Nursing assistants, under the supervision of nursing and medical staffs, provide personal care and emotional support to elderly and/or acutely ill patients confined to hospitals, short-term intermediate facilities, and long-term care institutions. They take temperatures, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure as well as observe patients’ physical, mental and emotional conditions, and report any changes to the nursing or medical staff. Assistants also answer patients’ call bells, deliver messages, serve meals, make beds, and help patients eat.
Nursing assistants employed in health care facilities are often the principal caregivers, having more contact with patients than other members of the staff. They should be healthy, tactful, patient, understanding, dependable, and have a desire to help people. They should also be able to work as part of a team, have good communication skills, and be willing to perform repetitive, routine tasks. Nursing assistants may become employed in hospitals, in private duty, in assisted-living facilities, hospices, home health areas, or nursing homes.
The nursing assistant curriculum covers body mechanics, nutrition, anatomy and physiology, infection control, communication skills, and personal care skills. Graduates of this program are eligible to take the Competency Exam for state certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant. An 80% (“B”) competency is required in all core courses.
CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK
All direct caregivers must obtain a criminal record check as designated by clinical agencies. Persons convicted of or pled no contest to, including, but not limited to, child or adult abuse, sexual assault, assault with a deadly weapon, neglect, or mistreatment or misappropriation of property, are not permitted to work as direct caregivers. More stringent requirements are often enforced by individual clinical agencies. Students who have convictions as described above will not be allowed to attend clinical agencies. Clinical agencies reserve the right to deny privileges for convictions other than stated. Based on this information, students should be aware of the consequences of a positive criminal record check, which may include dismissal from the program. Students who are impacted by this constraint should consider career counseling.
A copy of the student’s Social Security number verification is required to be on file.
DISCLAIMER: This information is subject to change as new directives are received.
Latex Allergies
Health care providers with Latex sensitivity must be aware that latex sensitivity increases with each additional exposure and there will be exposure to latex in various forms in the lab and hospital environment. If you have latex allergies, it is recommended that you consult your Health care provider regarding this medical condition for assistance with your decision about whether pursuing a career in nursing is the appropriate choice for you considering this allergy.
