Posts Tagged ‘nursing assistant’

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What Will I Do As a STNA in Ohio?

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

 

Your duties as a State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA) in Ohio encompass a wide range of responsibilities, depending on where you work. These tasks vary with the job and facility, and also vary somewhat from state to state. There are many laws of responsibility and liability that cover the exact duties of a STNA, and you will learn about many of them during your STNA training in Ohio.

As you go through your formal training and participate in clinicals, you will learn more about which of Ohio’s laws apply to your role as a state tested nursing assistant. Your primary obligation will be, of course, to your client or the patient. You will often be responsible for the daily management and routine care of your patient. This is especially true for the care of elderly residents in nursing home and extended care facilities.

 Your second obligation will probably be to carry out the mission, goals, and objectives of your employer. Many facilities offer intense training and an orientation program to carefully go over the expectation of their workers.

 Your third obligation will be to carry out the duties of a state tested nursing assistant as you were trained and educated to perform. This becomes your major obligation and you will find it very rewarding and satisfying.

During your STNA training in Ohio, you will learn how to ensure that your patients’ are always protected – including the right of privacy, the right to be informed of their health care program and treatment, the right to accept or reject treatment, and the right to be included in their health care plan information.

Because nurses cannot spend a lot of time in direct contact with the patient, you will be the nurses’ “eyes and the ears.” You will keep a close watch over your patients, and will be familiar with emergency responses in case of need. In most situations, you will monitor your client or patient’s vital signs, such as temperature, respiration, pulse, blood pressure, and level of pain.  You will be the one who notifies a nurse or doctor if anything changes in the patient’s condition. During your STNA training in Ohio, you will also learn the feeding process in order to ensure that patients are eating properly and taking any vitamins or nutritional supplements. You may also make beds, and perform hair care, personal hygiene, and bed-bath responsibilities.

There are many duties of a certified state-tested nursing assistant and the responsibility is enormous and challenging. The reward of your training will also be a exciting and very satisfying career.  Get started with your STNA training in Ohio today.

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Is it Time for a Career Change? Consider Becoming an STNA

Monday, July 12th, 2010

You’ve tried various career paths, but with little success, only frustration. Maybe it’s time for something new? Of all of the career options before you, why should you consider STNA training in Ohio? 

 

If you like helping others and want to work in the medical field, being a state trained nursing assistant can be an exciting and fulfilling career option. Candidates who received their STNA training in Ohio have career options in a variety of medical facilities, plus there is a high demand of skilled nursing assistants in the market. This profession can be extremely rewarding for someone wishing to make a difference in others’ lives by helping them.

 

Nursing assistants are the bridge between the patients and the medical staff, providing assistance to ensure the patients’ comfort. They also provide critical emotional support to the patients and their family. Nursing assistants prepare and maintain a report of the patients’ medical condition and vital signs, to which nursing staff refer while attending to patient. Nursing assistants also assist the nursing staff in setting up medical equipment and moving the patients whenever necessary. This job offers constant variety because things change daily – each day has its own set of challenges.

 

A nursing assistant’s job is challenging and it comes with many responsibilities, and it is a great choice for those who are passionate about helping others. Strong communication skills are also vital in this profession as you must communicate clearly and effectively with the patients and other medical staff at all times. Overall, receiving STNA training in Ohio allows you to touch the lives of many people and make a difference in the world.

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Desirable Work Ethics for Ohio STNAs

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

Mastering skills like taking vital signs and patient care are an important aspect of STNA training in Ohio, but it’s not the only thing that will make you successful in a STNA career.  You also need to display strong work ethics and responsibility.

 

 

Among the traits that successful STNAs possess are:

 

Empathy: Know how to put yourself in someone else’s place. Whenever faced with a situation, be willing to ask yourself what you would do, or how you would act if you had to deal with the very same problem.

 

Courtesy: Be courteous to everyone; your patients, their families and visitors, and fellow co-workers. Simple acts of politeness include saying “thank you” or “please”. Treat others the way you would want to be treated.

 

Dependability: You are part of a team, and each team member is as important as the next when it comes to the overall care of patients. Being on time to work, returning from breaks and lunches at the specified time, and completing assigned tasks are all a part of being a dependable STNA.

 

Caring: You’ve received the necessary training to help an individual be more comfortable, happier and even in less pain. Show your concern in your interactions with your patients and their visitors and families.

 

Honesty: Be truthful and accurate in all reports, comments, conversations, and actions.

 

Consideration: Have respect for the patient’s emotional and physical feelings. Showing acts of kindness and gentleness to a patient and their support system helps to ease some the stress that goes along with needing medical care.

 

Cooperation: Be an active part of your team. Be aware of others and be willing to help out, if applicable, in stressful and busy situations.

 

Cheerfulness: Be pleasant. Everyone has some sort of issue to deal with outside of work, but don’t allow that issue to interfere with your day. Remain pleasant in greeting and speaking with others throughout your workday.

 

Conscientiousness: Be thorough. Know and understand instructions before you begin. Be alert and always “put your best foot forward.”

 

Trustworthiness: Everyone you come in contact with throughout your work day has confidence in your abilities as an STNA. Be trustworthy with all work related information.

 

Enthusiasm: Realize that being an STNA is important. Be eager and excited about your job and what you provide to patients and their families. Showing excitement in what you do shows to patients as well as co-workers and supervisors.

 

Respectfulness: Everyone you meet has rights. Individuals have their own feelings: their own rights and beliefs. Be respectful and treat everyone you encounter with dignity.

 

These skills are valuable in any area of life, but particularly if you are going to be entrusted with the daily care of a sick or dying patient.

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CNA vs. STNA – What’s the Difference?

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

 

 

Many people mistakenly believe that a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) and a STNA (State Tested Nursing Assistant) are the same.

 
They are not.

 

In Ohio, CNA means that you are “certified,” meaning that you took the STNA class only and you’ve finished it. You have completed all of the practical learning as far as standardized classes are concerned and you have completed a minimum number of hours in a clinical setting in a long-term care facility, nursing home, or hospice setting.
You have demonstrated a desire to learn about the profession. But you have not passed the state exam. The CNA is a temporary designation which allows you to work in a STNA position before you have passed the state test.

 

Per Ohio law, once you have your certificate of completion of STNA training, you have to decide between two choices:

 

1. If you want to work and earn money right away, you have only 4 months from the time of finishing the course (received certificate of completing the class becoming a CNA) to the time you MUST take the test to become a State Tested Nursing Assistant. If you do not take the test within 4 months of completing the course, you MUST retake the entire STNA course over again in order to be eligible to take the STNA exam.

 

Note: If you fail the test the first time you get 2 more chances (total of 3) to pass the state exam. That process can extend a little more than 4 months, but not much.

 

2. The second option is that you don’t start working and earning money as a nursing assistant. Then you have two years in which to take the STNA exam. If you complete the course but do not take the test within two years, then you have to start all over again.

 

What some folks get confused is that they think that they can just not for 4 months and then find work as a CNA and then take the exam. Nope! You can’t do that. After 4 months, you lose your CAN status and cannot work. You have to wait to be employed until you take the exam and pass it. Then you can be employed as an STNA.

 

Also, to maintain your STNA certification you must work at least 8 hours every 2 years in a LONG TERM Care Facility. The law is not stringent at the time of this writing, however it’s changed once before and those individuals not working in an LTCF had to stop working as an STNA, retake the course and retake the state test because they had not complied with the continuing education requirements.

 

So it’s best to just work those 8 hours every 2 years, obtain proof from the human resources department that you did this, and keep it in your files just in case the state registry questions your certification in the future.

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Criminal Background Checks and STNA Training

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

 

In order to begin STNA training in Ohio, you will have to pass a criminal background check.  A criminal background check is simply the process of finding out if the individual has been convicted of any crimes.  They are routinely performed before many employment opportunities, especially in health care fields. 

 

The process is very straightforward for enrollment in classes.  If you have lived in Ohio for more than 3 years,   your fingerprints will be scanned and submitted to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, a division of the Ohio Attorney General’s office.  BCI maintains the statewide Automated Fingerprint Identification System which catalogs the millions of fingerprints from all the law enforcement offices throughout the state. Every time someone is arrested in Ohio, their fingerprints are taken and submitted to the AFIS database. If you have lived in another state, a request will be submitted to that state (or states) for them to check their databases for any criminal history. A report is then issued to the school or employer, typically in about 10 days.

 

Finding a criminal record does not necessarily preclude training or employment.  Certain factors are taken in consideration:  your age when you committed the offense; the type and severity of the offense (misdemeanor, felony, etc.); how much time has passed since the offense occurred; whether you are currently on probation; if the offense was related to employment; and if there is a history of committing offenses.

 

Certain offenses will prevent enrollment in STNA training and even employment for particular lines of work. Those with sexual offenses will not be hired at schools or hospitals. In addition, committing an employment-related offense (such as stealing from your job) will make it difficult to find employment at many places in the future.

 

What should you do if you have a criminal conviction on your record but want to pursue a career as an STNA?  First of all, be honest and upfront about the situation with your training center staff.  Talk to the director of admissions and explain the circumstances surrounding any conviction.

 

Finally, if you only have one conviction, it has been more than one year, and you completed any terms of probation successfully, you may want to consider having the record expunged.   Some types of offenses cannot be expunged, like DUIs, sexual offenses, or serious felonies.  But a successful expungement wipes your record clean.  It will not appear in a standard background check and you are not required to disclose it on applications.  However, even if you have a conviction expunged, it’s still a good idea to make sure your director of admissions is aware of the situation, but it will make starting your career easier.

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What are Clinicals?

Tuesday, April 27th, 2010

Clinicals are an important part of STNA training in Ohio.  They give STNA students real-life experiences in handling the duties they will handle in their working life.

 

Clinicals are supervised sessions conducted in real healthcare environments, like a nursing home, hospital, or clinic, which allow STNA students to put their knowledge and skills to work. STNA clinicals are like mini-internships and they are a critical part of the STNA training in Ohio.  Clinicals allow the STNA student to deal with real patients in a supervised setting before being thrust into real situations without instructors or supervising nurses to step in and assist.

 

During clinicals, the STNA will be assigned to work with patients with a variety of different needs.  They usually work closely with a supervising nurse or trainer, and occasionally with doctors, and other health care providers. The STNA students are rotated through a variety of settings, from intensive care wards to nursing homes to outpatient clinics, so that they get to interact with a wide variety of patients, and to see a broad spectrum of health care interventions and situations.  They get hands-on experience at assisting patients with bathing and feeding, taking vital statistics, observing patients and reading charts.

 

Before being allowed to participate in the clinicals, STNA students must complete a portion of training in the classroom.  This is where they gain the general knowledge of what needs to be done in a medical situation.  This knowledge encompasses everything from common first aid, to dietary and medication basics, to how to provide basic hygiene assistance,and even how to react in specific medical situations.  The classroom will also address the ethical issues STNA students  may encounter in the course of the work. Students are often given an opportunity to work in lab environments, and to “treat” actors or fellow classmates who volunteer to be model patients.

 

In addition to being used to provide educational opportunities, clinicals are also used by the STNA teachers to evaluate their students. Students are expected to thoroughly research their patients, apply all their knowledge, and be prepared to answer questions relating to patient care, the history of the individual patient, and other issues. Supervisors will also observe the way in which the STNA student interacts with the patient; for example, is the student unfriendly or rough, even though the medical care is adequate? These types of observations are used to guide the student, and to determine final grades.

 

For STNA students, nursing clinicals can be intense, because they provide the first opportunity to interact with real patients, and to make decisions which could have very real consequences. Students should remember that they are there to learn, and they should never be afraid to say that they don’t understand something, or don’t feel comfortable performing a procedure without assistance or direction.  It is a critical and necessary part of STNA training in Ohio.

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8 Questions to Ask Before Becoming a STNA

Monday, April 12th, 2010

 

It takes time and effort to become a State-Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA). It is a rewarding career for some, but it’s not right for everyone. Here are eight questions you should ask yourself before enrolling in our STNA classes in Ohio.

 

1) Do you enjoy health, science and math classes? As a STNA, you will be expected to understand how the human body works, how different medications may interact, and how to gauge and monitor various measurements. It will be very beneficial to you if you enjoy these areas.

 

2) Do you like to help people, even when they are sick? A STNA is first and foremost a helper. Your role would be to help the other nurses and doctors stay informed about the patient’s health conditions. You would be helping the patient and their family with their everyday needs. In many instances, the patient will be unable to do even simple tasks by themselves and will need your help.

 

3) Can you follow directions, but are you confident enough to take some actions on your own? You will need to follow the directions of the doctors and nurses, but when you have enough experience in caring for your patients, you will need to be confident enough to take care of the patient’s needs without close supervision. The doctors and nurses are too busy to tell you everything little thing that needs to be done. You need to have the common sense to recognize what needs to be done and then the confidence to do it without being told.

 

4) Do you communicate well? The STNA is usually the position with the most contact with the patient and is often the go-between to make sure the patient’s questions and concerns are being heard by the doctor and nurses and then make sure the patient and his or her family hears accurate information from the doctors and nurses. A STNA must be able to accurately convey information, without excess emotion or hyperbole to everyone else in the medical care chain.

 

5) Are you patient and thick-skinned? As a STNA on the frontline of patient care, you will have to deal with patients and families who are in pain and ill. As a result, they may say or do mean things. They will complain a lot, they will find fault in everything you do. You have to be able to listen to their criticism, understand that it’s not YOU, but their circumstances, and still maintain a positive, cheerful attitude.

 

6) Are you a good listener? Many times, a patient just needs someone they can talk to. You have to show your patients that you care and hear their concerns. Sometimes, you will have to interpret what they are feeling because their pain cannot allow them to express themselves adequately.

 

7) Do you like working with your hands and doing physical work? The job of a STNA is physically demanding. You will be on your feet a lot, and you will be helping patients button their shirts, brush their teeth and brush their hair. You will not be sitting in an office all day staring at a computer screen.

 

8) Do like a routine where you know what you are going to do every day? Then being a STNA may not be right for you. Every day will be a different challenge. Those individuals who like variety and can adapt to whatever the day brings are the most successful in this type of environment.

 

If you have answered these questions and still want to explore becoming a STNA, we encourage you to check out our STNA training in Ohio.

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What Are the Typical Duties of a STNA?

Monday, April 5th, 2010

A state-tested nursing assistant (STNA), by definition, assists other medical professionals, like doctors, registered nurses, and licensed practical nurses, with patient care. Most STNAs work in health care facilities, such as hospitals or nursing homes. However, a growing number of STNAs are providing care to patients in their homes as home health care workers.

 

The STNA is often the person with the most one-on-one interaction with the patient and is the first to discover any health issues the patient may be experiencing. It is a position of great responsibility in the healthcare of a patient. The STNA training in Ohio teaches nursing assistants how to be successful with many of the following skills:

 

1. Personal Hygiene
One of the most common responsibilities of a STNA is taking care of a patient’s daily personal hygiene needs. This may include assisting the patient with going to the bathroom, brushing his or her teeth, changing clothes, and brushing the patient’s hair. The STNA is also often charged with the task of making sure the bedding is changed regularly and the patient is not developing bed sores. Because of these types of duties, a STNA must be in good physical condition.  It can be a physically challenging role.

 

2. Proper Diet
Making sure the patients maintain a healthy diet is also an important task for the STNA. In cases where the patient cannot feed themselves, the STNA will be expected to feed them. In cases of finicky eaters, the STNA is the one charged with trying to make sure the patient is getting proper nutrition and recording what has been eaten each day so the doctors or nurses can determine if other sources of nutrients are needed.

 

3. Vital Signs
The STNA is often the person who takes and records the regular vital signs for the patient, such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiration statistics. The STNA is trained to look at the results, note any irregularities or surrounding conditions, and point out potential issues to the rest of the medical team.

 

4. Emotional Support
But probably the most important task of the STNA is to provide emotional support and encouragement to the patient and the family. Many times, the patient just needs to know that someone cares. The ability to provide a friendly smile, a kind word, and just being able to listen to the patient are vital skills for every STNA.

 

Top-notch STNA training in Ohio can be found here at Premier Choice Health Services.  Call us today to get registered and get started on your new exciting career.

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Working with Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

Alzheimer’s Disease, or AD, is one of the most common causes of dementia in the elderly and more than half of nursing home patients in the US may have it, or a related disorder. AD causes tangled nerve fibers and protein deposits to form in the brain, which eventually cause dementia. The disease progressively gets worse, causing greater and greater loss of health and abilities.

Symptoms of AD appear gradually and tend to start with memory loss. Patients tend to become disoriented and start to lose their communication abilities. Mood and behavior change, leading to aggressiveness, wandering, and withdrawal. Eventually, the patient loses all ability to care for himself or herself.

When working with a patient with AD, in addition to helping the resident continue to do things for himself or herself, which can slow AD’s progression, there are things you can do to make it easier to work with a resident with this frustrating and debilitating condition.

  • Do not take their behavior personally.
  • Treat residents with AD with dignity and respect, as you would want to be treated.
  • Work with the symptoms and behaviors you see.
  • Work as a team.
  • Encourage communication.
  • Take care of yourself.
  • Work with family members.
  • Follow the goals of the resident care plan.

When communicating with the patient,

Do not startle the patient. Always approach from the front.

  • Determine how close the resident wants you to be.
  • Speak slowly in a calm, low voice, preferably in a room that has little background noise.
  • Always identify yourself and use the resident’s name.
  • Repeat yourself as often as needed.
  • Use signs, pictures, gestures, or written words, if needed.
  • Break complex tasks into smaller, simpler ones, giving simple step-by-step instructions when needed.

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How to Re-Enter the Healthcare Job Market

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

Maybe you’ve been out of the job search for a while – raising your family, in another line of work, or were employed for a long time – and you may be intimidated by a job search. It’s common for STNA’s to re-enter the job market after spending time away doing other things and it’s also possible to make a smooth transition back into the healthcare workforce if you are willing to update your skills and adjust your attitude.



Entertain your options. Don’t assume you should return to the same type of work you did before. For example, hospital professionals today face a heavier workload and more acutely ill patients than in years past. You could be much happier in a different environment.



Look Into Your Options. You’ll have to research to redefine your career goal. The library and internet are extremely valuable tools, plus you’ll also want network through professional organizations, set up informational interviews, and attend job fairs.



Stay in the Game. As you’re researching career options, you should also investigate health industry trends. Take note of the latest buzzwords and acronyms that may come up during interviews.



Refresh Your SkillsMake sure that your clinical skills are up to snuff. At a minimum, you must fulfill the necessary educational requirements for professional re-licensure. You may also want to take a clinical refresher course.



Computers are Your Friends. Computer literacy is almost a prerequisite in most health professions. At the very least, you should know the basic functions of a computer and how to use a keyboard.

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