Featured Program: Nursing Assistant
Do you enjoy helping people and caring for others? Are you looking for a rewarding career in healthcare? The career of Nursing Assistant is a rapidly-growing field, and might be the perfect fit for you.
A certificate in Nursing Assisting can open up a lot of healthcare-related career options. Nursing Assistants work in hospitals, long-term care facilities like nursing homes, and even private homes when patients need at-home care. While a Nursing Assistant (sometimes called a Nursing Aide) is considered an entry-level position, this certificate can serve as a base to launch into other careers in the healthcare industry.
Need for Nursing Assistants is growing and, is projected to continue to grow, as more of the population ages. Careers in this field are increasing faster than average, offering many opportunities for those interested in healthcare work. You can find out more information and statistics about Nursing Assistants on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.
Duties of a Nursing Assistant
Nursing Assistants work in both professional facilities like hospitals and nursing homes, as well as working in private homes caring for patients. Nursing Assistants performs duties such as recording vital signs like temperature and blood pressure, assist patients with physical tasks such as bathing, eating, and dressing, and changing bed linens and keeping the patient’s living area clean. Nursing Assistants also need to be able to keep detailed and accurate records of patients’ vital signs or behaviors to report to nurses or other healthcare workers.
Other Traits and Skills Needed
Because Nursing Assistants spend a lot of one-on-one time with patients and their families, they need to be patient, compassionate, and truly interested in helping others. Sometimes the work can be physically challenging or unpleasant, such as lifting adults from bed to wheelchair, or changing bedpans. A good attitude, a willingness to listen and follow directions, and a service-minded nature are valuable qualities in anyone looking to pursue a career as a nursing assistant.
Apply for the Nursing Assistant Program
In order to become a Certified Nursing Assistant in the state of California, a Nursing Assistant program such as the one offered by Central Coast College must be completed. We offer a nine and a half week program which can prepare you for an entry-level career, or qualify you to continue your education towards certification or other focuses of study.
Visit our program page to learn more about the Nursing Assistant program at Central Coast College. You can also find out more information and statistics about Nursing Assistants on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.
To view Central Coast College’s full disclosures, click here.