If you include the potential for a bonus (usually between $0.00 and $5,078) and the potential for profit sharing (usually between $972 and $2,849), the potential total comes to $44,091 – $79,351. The industry that you choose to work in as an occupational health nurse can also affect your earnings:

• In Healthcare you can earn between $45,022 and $79,342 a year.
• In Manufacturing and Distribution you can earn between $46,055 and $80,093 a year.
• In a Health Clinic you can earn between $43,894 and $77,644 a year.
• In Health Insurance you can earn between $46,464 and $78,142 a year.
• In Food Manufacturing you can earn between $46,647 and $81,056 a year.

The cities that are popular to work in because they tend to pay slightly more are:

• Columbus, Ohio
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Joliet, Illinois
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Houston, Texas
• Durham, North Carolina
• San Jose, California

The main pro related to becoming an occupational health nurse is the autonomy that you will have as well as the salary that comes with that autonomy, while the main con is that the educational requirements for this line of work will take you many years to complete. Many nurses have this occupation as an end goal for their career path and take their time slowly working their way towards it. Other nurses go straight for the master’s degree from the start, doing the minimum amount of practical work required along the way. The path you take depends on your personal preferences.

The post How To Be An Occupational Health Nurse appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.

What Is A Certified Nurse Midwife?

A certified nurse midwife is a nurse that is trained at caring for women who are pregnant and in assisting those women in giving birth when the time comes. In addition they perform other duties, such as gynecology exams and provide advice on such issues on the best methods for family planning. It is a very specific area of nursing that has been in existence for an extremely long time with a strong history.

Nature Of The Work/Duties

The following tasks fall within the certified nurse midwife’s scope of practice:

• Diagnosing patients
• Taking a medical history
• Doing a physical assessment
• Ordering laboratory tests and procedures
• Managing therapy
• Outlining care
• Providing prescriptions (which is allowed in some states, but not others)
• Coordinating consultations and referrals
• Promoting women’s health
• Reducing health risks in women
• Managing common illnesses in adults (not the main focus of this line of work)

Consequently a number of the tasks that certified nurse midwives perform are very similar to those performed by regular nurses in every day hospital settings. The difference is that, to a large degree, these nurses are focused on providing care for pregnant expectant mothers and women in general rather than the general patient population.

Employment

There are a number of areas in which a certified nurse midwife can be employed. They can be employed in private practices where they can either work by themselves or alongside a physician. There are also a number of underserved populations in rural areas or inner-city settings that require the services of a skilled midwife in order to ensure the health of their women and children. Popular places for midwives to work are birthing centers where newborn babies are the order of the day. Certified nurse midwives can also work in hospitals, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), and health departments. Employment tends to be limited in this particular nursing specialty as you will only be able to work in those areas where you are likely to come into contact with pregnancy and birth on a regular basis.

Certified Nurse Midwife Requirements

According to www.allnursingschools.com the following requirements apply for nurses who want to enter midwifery:

• Master’s degree in nursing from an accredited nursing school (if the school is not accredited you will be wasting your time and your money).

• An active registered nursing license (RN) in the state where the school is located (this is because different states have different licensing rules).

• Some work experience in labor and delivery, generally up to a year

• Completion of the GRE with satisfactory score

• Completion of a statistics course with a satisfactory grade

• Letters of recommendation

• A statement of purpose describing why you want to become a certified nurse-midwife (this is your chance to stand out from the crowd and display what makes you an ideal candidate to study this area of nursing).

Personality Traits

These are the personality traits that will help in this line of work:

• You will need a personality that enjoys being busy all the time.

• You will need to have good interpersonal skills and be outgoing as you will meet new people on a daily basis.

• Because there are a number of different things that you will need to do each day, multi-tasking skills are essential.

• A certified nurse midwife has to be able to handle the sight of bodily fluids related to childbirth and have a strong stomach.

• A love for physical labor will help you in this line of work.

• Although you need to be caring and empathetic, you also have to combine this with objectivity when something goes wrong and professionalism.

• A personality that want to learn will also help.

• Because unexpected things happen all the time in terms of childbirth you cannot be someone who is tied down by routine.

• Having an undying positive energy will also help in this line of work.

Educational Requirements

There are a number of educational requirements that you need to meet in order to become a certified nurse midwife:

• Firstly you need to have a two-year Master of Science degree in Nursing (MSN). Generally speaking to enter these courses you must already hold a high school diploma or GED equivalent thereof, another educational requirement. In the past a master’s degree was not required, but it is as of 2010 for all new nurses who want to be midwives.

• The second and last educational requirement is that you earn a CNM designation from the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM).

As a master’s degree can take many years to earn you may find that this is a nursing specialty that is more time intensive than many other nursing specialties.

Licensure

The license that you need to hold in order to become a certified nurse midwife is the RN license, which must be valid for the state in which you wish to train to become a certified nurse midwife. To earn the RN license you need a master’s degree in nursing. In the past such an advanced degree was not a requirement, but recently it was decided that all new nurses entering the field must have a master’s degree. After completing the degree program you must apply for licensure form your state board of nursing. When your state board of nursing approves your right to be licensed you will need to make a date to write the NCLEX-RN exam. Passing the exam will earn you your license which you will need to renew on a regular basis.

How To Become A Certified Nurse Midwife

Training, Advancement And Other Qualifications

Training is divided into two sections, namely theory and clinical, and both sections are necessary in order to complete your program and become a certified nurse midwife with the right to practice as one.
Theory
According to another website the following theory topics will probably be covered:

• Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology
• Breastfeeding
• Genetics
• Gynecology
• Health and Social Policy
• Health Research
• Laboratory Medicine
• Management and Advanced Practice Nursing
• Management of the Antepartum, Intrapartum and Postpartum Periods
• Newborn Assessment and Care
• Pharmacology principles
• Primary Care of Women
• Reproductive Health Care Management

Clinical

• Practical experience managing patients before the delivery of a baby
• Practical experience managing patients during the delivery of a baby
• Practical experience managing patients after the delivery of a baby

Source An Accredited Education Program

There are a number of questions that you must ask yourself when looking for the right midwife training program, but one of the most important questions is “Is the midwifery school accredited?.” The school absolutely must be accredited by the appropriate body or else you stand the risk of:

• Losing your money: as you will need to complete a completely new program to become accredited you will have to pay for two programs, a big financial burden.

• Wasting your time: because you will have to start another program, it will take you twice as long to complete your midwifery qualification as you would like.

Your state board of nursing is an excellent place to begin your search for an accredited program as well as being the most reliable source of this kind of information.

Earn Your Associate’s Degree

Although a master’s degree was not required in order to be a certified nurse midwife in the past, it is a requirement now, and one that cannot be ignored. Consequently, although it is a good way to get your foot in the door of the health care industry, and associate’s degree will simply not be enough to earn you certification in the field of certified nurse midwifery. To earn a master’s degree in nursing you will have to attend one of the many nursing programs offered at schools, colleges, and universities. In some cases you may be able to complete the master’s program with a specialization in midwifery, although not all schools offer master’s degrees of this kind. The course will consist of both theory and clinical training, both of which you need to be proficient in.

Obtain Your Licensure

Once you have your RN license and you have achieved the appropriate amount of clinical experience, you need to earn your certified nurse midwife qualification. There are two main steps involved in this process:
Attend a college offering a certified nurse-midwifery (CNM) program
Sit for an exam offered by the American College of Nurse-Midwives in order to earn your certification and become a certified nurse-midwife
There are about 50 different colleges that offer this qualification across the country so you should have very little trouble finding one near you. The exam is a necessity, but if you attend a course and have the relevant experience you will not find that the questions are too difficult for you. This is the certification required to practice as a certified nurse midwife in the US.

Online/Distance Education Programs

It is possible to earn your certified nurse midwife qualification online. There are several schools that offer this possibility, including:

• East Carolina University
• The Frontier School
• Philadelphia University

However it must be noted that these courses are not complete. Because there is always clinical experience and hands-on training involved in any nursing qualification, you will also need to make provisions for this aspect of your training if you want to study online. A school that claims that your qualification can be completed entirely online must be treated with suspicion as this is simply not possible. Although online study is convenient you will also lose out on the important interaction with other students that can be so valuable in terms of helping your retain the information learned in class.

Job Outlook

The job outlook for certified nurse midwives is extremely good. All registered nursing careers will experience an increase of about 26% in terms of how many job openings there will be from 2012 to 2013. Nurses that have a specialist qualification of some kind can expect an even higher rate of growth for their particular industry as they will be able to bring skills to the table that will make them sought after assets in the nursing profession. in addition to being able to be employed as a nurse midwife in the employment sectors mentioned earlier in this article, nurses with this qualification have also gone through general nurse training and are therefore also eligible to apply for jobs in sectors of the healthcare industry where a specialist qualification is not required.

Earnings

The average salary for a certified nurse midwife is about $54,111 – $99,706 a year, but when you figure in the potential annual bonus amount of $0.00 – $9,169 as well as potential profit sharing of $3,250 – $5,057 a year, you can expect to earn something like $51,440 – $103,369 annually. The popular industries with their respective salaries for certified nurse midwives are:

• Healthcare = $48,334 – $98,527 a year
• Obstetrics & Gynecology = $54,075 – $101,945 a year
• Hospital = $48,522 – $100,341 a year
• Medical Services = $47,134 – $99,372 a year
• Family Planning, Women and Children Healthcare Centers = $41,261 – $91,421 a year

Salaries differ from state to state and city to city. The top paying cities are:

• Atlanta
• Denver
• Chicago
• Boston

This job is a very rewarding and meaningful one as it involves bringing new life into the world. However it must also be noted that this can be a very stressful job in that it is common for babies to be lost at this stage in their lives. You need to be someone who loves newborns but who can also accept that sometimes tragedies happen and move on from there with their careers.

The post How To Become A Certified Nurse Midwife appeared first on Healthcare Careers Guide.