Nursing Aides: Helping America to Age Gracefully |
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January 31, 2006
by Gabby Hyman
Healthcare Programs Columnist
The age of the American population is rising and, along with it, there's a dramatic need for trained healthcare professionals to care for the elderly and infirm. Geriatric assistants trained in nurses aide programs are finding steady employment in nursing homes, independent living facilities, and as at-home nurses aides. More than 2 million work in the field today, and more are needed for tomorrow.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), each state in the union has its own requirements for certifying nurses aides for employment, but Federal laws require that students receive at least 75 hours of practical and classroom training under the guidance of a registered nurse to work in a facility that receives Medicare reimbursements.
Nurse Aide Training Requires More than Medical Knowledge
If you want to join this growing field, you'll discover nurses aide preparation programs at medical and vocational schools, community colleges, and in hospitals. But it takes much more than understanding the medical, physical, and nutritional needs of people in independent living communities and private homes to succeed. You'll need intuition, patience, and compassion.
Unlike nurses aides that work in short-term clinics and hospitals, independent living nurses aides may work for months and years with the same individuals, building long-term relationships with patients. Sometimes, it's more about lending a comforting ear and a delicate hand than administering a shot. The rewards can be gratifying.
In your nurses aide training program, you can expect to learn hygienic care, basic nutrition, patient positioning, emergency techniques, and the monitoring of vital signs. And the jobs will be there if you're just now entering a nurses aide training program. The BLS reports job growth for nurses aides to surpass the national average for all other jobs through 2012.
Sources
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
About the Author
Gabby Hyman has written for print and online media for more than 20 years. He has created online content for eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Avaya, and Nissan UK. He has also been a web consultant to the Governor of California. As an author of fiction, journalism, and poetry, Gabby is a former English professor for the University of Illinois, University of Alaska, and Old Dominion University. He holds an MFA in Fiction Writing from the University of Alabama.
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