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Nurse Assistant

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, transferring and transporting patients 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 long term care facility and/or hospital. These facilities often recruit L&C students for employment after graduation.  

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 for the Illinois Department of Public Health. Once certified, you will be eligible to work in long term care facilities, hospitals and community and public health services.

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