WHAT IS A NURSE AIDE?
One of the most significant and far-reaching takeaways of health care reform in the past half-decade is the increased focus on patient-facing skills and competencies. The growing number of people who now have access to medical care thanks to President Obama’s health care law means that clinics, hospitals and care facilities are experiencing greater strain on medical personnel because of the increased demand.
While doctors and nurse practitioners receive essential education on the most up-to-date medical practices, clinicians’ skill sets tend to be strictly clinical, either diagnosing conditions, prescribing treatments and interpreting results to fine-tune individual patient plans. However, these professions often lack the personable touch that many patients need, especially in instances where an individual is navigating a new and frightening medical situation.
Nursing aides play an important role in the changing health care system, as they are instrumental in bridging the gap between patient and practitioners. They provide a valuable and often hands-on resource for individuals who need assistance not necessarily with the big-picture strategy of their overall treatment, but in managing day-to-day tasks that may prove challenging to some.
ARE ONLINE NURSING AIDE PROGRAMS FOR YOU?
Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing an online nursing aide program.
The educational requirements for nursing aides are lower than those associated with doctors, nurse practitioners or registered nurses. Unlike these jobs, nursing aide positions typically do not mandate an extensive education in medicine or science, as job duties are more centered on working with patients directly to help with daily tasks such as washing and dressing than with planning and executing treatment.
As such, many nursing aide careers provide on-the-job training, requiring candidates to have a high school diploma or GED. Because of the nature of the interactions that nursing aides regularly encounter, emphasis is placed on a different skill set than would be needed by other nursing professions. In particular, communication skills are especially valuable. The vast majority of a nursing aide’s job will involve communicating with patients on some level, so these skills are essential. It is also a good idea to consider studying a foreign language such as Spanish, French or German to better meet the needs of a rapidly diversifying patient base.
In addition to meeting the educational requirements, most states require nursing aides to be licensed before they can practice.
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Southern New Hampshire University
- Take advantage of some of the nation’s most affordable tuition rates, while earning a degree from a private, nonprofit, NEASC accredited university
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- Multiple term start dates throughout the year. 24/7 online classroom access.
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Colorado State University Global
- Ranked #8 by U.S.News & World Report for Best Online Bachelor’s Programs
- Apply up to 90 transfer credits for bachelor’s students, and 9 transfer credits for master’s degree students.
- CSU Global graduates experience a return on investment of 4:1, which means they receive $4 in salary and benefits for every $1 they invest in their education.
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Western Governors University
- Award-winning programs created to help you succeed.
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- Programs start monthly – Apply free this week!
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WHAT DO ONLINE NURSING AIDE PROGRAM COURSES LOOK LIKE?
Some common courses include:
CPR and First Aid: Learn how to help patients during an emergency. This course may cover what to do in the event of choking, bleeding, shock, seizures, and more.
Intro to Health Sciences: This course may review the basics of how health care works – from science to business. And, you could learn how health care teams work together to get results.
Nurse Aide Skills: Find out what goes into serving diverse patient needs. You could learn basic nursing skills, ethics, and how to communicate with patients.
Nutrition: Discover the ins and outs of nutrition, and the role it plays in human health. You could learn how our nutritional needs change based on our behaviors and life stages.
NURSING AIDE POSSIBLE CAREER PATHS AND SALARIES
The diverse and wide-reaching nature of the medical profession means that, like doctors and nurses, nursing aides have a variety of settings in which they can practice. While many work in hard clinical settings such as hospitals, nursing aides can also be of great value in long-term care facilities and residential nursing homes.