Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide

Working as a nursing assistant and patient careaide can be a rewarding and exciting career. It can also be the beginning of your advancement in the health care field. As a nursing assistant and patient care aide, you are the one of the most important links between the patient and his or her medical team. So what does a nursing assistant do? You'll help a patient bathe, use the bathroom, eat, dress, turn in bed, eat, and move from beds to wheelchairs. You'll also measure a patient's vital signs and report unusual findings to your supervisor. Think you have what it takes to go to school to become a nursing assistant/aid and patient care assistant/aide? Programs typically last one semester and you'll learn how to help patients in various situations, and how to use certain types of medical equipment. This course will include fieldwork, which allows you to work in a hospital, rehabilitation facility, or other health care setting under supervision to gain practical experience. Once you've completed the program, you'll be eligible to take a licensing exam that gives you permission to work as a nursing assistant. You may also have to undergo a background check as part of the licensing or employment process. Many people who complete the nursing assistant/aid and patient care assistant/aid program further their education in the health care field while working as a nursing assistant.