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Should I be a nursing assistant?
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Do you enjoy helping people?

Does a career in healthcare sound interesting?

Does a fast-paced, client-oriented setting seem compatible with your work ethic?

Two healthcare workers nodding their heads.

If you answered YES to these questions, then becoming a nursing assistant might be the right fit for you!

What Nursing Assistants Do

Nursing assistants serve as members of medical care teams by providing basic care to patients admitted to hospitals, clinics, and other medical care facilities.

Woman holding a red stethoscope in the shape of a heart.

Some nursing assistants' care tasks include:

  • helping patients eat and move

  • communicating with patients

  • conducting basic tests

  • monitoring changes in patient health

Quiz

What would you likely NOT have to do as a nursing assistant?

What Education Do You Need?

In order to become a nursing assistant, you'll be required to have a high school diploma.

But you may have better luck finding a position if you also have:

  • an associates degree OR

  • a post-secondary degree OR

  • a post-secondary certificate

Cartoon image of an open book with a lightbulb in the middle

Since this job is considered entry-level, having little to no experience is okay!

Man with arms extended, saying 'Welcome aboard.'

Quiz

Liam wants to become a nursing assistant but is unsure whether or not he can with only a high school diploma and informal experience caring for his grandma. What would you tell him?

Did you know?

National Nurses Week has been bringing awareness to the hard work and contributions of nurses since 1993 (Canadian Nurses Association, "National Nursing Week 2022").

What Salary Should You Expect?

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The average annual salary for nursing assistants in the United States is around$44,000.

The average annual salary for nursing assistants in Canada is around $45,000.

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Is Working as a Nursing Assistant the Right Choice for You?

As a nursing assistant, it's expected that you are:

  • attentive to detail

  • knowledgeable about the medical field

  • a great communicator

  • interested in nursing

  • empathetic and patient

  • positive

  • willing to work flexible shifts

Do these qualities align with the kind of worker you are or want to be?

Winnie the Pooh tapping his head with his hand with the caption 'think'

Specialization Opportunities

With some extra training, there are also opportunities to fine-tune where and to who you provide care. For example, you could:

  • Focus on a specific part of the body, like the heart or the brain. Cartoon icon of two red hearts pressed together

  • Care for a certain demographic of patients, like children or the elderly.

Cartoon icon of three children's faces

  • Choose where you'd like to work, such as in a hospital, clinic, or in a patient's home.

Cartoon icon of a hospital building

Or, you can continue to be a general nursing assistant if you enjoy variety in your daily work routine. No matter what you choose, nursing assistants provide essential care and enrich the lives of individuals that need support!

GIF of the Pokemon Chansey in a nurse's hat walking on screen with a needle

Take Action

Are you ready to start your journey?

Oprah Winfrey, saying, 'Your future's so bright it burns my eyes.'

License:

This Byte has been authored by

AF

Amelia Forgione

eLearning & Instructional Design Student

#career-skills

#job-hunting

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