Nursing, Psychiatric and Home Health Aides

It is forecasted that by the year 2014 home health care is going to be one of the fastest growing career fields. Home health aides will greatly benefit from this rapid growth spurt. Many job opportunities and career options should be opening up in the home health care field in the next few years. Nurses or aides usually work in hospitals, residential care facilities or in the section of home health care. The entry level requirements require very little formal training. On the downside the job is very taxing both emotionally and physically. There are not many opportunities for advancement in the home health care field.

Psychiatric aides and nurses are primarily responsible for the care of individuals who are injured, mentally ill or disabled. These individuals may live permanently or on a short-term basis at a hospital, nursing home facility or in a mental institution. A home health aide performs similar duties. Anyone in the nursing field must assist or perform all of a patient’s needs that are required for their daily care. The difference between a home health aide is that this type of aide works in a private residential home or a personal care home setting.

Nursing assistants otherwise known as geriatric aides, nursing assistants or certified nursing assistants usually work in a hospital or nursing home facility. The nursing assistant works under the supervision of a registered nurse or other medical staff. A nursing assistant is expected to answer a patient’s call bell, assist patient’s with their daily needs, serve meals, carry messages back and forth, make beds and other patient duties. A nursing assistant may have to take a patient’s blood pressure, pulse and respiration rate. Also, a nursing assistant will be asked to provide skin care to patients and assist a patient with walking or standing. When working in a hospital setting a nursing assistant will be asked to help transport patients from one part of the hospital to another. Nursing assistants are responsible for the storing and moving of supplies. Plus while a nursing assistant is on shift the assistant must write-up a report on the patient’s emotional, physical and mental conditions. If there are any changes in a patients condition the nursing assistant must report this change to their supervisor immediately.

The salary for a nursing assistant or home health aide is relatively low but so are the educational requirements. There are not many opportunities for advancement in this field. Nursing can be an incredibly rewarding field. It is a field that requires compassion, a kind heart and patience.