So, You Want to Be a Nursing Assistant

You see tons of ads advertising for nursing assistants everyday, even place willing to pay you to become licensed and give you a job. Sounds good right ,well to the right type of person yes, But if you are just looking for a job to pay the bills ,this type of work isn’t going to be for you. This job is a very demanding one both physically and mentally .You have to have patience and compassion. This job can be the most rewarding and the most draining all in the same day. There are different areas for a nursing assistant to work some in nursing homes where you would have several patients to care for at a time, or you might do in home care which is more one on one, I am going to tell you the pros and cons on each type.

For starters when working in a nursing home there are different levels of patients that you will care for some can do everything for themselves and are just there because the family wasn’t able or didn’t want to have the responsibility for caring for them. Others will need complete care of every daily function. The big drawback to me in nursing homes is you don’t get to spend the one on one time the patients need you are far to busy, you might have 20 people depending on you for care that shift. you would have different people most likely every day, now if you like constant change then this might be for you. Things will also be setup for handicapped and more accessible to use such as the shower and bathroom and they will have all the equipment you need which makes things a lot easier.

When working in the patients home you get to have a one on one relationship and you will be able to spend more time doing the little things for them. You might be the only person they see for days at a time depending on their situation, so you can really develop a strong bond .You have to be ready for the emotional aspects of the job ,if you are good at your job you will become very attached to the patients and have to understand that the person could pass away while you are caring for them. Even if the person is in good shape when you start working for them things can change very fast and then they could require full care ,this means bathing and toileting, or diaper changing. The patient won’t always feel like cooperating either ,they might not have come to terms with there illness or could be sad that their family and loved ones aren’t more involved. You also may have to deal with the family ,sometimes it can be very good they will want the best for there loved one ,sometimes it might not be so great they might just want the cheapest care they can find.

I have had nursing assistant jobs like both situations, I’ve had to fight with the medical companies to get the right equipment needed in the home to care for the patient because the family couldn’t be bothered .When doing in home care you have to be more flexible with your hours if you are the only caregiver or if you are part of a team you have to make sure every one is doing there part .Being a nursing assistant is one of the most rewarding jobs I have had I love being able to help others and make there life easier, granted there are times I am ready to pull my hair out but in the end it is more then worth it . If you are considering becoming a nursing assistant just take the time to find out what the job really is and make sure you can do all that is expected of you ,it’s unfair to the patient not to have the best care available.