The Certified Nursing Assistant is a very important member of the health care team and can work in a variety of settings, including: acute hospital care, long-term care, rehabilitation, assisted living, adult day care, respite services, home health, hospice and many others. The CNA works directly with patients providing for their physical and emotional needs. 

 

 

Caring for patients requires a great deal of understanding and self-confidence. The most successful nursing assistants are sensitive, mature, patient, dependable, and have a positive attitude. 

 

Overall employment of Nursing Programs Bay Area California and home health aides is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2012, although individual occupational growth rates will vary. Employment of home health aides is expected to grow the fastest, as a result of both growing demand for home health care services from an aging population and efforts to contain health care costs by moving patients out of hospitals and nursing care facilities as quickly as possible. Consumer preference for care in the home and improvements in medical technologies for in-home treatment also will contribute to faster-than-average employment growth for home health aides.  (Source - U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook)

 

The job opportunities for nursing assistants remain excellent. Delivery of health services to a wide range of people and increases in starting salaries have contributed to positive growth for nursing assistants.

 

 

According to the California Labor Market information, there are five industries that employ most Nurse Assistants: nursing and personal care facilities, hospitals, residential care facilities, temporary agencies, and home health care services. Assisted living facilities are a growing sector of personal care facilities. Nurse assistant is the entry-level job in the nursing field. With additional training and schooling, an NA can work in a specialty area such as pediatrics, geriatrics, surgery, medicine, obstetrics, orthopedics, and psychiatry. Nurse Assistant begins the foundation skills and knowledge that could lead to other health care occupations. Nurse Assistants could further their nursing career by enrolling in Vocational Nursing and subsequently in Registered Nursing programs. 

 

For more information, please visit Nursing Programs Bay Area California