The Role Of Certified Nursing Assistants And How They Have Impacted Myself As A Future Caregiver
Introduction
First lady, Rosalynn Carter once said, “There are four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who currently are caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.
As nursing homes and assisted facilities begin to admit patients of all ages, the majority of us either know a family member or friend that is a caregiver, or a patient of one, and the important role they play in the medical field. As a future caregiver, specifically a certified nursing assistant, I can speak on behalf of those in training.
The U.S. Legal Incorporation defines a certified nursing assistant, or CNA, is a person who assists patients with healthcare needs and cares for a patient that is ill or recovering from a surgery or disease. In other words, CNA’s are the caregivers that are permitted to perform activities of daily living as well bedside care that includes: bathing, dressing, eating, transferring, and/or continence. CNA’s are employed and exposed to many environments that consist of: nursing homes, hospitals, home healthcare, adult day cares, government facilities, and private practices. For example, hospital employed CNA’s tend to perform more exhaustive work as the facility is open all day and all night. A certified nurse assistant could be compared to a part of a car. With the car being a hospital, the motor representing doctors, the transmission representing the RN’s, the brakes as the dietary staff, the tires as the secretaries, and the CNA’s as nuts and bolts. Without every part the car could not operate, similarly to how a hospital could not function without the entire team and most importantly, the CNA’s essentially hold everything together. Show slide Transition I will now explain how I am impacted by CNA’s, in order to provide a better explanation regarding their true significance.
As a CNA in training, I am impacted by nursing aides on a daily basis and have learned and developed a new found respect for these caregivers. According to the article titled Nursing Assistants and Orderlies, on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website, there is an expected 11% projected increase in nurse assistant employment by 2026 (Nursing Assistant and Orderlies). With this faster than average projection I am provided job security, as the demand for these positions continue to grow. To further the idea of job security, it has been apparent that in this field we tend to learn things from each other which in essence molds us into the caregivers we are, and therefore, each of us play an important role in another’s career.. Not only am I a candidate for employment, but I will learn to take care of people, which will essentially prepare me to take care of my loved ones if ever needed. With experience and professional knowledge, I will be able to apply my learnings to my personal life. This not only ensures that I could be making a difference in the lives of other’s but my own as well.
At some point in our lives we are impacted by someone who is a caregiver, in this case a CNA, or one who will need a caregiver, possibly family or friends. The blog titled “Impact of Nurse, Nursing Aides Shortage on Senior living” from the Caitlin Morgan Insurance Services website says that by 2020, 5 million direct-care workers will be needed to accommodate for the aging population. At some point in time family or friends will likely need long-term services. Certified nursing assistants are critical caregivers in this aspect of the medical field and even act as a pateint’s family when their family cannot be present. B. On the other hand, we all may need some sort of direct-care eventually, and therefore, we should recognize the importance of nurse assistants.
Conclusion
Certified nurse assistants trace back all the way to World War I when American Red Cross established the Volunteer Nurses Aide Service, allowing individuals to assist wartime nurses, according to Dan Ketchum, author of the article CNA Facts. From this we can see the importance of CNA’s throughout history as well as today in society, which only furthers my point that we all have or we all will be impacted the nurse aides. II. I encourage all of you to take the time, at some point and acknowledge and appreciate the CNA’s around you, as they play one of the most important roles in the medical field. I have read and understand the sections in the Student Bulletin and/or course syllabus relating to IUPUI’s Honesty/Cheating Policy. I certify that I have not cheated or plagiarized in the process of completing this assignment. I also verify that this assignment is unique to this class and that I have not used work from previous courses. If it is found that cheating and/or plagiarism did take place in the writing of this outline, I understand the possible consequences of the act, which could include expulsion from IUPUI.
