The health care industry is in a continuous state of change and the Nursing Assistant role in the delivery of health related services has evolved. Nursing Assistants are valued members of the health care team working in not only the long-term care setting, but also in new and dynamic roles like Patient Care Technicians (PCTs) in hospitals and stand alone Emergency facilities. For many decades the Nursing Assistant role has been subservient and requiring obedience to the delegations of Registered Nurses. Today, while still required to follow the delegations of Registered Nurses, Nursing Assistants are often sought out to provide critical insight on how to best care for the patient or resident. Physicians will often times go to the Nursing Assistant to get a better understanding of the patient’s condition before they consult the nurse and write their orders because they know that the Nursing Assistant is often times the holder of the most recent critical information. Many Nursing Assistants go on to become Registered Nurses, Physician Assistants, and other higher level healthcare professionals, but for most it is a life long career.
The options for Nursing Assistants are plentiful and growing in number as the health care industry evolves. The Long-term care, or Sub-Acute care, setting has traditionally held the majority of Nursing Assistant positions and that remains true today. Patients or “Residents” living at these homes and centers require extensive assistance with their daily living which translates into the necessity to hire enough Nursing Assistants to meet the demand. However, tradition aside, CNA and LNA positions also exist in Arizona Assisted Living, Home Health, Acute Care, Physicians offices, child care, Restorative Rehabilitation, and educational settings. Recently I saw an advertisement for a Medical Records employee and it required the applicant to be a Nursing Assistant. The value of the Nursing Assistant is in the spotlight and demand for these health care professional will continue to grow.
Authored by Dan Nussbaum, RN, BSN, MBA
Valley Vocational Academy is a health care related Vocational School that is located in Tempe, Arizona. Valley Vocational Academy is owned and operated by Registered Nurses who’s primary mission is to provide a quality education at a significant value. Visit https://valleyvocational.com for more information.