The number of available nursing jobs in California is expected to rise dramatically over the course of the next decade. The California government recently announced that the State would experience a shortage of 47,000 nurses in 2010, rising to 116,000 by 2020. The State has set up special funding and educational opportunities to help train people to help fill this extreme California nursing job glut.
A vast majority of the available California nursing jobs will be focused in the major metro areas of Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. However, opportunities exist throughout the State.
A certified nursing assistant (CNA) is an individual who assists patients with activities of daily living. Certified nursing assistants, also known as nurses aides, patient care technicians, home health aides, and orderlies, work under the direct supervision of a nurse, and are responsible for providing basic care services such as bathing, grooming, and feeding patients, as well as checking patient vital signs. CNAs also work directly with licensed nursing staff as they provide skilled nursing care to their patients. An individual becomes a CNA after completing a 6 to 12 week programs, and after passing a certification exam. Don’t think that the role of a CNA isn’t important. CNAs serve as the eyes and ears of the nursing staff, and they work in medical hospitals, nursing homes, group homes, and assisted living facilities. Working as a CNA can also serve as a career steppingstone for individuals wishing to go on into the nursing profession.