Nursing assistants support doctors and registered nurses (RNs) in caring for patients in a variety of medical and health facilities. Although the job is physically and intellectually demanding, it can provide you with numerous opportunities to assist others and make a huge impact in their life. You may decide if being a nurse assistant is a career path you want to pursue in the long run by learning about the duties of a nurse assistant.

We can learn what a nursing assistant does, their responsibilities, educational qualifications, work environment, and salary in this post, as well as how to become a nursing assistant.

What Is the Role of a Nursing Assistant?

A nursing assistant looks after patients, provides them with vital medical care, and aids in their rehabilitation under the supervision of skilled healthcare professionals such as doctors and RNs. They work in clinics, hospitals, and nursing homes and are sometimes part of a nursing team.

They usually employ the following strategies to succeed in this field: 

• Great nursing abilities
• Excellent communication skills
• A kind and caring attitude
• A calm and rational outlook
• The stamina to work long hours
• Medical equipment technical know-how 

What Are the Steps to Becoming a Nursing Assistant? 

Following these steps will help you become a nursing assistant: 

Completion of 10+2 

After passing the 10th Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exam from a recognized board, you can enroll in the nursing assistant certificate and diploma programs. Clearing the 10+2 Higher School Certificate (HSC) and preferably in the science stream, though arts and commerce streams are acceptable as well, may help you advance in your nursing profession. Some programs and businesses may demand the 10+2 diploma, and it may open the door to further nursing courses in the future. Because nursing school entrance is tough, you may benefit from scoring higher than the minimum needed 50 percent. 

Finish a Certificate Program 

After the tenth, you can do a certificate course in nursing care assistant (CNCA). The paramedic education normally lasts six months to a year, and admission is either direct or merit-based. You can acquire on-the-job nursing training at prominent healthcare facilities in addition to being taught by qualified healthcare professionals. Human anatomy, first aid, wound treatment, patient care, prenatal and postnatal care, prescription medicine administration, biomedical waste management, medical record documentation, and other topics may be covered in the curriculum. Employability skills such as personality development, English speaking, and information technology may also be included. Internships are available in some courses. 

After completing the course, you will be able to work in hospitals, nursing homes, maternity wards, childcare centers, and private homes as a nurse. Working under the supervision of doctors and registered nurses, you may assist them in inspecting patients, analyzing their health conditions, healing wounds, delivering drugs, injecting patients, monitoring their health progress, and preserving health records. 

Obtain a DNCA Certificate 

After the tenth grade, you can acquire a two-year diploma in nursing care assistant (DNCA). Nursing fundamentals, medical-surgical operations, and community diseases may all be included in the coursework. After completing the course, you will be able to work in hospitals, medical centers, nursing homes, and educational institutions under the supervision of qualified nurses (RNs). You can assist with medical operations, administer first aid, perform administrative tasks, and write medical documents. The Indian Nursing Council sets the rules for college admission, which can be either direct or merit-based, and takes place between April and June. A written test or a personal interview may be required. Introduction to nursing, pharmacology, community health nursing, first aid, patient safety, transferring the patient, nutrition, pediatric nursing, personal cleanliness, communication skills, etiquette, and other topics may be covered in the course. 

Earn an ANM Certificate

You must produce proof of passing the 10+2 exam in science, arts, or commerce with at least 45 percent marks from a recognized board and be between the ages of 17 and 35 to be eligible for the two-year Auxiliary Nursing and Midwifery (ANM) certificate program. A medical certificate attesting to your physical and mental health fitness may also be provided. Then you can take tests like the Maharashtra ANM Exam, the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Nursing Entrance Exam, and the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) Nursing Entrance Exam. 

The human body, hygiene, mental health, midwifery, environmental sanitation, and health center management are all covered in the ANM diploma program. It includes a six-month internship requirement. You can work as an assistant nurse in an urban or rural healthcare setting after finishing the ANM program. Many diploma recipients decide to continue their studies.

Earn a GNM Certificate 

Three years is required to complete the General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) diploma program. To be eligible, you must produce confirmation of passing the 10+2 exam in the science stream with at least 50% aggregate marks in physics, chemistry, and biology. Admission to the program may be based on your academic performance or your ability to pass tough entrance tests. 

• The Mahatma Gandhi Mission Common Admission Test (MGM CET) 
• Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Open Nursing Entrance Test (NET)
• Rajasthan University of Health Sciences (RUHS) Nursing Entrance Exam are some of the entrance examinations you can take. 

Anatomy and physiology, health education, personal hygiene, microbiology, pharmacology, communicable illnesses, pediatric nursing, and health economics are all included in the GNM diploma program. As part of the program, you may be required to do a six-month internship. 

Participate in an Internship 

You can do an internship in a hospital or other medical facility after completing a certificate or diploma course. Internships may be arranged through your educational institution, or you may look for and apply for open positions. Internships can run anything from six months to a year. 

Submit a Job Application 

After completing your internship, you may be offered a job, or you can look for nursing assistant employment on websites like Indeed. You can also look for assistant nurse positions on the websites of hospitals, nursing homes, and other medical facilities. It can assist in the creation of a resume and cover letter template that can be customized for each application. It’s also a good idea to prepare well for job interviews. 

Make Progress in Your Career 

To further your profession, you can pursue a four-year bachelor’s degree in nursing after getting job experience. You must have finished the 10+2 in the science stream with physics, chemistry, and biology or hold an ANM or GNM diploma to be qualified for this program. You may also pass entrance exams such as the National Eligibility Accumulation Entrance Test (NEET) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) B.Sc. (H) Nursing Entrance Exam.

What Do a Nursing Assistant’s Responsibilities Entail? 

Nursing assistants’ daily work responsibilities can vary depending on the demands of their patients and their work environment. The following are some of their responsibilities: 

• assisting doctors and RNs with patient admissions, examinations, and medical procedures
• taking and carrying out patient care instructions from doctors and RNs
• taking and carrying out patient care instructions from doctors and RNs
• answering calls from patients and their family members and informing them about their health treatment 
• bathing, combing, shaving, clipping nails, and brushing teeth
• dressing wounds, changing bandages and administering prescribed medications
• stocking medical supplies and arranging medical equipment and accessories in patients’ rooms 
• accompanying patients from their rooms for tests, examinations, and treatment processes
• monitoring and recording the patients’ weight, pulse, blood pressure, temperature, and other vital signs 

To succeed in any healthcare profession, a diverse set of abilities is required, and a NA career is no exception. So, whether you’ve just finished your NA training or are already working in the field, here are seven of the most critical attributes to look for in a successful NA.

Meticulous Attention to Detail 

Certified nursing assistants must be meticulous in their work. They work with data, patient charts, and paperwork comprising pages of vital health data that they must accurately evaluate and transcribe on a daily basis. NAS must also pay great attention to nonverbal signs from their patients and keep an eye out for any physical or mental health changes. NAS, more than any other nursing profession, provides the most direct and frequent care to patients—noticing even little changes in a patient’s condition can save lives. 

Outstanding Communication Skills 

For a NA career, clear and direct communication is essential. Patients and their families, as well as doctors, nurses, physical therapists, and social workers, are all in contact with nursing assistants. NAS must have good communication skills to know how and when to communicate most effectively to satisfy each person’s individual needs because they interact with such a wide range of people. When talking with their patients, NAs may need to speak carefully and in layman’s words to reassure and explain. A NA will frequently use medical terminology and may even provide medical-specific summaries when dealing with doctors and nurses. NAS must also have good written communication skills, as they must communicate via clear and succinct notes while reporting and documenting details regarding a patient’s health. 

Medical Terminology Understanding 

Because NAs serves as a link between the patient and their medical team, they must communicate patient information in medical terminology so that the physician may construct an appropriate and effective treatment plan. To follow basic safety protocols and interact successfully with other healthcare workers, NAs should be familiar with the language relevant to infections, conditions, and general medical vocabulary. 

Perseverance 

Because nursing assistants are responsible for delivering ongoing comfort and care, patience is one of the essential NA abilities. NAS frequently works with sick patients who are irritable as a result of their medical problems. Elderly patients can be confused, fearful, hostile, or distrustful of their surroundings and the persons who are trying to help them. NAS can provide the best possible treatment without worsening an already difficult circumstance by remaining patient and maintaining a calm and supportive approach. 

Compassion and Empathy 

Soft skills such as empathy and compassion are essential for all types of healthcare jobs, including nursing assistants. These two skills are used by successful NAs on a regular basis, especially in nursing homes. A NA should have empathy for what others are going through and compassion to build a compassionate bedside manner that puts patients at rest in order to provide care that actually benefits their patients. These qualities enable CNAs to empathize with and support patients in distress.

Adaptability 

Every day is different for NAs; some days are easy, while others are considerably more difficult. Nursing assistants may also be required to work weekend shifts, swap schedules, or work longer hours than originally anticipated due to NA shortages around the country. Working with sick and elderly individuals on a daily basis necessitates a great deal of flexibility. Because a treatment or care approach that works for one patient may not work for another, NAs must rely on their ingenuity and flexibility to adjust to constantly changing personalities and priorities. NAS must be able to remain adaptable, professional, and on-task regardless of the situation. 

Optimism 

Nursing assistants will definitely encounter various tough, occasionally bad situations while working as nursing assistants. It’s crucial to stay upbeat and optimistic, though, because this attitude rubs off on patients and employees, contributing to a healthy and cheerful environment. Furthermore, recognizing the positives in every scenario and not allowing bad days to get them down will help NAs maintain excellent mental health and avoid burnout. 

What Is It Like to Work as a Nursing Assistant? 

Nursing assistants usually work in a healthcare facility that is indoors. Hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, childcare centers, community health centers, non-governmental organizations, and the Indian Armed Forces are all possible places for them to work. In private homes, certain nursing assistants may provide individualized care. Nursing assistants typically work long shifts caring for patients and must be physically fit enough to move, stand for extended periods of time, and climb stairs. They can support, turn, lift, and transport patients because they are strong. They also have the mental stability to cope with sicknesses, diseases, and deaths on a daily basis. 

What Does a Nursing Assistant Make in Terms of Pay? 

Nursing assistants earn an average of $17,953 a month on the national level. Pay varies depending on the company, geography, experience, and job responsibilities. Nursing aides in the Indian army are additionally paid for their lodging, rations, clothes, medical care, and train travel. They also get paid yearly leave for 60 days, casual leave for 30 days, and leave encasement for 30 days.

Medical Assistant vs. CNA 

Certified nursing assistants are frequently employed in hospitals and nursing homes. Other CNA opportunities are available in-home health care. The CNA’s job is to provide direct care to patients under the supervision of a nurse in nearly any scenario. Despite the fact that there is only one sort of certified nursing assistant, the position is frequently mistaken with that of a medical assistant. Medical assistants and nursing assistants both provide patient care, but medical assistants focus on administrative and clinical work, whilst nursing assistants are more closely involved with patient care. Licensed practical nurses are not the same as certified nursing assistants (LPNs). LPNs must take further coursework and pass the NCLEX national licensure exam, but CNAs simply need basic training and certification.

Conclusion

One of the most rewarding aspects of nursing is having a job that allows you to serve others. You may not realise it is happening or feel it at first, but over time you will understand that it is sneaky and finds a place inside you that enhances your well-being. You must interact with others. You must be a compassionate and sympathetic person. You’ll require energy and stamina, both of which can be developed. However, if you are habitually indolent and unconcerned about yourself or others, government job may be an excellent fit for you. The first part is correct. This is a serious situation. It’s fantastic to be intelligent, but it’s much better to have intuition. It’s a coin toss of genetic luck, but our good skills can compensate for what we don’t have.