What to Expect with Nurse's Assistant Classes?

Answer 1

Being a nurse's assistant is a job that requires respect, a dedication to provide quality services to others, and the ability to learn skills necessary to complete the job correctly. Nurse's assistant classes are held in both colleges and in facilities to help train individuals so they can offer their services to the public. The timeframe of the classes varies depending on the state regulations and the teaching facility. However, these classes are not as long as the ones required to become a professional nurse.

Where to Find Approved Classes

Nurse assistant classes are held in colleges as well as in private facilities that also serve as an employer. The first place to look is at the nearest community college. The course is approximately a semester long, with classes being held for a few hours every week. Students are required to pay for the course, which is a few hundred dollars. Once a student completes the course, she will receive a certificate of completion from the college. This certificate must be presented to a potential employer as well as the certification board in order to test to receive state certification.

The next place to look for nurses assistant classes is at local nursing homes and medical facilities such as hospitals. Larger medical facilities often staff a certified nurse's assistant teacher that is authorized by the state to conduct classes to train nurse assistants. These classes are free and usually last upwards of two weeks. Upon completion of the class, the employer will often offer a position with their facility as well as pay for the certification process through the state.

Skills Learned

During nurses assistant classes, the students learn an array of skills. From learning to accurately read a patient's blood pressure to how to support a patient while walking after a hip replacement, these classes teach the student every skill needed to be successful in this career.

There is only one negative to the skills this job requires. Although the skills often do not require emotions, there are instances that nurse assistants experience that are hard on them regardless of their training. For instance, if a patient dies, it is the job of the nurse assistant to prepare the body by giving it a final bath. This can be a very emotional time for the student, who often experiences this during their training as a skill required.