Nursing Students - Is a CNA Job Your Ticket to a Nursing Career?

For those who are looking into nursing school but aren't sure whether a job in healthcare is right for them, a job as a Certified Nurse's Assistant may be a good first step. It's cheap to take the course training required to be a CNA, it generally only takes a few weeks, and a job as a CNA will give you a front-row seat to what registered nurses do for a living every day.

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In most states, there are private courses which teach the basic skills required to be a certified nurses assistant. These courses usually run from around 0 to 0.

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After the course is completed, the student will undergo a criminal background check and take a test at a testing center. The school will provide the student with the locations and contact information of testing centers in their area, and the school may even administer the test. The test will review basic skills in assisting patients to care for themselves, feed themselves and stay clean. There is also a written section with a few dozen questions on it.

CNAs work under the direction of registered nurses. The patients they care for may be elderly, paralyzed, mentally handicapped, or physically dependent in some other way. CNAs empty bedpans, clean and bathe patients, help them clean their dentures, feed them if necessary, help them dress and climb out of bed into wheelchairs.

It is easy to find a job as a CNA, but the jobs do not pay well. CNAs generally earn somewhere between to an hour, depending on how long they've worked and where they live. There are numerous places that need CNAs: hospitals, schools, clinics, nursing homes, hospices, prisons, agencies that provide home health care.

Many registered nurses began their careers as Certified Nurse's Assistants. A lot of nursing students work part time as CNAs while they are in nursing school. This allows them to make valuable connections in the healthcare field and get references from their employers, and they can see first hand what registered nurses do on their daily rounds. This can be a good way for a person to decide if a career in the healthcare field is right for them; it's not necessarily right for everyone. It requires patience, and compassion, and tolerance, and it's not for the weak of stomach.

For those who are looking for a quick, easy way to to find out what the world of nursing is all about, becoming a CNA is certainly a good first step. And some CNAs enjoy working directly with patients and not having managerial responsibilities and hassles, and they may remain CNAs throughout their career.

Nursing Students - Is a CNA Job Your Ticket to a Nursing Career?

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Nursing Career - How Does a CNA Become an LPN?

While the job as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is an entry position for a nursing career, the position of Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) makes the natural stepping stone from a CNA to RN. Both CNA and LPN are required to work under the supervision of a doctor or a registered nurse. What makes LPN a better position than CNA? And, how does a CNA become an LPN?

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Comparatively, RNs often give LPNs greater responsibility than their CNA counterparts. An LPN, by virtue of added experience, is given added independence to prepare procedural rooms and administer medication to patients. Thereby, LPNs receive higher salaries with average ,000 per year compare to ,000 average annual income for CNAs.

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If you are currently a CNA and you are interested in moving up your nursing career to next level and become an LPN, what additional qualification is necessary? Generally, the LPN training or education requirements vary from state to state. You should refer to your home state's board of nursing for more specific information. For example, a CNA for the state of California who want to make a switch to become a Licensed Practical Nurse, she needs to have 51 months of experience in a hospital setting. The 51 months of experience in hospital should include 200 hours in genitourinary or maternity, 200 hours in pediatrics and 64 hours in Pharmacology. These requirements are particular for the state of California. For the requirements to become an LPN at your state, get the detail information from your home state's board of nursing and then work toward meeting the requirements to make a success switch from CNA to LPN.

Education Programs For LPNs

You may need extra education qualification in order to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. Most LPN programs are available at community colleges throughout the country. Besides the traditional path of campus-based LPN programs, you have an alternative option to earn a qualification as an LPN through online nursing programs offered by many online nursing colleges. These LPN programs vary in length depending on each state's requirements, but on average most LPN programs can be completed in two years of study.

Since most of online nursing programs required some practical hours at hospital or medical center, you need to check the option available in your selected online nursing program regarding the practical portion. Many online nursing schools have worked with local hospitals on practical training for their online students. Therefore, you should check with the school, which you intend to enroll in its online LPN program to make sure it provides a local hospital or medical center you are convenient for when comes to the practical training.

Many hospitals and medical centers do provide continuing education as the employee's benefit for their staff. Therefore, if you are currently working as a CNA, you might want to check with the HR department on the proposed LPN programs that you can enroll in to earn a qualification to make a switch to become an LPN for better career future. After you have completed an LPN program, you also need to pass the national NCLEX-PN before you can begin working in a hospital as an LPN.

Nursing Career - How Does a CNA Become an LPN?

Amelia Turner, an educational article writer focusing on online education. Visit Amelia at http://www.your-online-degree.info to find out more details information and free resources about the online nursing degree program, financial aids and online education options that can help you to make decision to earn your degree online.

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Antibiotics and Injuries - Which Class of Antibiotics Can End Your Lifting Career?

It's almost that time of the year. Football season is just beginning, my lawnmower is getting less and less use, and the temperature is fluctuating more than the stock market. And the season wouldn't be complete without an endless stream of antibiotics coming from the doctors' offices. But before you go begging your doctor for an antibiotic for that runny nose, there's one class of antibiotics that you better be particularly concerned about, especially if you lift heavy weights.

And that class is.... Fluoroquinolones (i.e. Cipro, Levaquin,etc)

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Introduced in the 1980s, this class antibiotics is becoming increasingly popular with each passing year primarily due to the increase in antibiotic-resistant infections. Used most commonly to treat pneumonia and bronchitis, nowadays doctors are using them to treat just about everything. In fact at my pharmacy, they're quickly creeping up the list of most popular antibiotics dispensed, right behind amoxicillin, azithromycin, and bactrim ds.

And why should you care... Tendon ruptures (those things that connect your bones to your muscles)

99 out of 100 doctors aren't going to ask you if you lift weights. In fact, 99 out of 100 doctors are probably going to tell you squatting 300 pounds is extremely dangerous. So it's your responsibility to be aware of potential tendon problems associated with fluoroquinolone use.

Even though they're rare (most experts agree the odds are probably 1 in 100,000), the results can be extremely devastating, especially to an athlete or weekend warrior. In fact, in 2008 the FDA required that all fluoroquinolones carry a black box warning indicating potential tendon problems associated with their use (the equivalent of wearing the scarlet letter). And what is even more concerning to you and I, we're already at a higher risk because a potential risk factor for tendon rupture is participation in sports, which includes weightlifting. In addition, you're even further at risk if you're taking corticosteroids like prednisone. Even inhaled corticosteroids for allergies (Nasonex, Flonase, Nasacort) put you at a higher risk.

Another important fact: Just because you finished your 10 day course of Cipro without any pain, don't think you're out of the woods just yet. There's been documented cases of tendon ruptures 6 months AFTER using a flouroquinolone.

How will you know? Snap, crackle, pop.

The most commonly affected tendon is the Achilles tendon. However, they can b affect virtually any tendon in your body. Symptoms range from stiffness and redness surrounding the tendon to complete inability to move the affected joint. Usually the pain is quick and intense.

I saw firsthand what Levaquin can do. My mother began a 5 day course of Levaquin, and had to stop after 3 days because of the tendon pain. It was so bad she couldn't even walk up and down the stairs. And the worst part: it took 3 weeks for the pain to subside. And this is a lady who has passed 2 kidney stones without any pain medication stronger than Tylenol.

So what's your options? Ask

Ask for a different antibiotic. Tell the doctor you lift weights, and you don't want to risk injury. If you have pneumonia and are relatively healthy, ask for a z-pack. It's considered first line anyways (plus it's also a lot cheaper). With antibiotics, there is usually always alternatives. With so many of them out today, there's almost always overlapping coverage for different types of bacterial infections, unless of course you have something truly funky going on.

More questions?

Here's the best review I've found regarding fluoroquinolone-induced tendon ruptures: "Fluoroquinolone-associated tendinopathy".

-Doc

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For a Health Care Career, Consider CNA Classes

For many young people thinking about a future career, and others in the prime of life seeking a change in direction, the health care industry is one of the more attractive opportunities available. It is one of the few industries that reports growth every year, and with an aging Unites States population, that growth trend is likely to continue far into the future. Within the health care industry, one position that woefully understaffed - and thus in need of new recruits - is that of the Certified Nursing Assistant, or CNA. If you would enjoy the challenge of working in a long-term or residential care facility or plan to pursue advanced medical training but would like an entry point into the medical field now, you may want to consider taking CNA classes.

A Certified Nursing Assistant assists in the care of patients with a variety of medical needs. They provide this assistance while under the supervision of either a Registered Nurse or a Licensed Practical Nurse. CNAs provide care in a wide variety of medical settings: hospitals, assisted living sites, and nursing homes all require CNAs, who have daily contact with most of their patients; in fact, Nursing Assistants generally have more contact with the patients than either the RNs or the doctors. Because of the rigors of the profession, turnover is high - just one more reason why there are always job openings for new CNAs.

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Many Nursing Assistants began taking CNA classes immediately after graduating high school. However, it has become ever more common for people to come to the profession later in life, either as the result of a job layoff, or a desired change in their career direction. Whatever the reasons one becomes a CNA, most Nursing Assistants are quick to point out that what keeps them in the profession is the satisfaction that they derive from helping people on a daily basis. The daily contact that they have with patients builds strong bonds between CNAs and the individuals they assist.

CNA classes are available through a number of sources, primarily community colleges and online training programs. These classes will provide the general training every Nursing Assistant will need, while time spent on-the-job at a medical center provides the actual hands on training that the CNA will need before he or she is certified. Some schools offer the hands on training as part of their curriculum. Finally, every aspiring CNA must pass an examination prior to becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant. 

For a Health Care Career, Consider CNA Classes

If you are considering a career in nursing, or other assisted health care, you should consider CNA Classes. There are a large number of CNA schools that offer CNA classes that are both affordable and available to take either at night or on-line. This is a wonderful way to change careers without quitting the one you are currently working in.

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CNA Certification Can Be the Stepping Stone in Your Career

Obtaining a CNA license and certification to practice as a nursing assistant opens up many professional doors in the medical field. Many people become nursing assistants because they want to help others. They also use the position to gain valuable skills that are then used to help others. Many CNA's are urged to obtain additional training and schooling so that they can increase their technical skills and earn more money. Being a nurse assistant is a stepping stone for advancement in the medical field.

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A certified nursing assistant trains to have the ability to assist individuals in a variety of ways. This assistance is required for those who are incapable of caring for themselves because of physical or mental conditions. A nurse assistant can assist an individual with daily maintenance in a long term care facility, nursing home, hospital or even in the home of the individual. It is recommended that you build a work history that reflects the ability to perform patient care in a variety of settings. Different settings will require the use of certain skills more often even though the duties might be the same. In addition, this working in a variety of settings will give you an idea of which environment they are most comfortable and productive in. As a certified nursing assistant becomes more familiar with the medical field, working in different settings will help him/her gain more experience in a variety of settings. This can be used a reference for deciding which areas he/she may want to specialize in later during the medical career.

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Being a CNA is a job that will provide the fundamentals for nursing care. Many registered nurses begin their careers this way. In fact, many registered nurses cite their previous experience in the field as very valuable to their ability to be a good nurse. Working as a nursing aid provides a basic foundation for patient care, and this is very important for caring for people in any facility and under any specialty. Those medical professionals that begin their careers as such are more likely to have a better understanding of what is required to care for an individual basis. The foundation that is provided by working as a nursing assistant is priceless.

After obtaining the certification to work in the field, individuals should focus on increasing their skill sets. Acquiring additional certifications and obtaining more schooling will be very beneficial regardless of the path you decide to take. The development of new skills will allow you to obtain more responsibility and more pay. Many agencies also recommend that their clients continue their education; some places of employment are even willing to pay for continuing education. Many practicing CNA professionals continue working as they go to school to become practical (LPN) or registered nurses (RN's). The foundation provided by working in the field proves to be very valuable when pursuing higher levels of education for a more advanced nursing career.

CNA Certification Can Be the Stepping Stone in Your Career

Click here for more information about the CNA Skills Test, and how to become a Certified Nurse Assistant!

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CNA Job Description - Entry Way to a Great Career

CNAs are an important part of any health care system. A CNA makes sure that doctors and nurses can do their jobs and that patients are well taken care of. There are always CNA positions open and the CNA job description varies from position to position. A CNA can work in places like hospitals, nursing homes, and doctors offices.

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CNAs are specifically hands on with the patients. They can do a lot of different tasks for patients depending on where they work. Each area that they work in can has its own responsibilities.

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A hospital job has a lot of responsibilities. CNAs who work in hospitals have to care for the patients directly by helping them with things like going to the bathroom, bathing, and changing the bed. They will also need to get things like pillows and blankets for patients who can not get up. A CNA might also be required to take blood pressures, temperatures, or weights.

A CNA that works in a doctors office has a different job to do. They might be responsible for patient check in and out. They may also be responsible for getting files, cleaning patient rooms, and assisting the doctor or nurse. Working in a doctors office gives a CNA access to greater variety of patients.

A nursing home is slightly different. A CNA will still have to take vitals like blood pressure and temperature but there is a lot more hands on day to day care. They get patients up in the morning and give them personal care as well as toileting and such. They report directly to the nurse if there are any problems. They will also deliver bedpans and clean patients when they need it.

A CNA can also work in a private home taking care of a person that is home bound or helping someone recover from an injury. The job description is almost the same as one who works in a nursing home but a CNA may also need to do some errands or driving. Some states require a home health aide certification to do this.

If you are becoming a CNA you will almost always have a job in the different types of health care. You will need to have compassion, and you will need to love taking care of patients. As a CNA there are a lot of different places to work. The CNA job description can include all of these things.

CNA Job Description - Entry Way to a Great Career

To understand whether being a CNA is right for you, please check out our detailed CNA Job Description

Scott Mansfield, Test Editor for Test-Guide.com

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How Makeup Classes Can Skyrocket Your Career as a Makeup Artist

If you've always dreamed of becoming a professional, well-paid makeup artist, you might be able to realize your dreams sooner than you think. Helping others look their best can be a rewarding career both emotionally and financially. But just like any other profession, getting the proper training is essential for success. Makeup classes can help in more ways than one.

Learn Makeup Application for All Occasions

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Perhaps you already know the basics of applying makeup, but that's not all you should know to become a professional makeup artist. Makeup courses can teach you to apply makeup for all different special occasions. Applying makeup for a bride before her wedding is different than makeup for a glamour shot. There are many occasions where the right type of makeup makes all the difference, such as ceremonies, award presentations, black tie events, informal dances, proms, and parties.

Makeup schools also teach you to apply makeup properly for certain needs such as a photo shoot for a model, a live performance by a speaker, politician, ballet dancer, opera singer, or musician, or even an acting session for an actor before entering the filming studio.

Makeup for the camera is often much different than everyday makeup applications, so it's wise to take some makeup lessons on these different methods.

Makeup Application for Different Skin Types

Another way in which makeup courses can help you develop your talents is they will teach you to apply makeup for a variety of skin types. Skin comes in different color shades, depending on the person's skin pigmentation. There is also oily skin, dry skin, and skin that falls somewhere in between. You'll need makeup lessons to learn about the skin types and what type of makeup should be applied to each individual's skin.

Knowing how to determine the colors of makeup is also important. You should consider the person's skin color, eye color, hair color, and the shape of their face to find the perfect color match. Depending on the type of makeup artist you will be, you might apply makeup to men as well. Mostly, this would be for photos or for the live camera.

Learn Other Makeup Techniques

Other makeup techniques you can learn by taking makeup classes include airbrush techniques, applying special effects makeup, applying makeup in salons or spas, working for cosmetic companies, and many others. You'll also learn to work with people and how to assess their needs before applying their makeup to get just the right match for their personality and skin type.

Makeup classes can help you develop your skills as a makeup artist while teaching you the many techniques necessary to become a well-paid professional. If you are unable to take an entire college course, which can take years to complete, then try a makeup workshop that provides a concentrated course on makeup during a limited amount of time. Some of the greatest makeup artists, the best makeup workshops, and the most career opportunities can be found in Hollywood.

You'll be helping others shine with gorgeous makeup in no time!

How Makeup Classes Can Skyrocket Your Career as a Makeup Artist

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Makeup Classes Help Your Career or Majon's Health and Beauty directory

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CNA to LVN - Carving Out a Career Path

Do entry-level positions matter to you? Do you want to be on top? Do you think you have the right qualities to move up to the next level in your career? Are you aiming for a higher salary? Are you hungry for more knowledge, new challenges, and new experiences? Or are you the type of person who is willing to excel in a gradual manner (slowly, but surely)? If you said 'yes' to any of the above questions, that's great! Success in your career of choice always begins by dreaming big!

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Embarking upon a career path is not an easy task, especially in the medical field. However, those working in the medical industry find it to be a very rewarding job. It's a well-known fact that nurses are in demand at hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, and other medical facilities. Thus, a good way to start pursuing a career in the medical field is to become a CNA.

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What can you gain by becoming a CNA first, then pursuing the LVN or LPN career?

If you become a CNA first, your clinical exposure will be varied, diverse, and intense. You will gain a first-hand grasp of nursing care and you will thoroughly understand the nature of the work. Therefore, it is always good to have gained experience before attempting to advance and move up in healthcare industry. Being a CNA can be a stepping stone in your career to more advanced nursing care duties and further career growth. You can advance from being a CNA to become a LVN or LPN, then from a LVN/LPN to a RN. The scope and depth of CNAs' duties are limited, but by gaining work experience and clinical skills, you can become a better health worker. It is a good idea to continue your education to pave the way for bigger career opportunities, income, and responsibilities.

Want to become a LVN or LPN as your next career move? Why not?

A Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) or a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) works under physicians and registered nurses. They act as a support for the ill, injured, and disabled patients or residents. Their work focuses more on giving injections, applying dressings, and observing residents for any adverse reactions to prescribed medications or treatments. They are involved in providing basic bedside care to the residents, taking vitals (temperature, blood pressure, polls, and respiration), and also supervise the nursing assistants.

How to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

To become a LVN, you must complete a state-approved LVN training program and pass the licensing exam called the N-CLEX PN. The course will typically take a year to complete. Education and training take place in classroom settings as well as in hospital or medical facilities for clinical practice. The compensation ranges from - per hour and approximately 24,000 - 48,000 US dollars (USD) per year, which will gradually increase based on your experience. The LVN career is growing and the demand for LVNs is increasing, as the supply of nurses comes up short. In a market where supply does not meet demand, the LVN salary is made even more competitive to attract more qualified nurses, thus increasing the supply.

LVNs usually work at hospitals, long-term care facilities, nursing homes, doctor's offices, or surgical centers, and provide many of basic services also performed by Registered Nurses (RNs). If you want to pursue this career, don't forget to contact the schools or colleges regarding the requirements of the course. Qualifications for the course vary from state to state. Many CNAs, who pursued a career as a LVN, are happy with their title, pay, and positions.

CNA to LVN - Carving Out a Career Path

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CNA Career Ladder Program

The general consensus from the uninitiated is that a completely free CNA training class simply doesn't exist, as there are always hidden costs or stipulations for the trainee. With the adoption of a new Oklahoma State Department of Health (ODSH) program, in cooperation with the Tulsa Community College and Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, over 0,000 was dedicated towards the free training and certification of about 1,000 CNA trainees in 2010.

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The uninitiated might be wonder exactly how much tax money the ODSH's program is costing Oklahoma residents, but the answer is, surprisingly, not a dime. The ODSH collects a number of fees from healthcare organizations in the area that are fined for not following proper guidelines, or for having unacceptably unsatisfactory patient care. In some cases, the CNAs at these offending healthcare organizations may end up being the direct recipient of the ODSH's new program, as the goal is training (and re-training, as the case may be) CNA staff to improve the Oklahoma state-wide patient care conditions. With the program, free CNA trainees are given the tutelage required to reach CNA Level 2 status, which offers a higher pay grade, more responsibility, and the opportunity to attend the Tulsa Community College for further training (up to a CNA Level 3) if they wish-but the further training is not currently covered by the ODSH's program.

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For a non-taxpayer funded state program, the ODSH's free CNA training is taking the money out of those organizations that have slid in terms of patient care, and improving the conditions for the entire state to prevent such haphazard patient care from happening in the future. As a result, all current CNAs with Level 1 skills in Oklahoma will be eligible for the ODSH program to receive free CNA training. The is able to serve the program as a career ladder for current CNAs, which is very apparent from the name of the program itself: the Assistant of Certified Nursing Program of Career Ladder. With online learning components, traditional class, and clinical lab work the CNACL program gears CNA trainees to take a CNA Skills examination at the end of the course in order to rank up to a higher level.

The single caveat to the CNACL program by ODSH is that prospective program applicants must already be accepted into the Tulsa Community College in order to be eligible. An admission to TCC is not a guarantee of acceptance into the CNACL by itself, as already mentioned there is enough funding for about 1,000 CNAs in 2010. Therefore, space is limited and early applications are extremely encouraged after taking the College Placement Test and receiving at least an 80 in Reading and Sentence Skills. Applicants should also ensure that they have taken at least 12 credit hours, and maintained a 3.0 minimum GPA, in addition to having 6 months' experience working in a healthcare facility. Finally, applicants will require a letter of recommendation from an administrator at their workplace in order to be considered.

With a course load of 30 hours, the CNACL program consists of 11 course modules of 3 hours each, for a total of 5 full days of CNA training. Various subjects that are covered during the CNACL program include the following: aging and illness, nutrition, safety, dementia care, teamwork, communication, culture change, the importance of family, spirituality, restorative care, and dying. After the course, all CNACL participants are required to pass a state-sanctioned examination for CNA certification.

Again, the space is severely limited so CNACL hopefuls are encouraged to apply as early as possible. With over 66,000 potential CNACL applicants in Oklahoma (who are in the state registry as a certified CNA), and only 1,000 spots to be filled, the CNACL is an elite program with a high degree of competition for spots.

CNA Career Ladder Program

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