Nurse Aide Training in Cincinnati
What does a State Tested Nurse Assistant (also known as Nurse Aide, Home Health Aide, Certified Nurse Assistant) Do?
The certified nurse aide is a skilled observer who attends to the physical needs of the hospitalized patient.
The aide assists the nurse with patient care in the following ways:
– Make the bed as needed, at least daily, and assist the patient with bath needs
– Assist the patient with mobility and toileting needs
– Assist the patient with eating
– Transporting the patient throughout the hospital
– Monitoring pulse, blood pressure and temperatures, and respiration of the patient, sometimes on an hourly basis
– According to the facility, dispensing medications and assisting with bandages and wound care
– Measure input and output of the patient, including all liquids and solids
Education Requirements for the State Tested Nursing Assistant
Ohio doesn’t have nurse aides; they have State Tested Nursing Assistants. To qualify for the certification, you have to complete a 75-hour nurse aide training course over a four-week period of time. Each class meets daily from 8 a.m. to noon and includes classroom instruction and on-the-job training with supervision.
After completion of the classes, the State Testing is offered by D & S Diversified Technologies. Their fees change each year but the current costs are $24 for the written portion, $34 for the oral portion, and $76 for the skills test. This test must be completed and passed within 24 months of completing the coursework. A current CPR certificate is also required to be employed.
In some states, like Tennessee, you may challenge the STNA testing without the coursework if you have already worked as a nursing assistant for more than 24 months or have completed one year of nursing school.
If you have worked as a medic in the armed forces, you can provide your DD-214 and challenge the education requirements. The state will usually let you take the test without the coursework.
Salary for a Nurse Aide In Cincinnati
Starting salary in Ohio for an STNA is $11.45 per hour, which is approximately $32,000 per year. Overtime and holiday pay will be extra and many opportunities will be given to work double shifts. Home health aides make $2.25 per hour more and there is usually a shift differential offered for working overnights.
Where Can I Work as a Nurse Aide In Cincinnati?
There is a shortage of nurses in the United States so the field for STNA or nurse aides is also wide open. Hospitals in Cincinnati that are hiring nurse aides include Mercy Health, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Good Samaritan Medical Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Tri-Health, and University Hospital. Nursing homes that employ STNAs include Beechwood Homes, Twin Towers, Hyde Park Health Center, Oak Pavilion Nursing Home, Anderson Nursing Home, and Little Sisters of the Poor facilities. Any duty that can be accomplished by the STNA is one less nurse that must be employed for the more onerous tasks.
What Does the Training Cost for a Nurse Aide in Cincinnati?
Costs for the schools vary from region to region, but most average $800 to $1,000 for the course. The State Testing will be an additional fee. Some of the schools offer a low payment program that you pay $100 down and $100-200 each week until the course is completed. Cincinnati Home Care charges $500, books and uniforms may cost extra. Cincinnati State offers all-inclusive training for $918. The Health Care Management Group offers free training, but there is a waiting list and costs for books, uniforms, and certification.
Can I Move Up In the Hospital?
Although a hospital has many jobs, the STNA is a specialized position that does not transfer to other positions. After you have been employed at the hospital for their specified period of time you can transfer into other parallel positions, if you have the skills requested. The knowledge you have received as an STNA will be helpful when training in other areas, like stocking surgical supplies or assisting in surgery by holding vital organs.
If you wish to have more technical nursing duties that pay a larger wage, you will need to become a licensed practical nurse or a licensed vocational nurse. This requires additional classroom instruction and certification.
Some hospitals will pay the fees for the practical nurse schooling if you have a good work record and employment status. Likewise, if you wish to move from a licensed practical nurse into a registered nurse position it will require a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, another set of classes, and state examinations. Your employer will likely reimburse you for these costs if you have already been employed as an STNA.
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