Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) in Florida
A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is also called a nurse aide or personal care assistant but there are differences between these professional titles. One needs about six weeks of specialized education combined with hands on practice to obtain a certificate of practice as a certified nursing assistant. Under current Florida law, the nursing assistant certification expires on the last day of odd years. As part of the renewal process, you need to verify that you have worked for pay in a nursing-related capacity for any amount of time during the two-year renewal period.
Once certified, a CNA can obtain employment in a hospital, long term care facility, rehabilitation center, or home care. Hospitals and long-term care facilities such as nursing homes in Florida employ a large number of certified nursing aide personnel. Home health care is becoming another arena in which the need for CNA professionals is growing rapidly.
As a CNA in Florida you will be responsible for a variety of tasks many of which will be carried out under the guidance and supervision of an LPN or RN. The certified nurse aide works in a team with an LPN or a RN, reports on patient status, and interacts extensively with the patient and family. After working as a CNA for a number of years, one may decide to move upwards in their career and become an LPN or RN. Hospitals in Florida may help a CNA become a nurse through loan forgiveness programs or other financial means. Health care facilities recognize the importance of a skilled, certified nursing aide and continue to improve the salary and benefits to attract such individuals.
A nurse aide in Florida is primarily responsible for tasks related to direct patient care. Some of these tasks include responding to patient's requests, helping with activities of daily living such as eating, bathing, and dressing, obtaining vital signs, helping with moving and repositioning, and keeping a safe and clean environment. Hospitals and long term care facilities in Florida may have the LPN or RN train a certified nurse aide on how to measure blood sugar levels, how to obtain specific samples for lab cultures, and how to assist with more advanced medical equipment such as ventilators.
Due to the considerable amount of time spent with a patient, a nurse aide becomes aware of changes in a patient's affect or physical status and reports those changes to the LPN or RN. In many cases these changes are very important in making decisions towards the patient recovery and treatment course. Therefore the CNA is not only performing a limited set of skills but it represents a vital link in the delivery of optimal care for a patient. Long term care facilities provide care to patients for an extended period of time, sometimes several months or years. During this time a CNA develops and builds professional relationships with the patient as well as with the family. The caring, trustworthy and positive attitude a CNA projects helps many patients cope with illness and move forward towards recovery.
Home health aides help elderly, convalescent, or disabled persons live in their own homes instead of in a health care facility. Under the direction of nursing or medical staff, they provide health-related services. Like nursing aides, home health aides may check patients' pulse rate, temperature, and respiration rate; help with simple prescribed exercises; keep patients' rooms neat; and help patients to move from bed, bathe, dress, and groom. Occasionally, they change non-sterile dressings, give massages and alcohol rubs, or assist with braces and artificial limbs. Experienced home health aides also may assist with medical equipment such as ventilators, which help patients breathe.
Most Florida home health aides work with elderly or disabled persons who need more extensive care than family or friends can provide. Some help discharged hospital patients who have relatively short-term needs. In home health agencies, a registered nurse, physical therapist, or social worker usually assigns specific duties to and supervises home health aides, who keep records of the services they perform and record each patient's condition and progress. The aides report changes in a patient's condition to the supervisor or case manager.
Florida psychiatric aides, also known as mental health assistants or psychiatric nursing assistants, care for mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed individuals. They work under a team that may include psychiatrists, psychologists, psychiatric nurses, social workers, and therapists. In addition to helping patients to dress, bathe, groom, and eat, psychiatric aides socialize with them and lead them in educational and recreational activities.
Psychiatric aides may play games such as cards with the patients, watch television with them, or participate in group activities, such as sports or field trips. They observe patients and report any physical or behavioral signs that might be important for the professional staff to know. Psychiatric aides in Florida accompany patients to and from examinations and treatment. Because they have such close contact with patients, psychiatric aides can have a great deal of influence on their patients' outlook and treatment.
CNA is projected to be the fastest growing occupation through 2016. Numerous job openings and excellent job opportunities are expected. For those interested in a health care career a certified nurse aide position may be just what you're looking for. The CNA education is fast, does not require extensive financial expenses and it guarantees a secure job.
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