Nurse Assistant Schools and Career Info

Things you need to know, but nobody tells you

What has surprised me most about my education is how much the atmosphere changes in college. People who are in college want to be there and are generally not...[full comment]

I was surprised by how heart-wrenching it could sometimes be. You're working with a lot of sick people, and sometimes they die. So, it can really upset you sometimes.[full comment]

I was surprised how difficult the job was. I thought I would be healing patients but it's way more technical. Learning protocols and procedures for different situations. Proper paperwork and...[full comment]

I found it extremely interesting that nursing requires more customer service work than one would expect. Also, most of the time the nurses and nursing assistants get to do...[full comment]

The most surprising thing about my career is how honest and nice people can actually be. There are many people that do not like working customer service because people are...[full comment]

The best part of my job is being there for the residents. For many residents, the staff is the only family and friends that they ever see. When a resident...[full comment]

Pay very close to what your instructor is telling you when you take the course. Every piece of information helps. Never doubt yourself; if you do, the job will be...[full comment]

The best part of my job is that I get a chance to make a difference in somebody's life. Making it possible for them to be comfortable at their own...[full comment]

If you want a career in healthcare, you should shoot to be an RN or LPN if only because you can make more of a difference and the work of...[full comment]

The absolute best part of my career is the fact that I get to make a difference in the lives of those I care for. A lot of these people...[full comment]

The advice I would offer to those who want to pursue a career in the medical field, especially geriatrics, is to know what you're dealing with first! Volunteer at a...[full comment]

 
 

School and Career Surprises: Tips From People on the Job

Each comment from a nurse assistant includes their career and school ratings.

Career: "I was surprised by how heart-wrenching it could sometimes be. You're working with a lot of sick people, and sometimes they die. So, it can really upset you sometimes."

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School: Studied Nursing at Ivy Tech Community College. in Indiana; completed Associate degree in 2011
Career: Certified Nursing Assistant, female, 1 years of experience, currently based in Texas

Career: "I was surprised how difficult the job was. I thought I would be healing patients but it's way more technical. Learning protocols and procedures for different situations. Proper paperwork and channels to go through for everything is a learning curve."

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School: Studied Nursing at Drexel University in Pennsylvania; completed Bachelor degree in 2007
Career: Nurse Aide, female, 4 years of experience, currently based in Pennsylvania

Career: "I found it extremely interesting that nursing requires more customer service work than one would expect. Also, most of the time the nurses and nursing assistants get to do more of the doctor type jobs than the actual doctor does!"

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School: Studied Nursing at Reading Area Community College in Pennsylvania; completed Certificate degree in 2012
Career: Nursing Assistant, male, 1 years of experience, currently based in Pennsylvania

School: "What has surprised me most about my education is how much the atmosphere changes in college. People who are in college want to be there and are generally not forced to be there. Things are completely different."

Career: "The most surprising thing about my career is how honest and nice people can actually be. There are many people that do not like working customer service because people are rude and mean. People are rude and mean but there are also a lot of them that are nice and considerate."

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School: Studied Medical Aid at Iowa Western Community College in Iowa; completed Associate degree in 2012
Career: Med Aid, female, 10 years of experience, currently based in Nebraska

Best & Worst Things About This Career

As reported by people currently doing the job

"The absolute best part of my career is the fact that I get to make a difference in the lives of those I care for. A lot of these people are simply ignored by their families, and we, as the caregivers, are the only family they have. This is what makes it really nice for them, and for us. We get paid, sure. It's a career. But it's also a way of life. The worst part of the job is the constant head-bucking you get from administration. They seem to make the decisions on how we should conduct our care, but have no idea what hands-on care is all about, making it difficult for them to gauge. Our company's slogan is "What Matter's Most..." To us, that means the residents. To administration, it seems more that it means the bottom-line profit. This is the sad state of most medical facilities these days."

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School : Certificate in geriatric health care
Career: Nursing Assistant, currently based in Pennsylvania;

Tips for Succeeding in This Career

Helpful info from insiders

"The advice I would offer to those who want to pursue a career in the medical field, especially geriatrics, is to know what you're dealing with first! Volunteer at a local nursing home and actually see what you'll be doing for a living. Some people enter this job with the thoughts that it's like what you see on TV, and all you'll be doing is listening to "grandma" talk about yesteryear and placing a sweater over her shoulders... it's not this way. You have combative residents that have severe physical disabilities and have the potential to injure you. Weigh this carefully! Another bit of advice is to not work for a for-profit company. Look for a nice non-profit nursing home. These usually offer better pay and better benefits because they can't show a bottom line of profit at the end of the year. Thirdly, don't pay for your education yourself. Simply apply at nursing homes that offer paid training. This is where you will work on-the-job, and they pay you to do so. Then, they pay for your testing. This is a great deal in this day-and-age!"

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School : Certificate in geriatric health care
Career: Nursing Assistant, currently based in Pennsylvania;