Who has the most daily contact with the patient in the hospital, or in a nursing facility or in home health care? Hands down—the nurse assistant. Although you work under the direction of a registered nurse in most clinical settings, you are the person responsible for bathing and feeding patients who need help; making beds and cleaning patients’ rooms, transporting patients to different departments when needed, taking and recording vital signs as directed and a variety of other basic but essential services. 

Because you work closely with patients, other staff members, including RNs, physicians, and physical therapists, rely heavily on your observations and reports. You are not only an invaluable asset to the patient, but to the whole medical team. 

L&C has a strong reputation for training nurse assistants.  In order to meet the clinical practicum requirement, you’ll attend 48 hours of clinical training in a nursing home and/or hospital. These facilities often recruit L&C students for employment after graduation.  

However, there are many more nurse assistant jobs available than there are graduates to fill them. A well-trained nursing assistant can usually choose location and hours, including part-time employment in some facilities.  

The final and most important ingredient for success as an NA: Empathy. You must have patience and compassion for people who are ill. 

When you receive your Certificate of Completion you will be eligible to be tested for competency as a Certified Nurse Assistant by Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC) Nurse Aid Testing Service. Once certified, you will be eligible to work in nursing homes, hospitals, and community and public health services.