The health care industry has always been known for its many rewarding career opportunities, particularly for nurses, who hold the majority of jobs. Certified nurse aides -- sometimes known as certified nursing assistants or CNAs -- are the individuals who help nurses and doctors provide specialized care to patients. This profession is an excellent way to get your foot in the door in this booming field.

After completing all the CNA classes in an accredited certified nurse aide program, you will be able to find work in hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care facilities to provide direct care for patients, as well as work on teams with doctors and nurses. Upon successful completion of their CNA training, certified nurse aides also travel to homes and other private residences where patients are resting and recuperating. For those patients who are living in nursing homes, certified nurse aides usually act as the primary care giver for the patients. Therefore, it is common for these health care professionals to establish strong friendships with both their patients and the patients' families.

For Certified Nurse Aides, Patient Care Is All in a Day's Work
As a health care professional, every working day involves taking care of patients, making sure they are resting comfortably and receiving the proper treatments and medications. Certified nurse aides assist their patients with everyday tasks like eating, dressing, and bathing, in addition to performing regular checks of patients' vital signs, including pulse, temperature, respiration, and blood pressure. CNA classes cover such skill sets and emphasize not only knowledge development but the honing of compassion. CNA training consists of preparing future certified nurse aides for long hours on their feet tending to patients' needs, as well as working with doctors and nurses as part of a health care team. A CNA's schedule can be an exhausting one, but many still enjoy the personal satisfaction of working with patients to help them heal or to alleviate their pain.
 
There are a number of other job opportunities for certified nurse aides who complete CNA classes outside of hospitals and nursing homes. In general, wherever there are patients who are in need of specialized, one-on-one care, there is a need for certified nurses. Certified nurse aides can also find work in private homes, where family members require assistance with caregiving, and mental health facilities, in which they work with patients who are mentally or emotionally troubled.

CNA Training: The Prescription for Success
Unlike registered nurses, who are required to have at least a diploma in nursing (which usually takes several years to achieve), certified nurse aides have considerably fewer training requirements. The completion of a CNA training program -- offered at high schools, vocational and technical colleges, and even hospital facilities -- and a passing grade on a competency exam are the two major requirements for employment as a certified nurse aide.

CNA classes typically consist of basic anatomy and physiology courses, which will be put to practice through hands-on training, most of which is provided on the job. Some jobs, like home aide positions, do not require a high school diploma. However, if a person plans to advance in one's career or wants to build on the certified nurse aide training and later become a registered nurse, then earning one's high school diploma is necessary.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics confirms that there will be a great demand for certified nurse aides, particularly those interested in geriatrics, as the baby boomer population is aging and will require specialized care. In fact, the BLS reports that by the year 2016, the hiring of certified nurse aides with CNA training will increase by more than 28 percent. If you are looking to pursue a career in the health care industry, then consider becoming a certified nurse aide and become an integral part of a medical team.