Requirements for Hospice Nursing Assistance
- The number of CNAs is expected to increase 19 percent between 2008 and 2018.nurse chris image by John Keith from Fotolia.com
A hospice nurse assistant, or a hospice Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), dispenses direct patient care to individuals suffering from terminal illness who are in their final stages of life. In addition to the typical CNA duties, such as bathing, grooming, measuring vital signs and making beds, hospice CNAs provide comfort to patients and their families during times of immense emotional and physical pain. In 2008, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported CNAs earn an average of $11.46 per hour. - Hospice CNAs are required to have a high school diploma or GED equivalency certificate. Students pursuing a career in hospice care should take courses in mathematics and science, as well as health, communication, English, computer science and foreign languages.
- Most states require hospice nurse assistants complete a formal CNA training program. Program lengths vary depending on state regulations, but take between six to 12 weeks of full-time study to complete. Programs are available at some high schools, vocational schools, technical schools, adult learning centers, hospitals, nursing homes and community colleges. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, curriculum includes nutrition, body mechanics, physiology, anatomy, infection control, patient rights, communication skills and personal care skills. The Education Portal website reports students will also complete coursework in pharmacology calculations, medical terminology, clinical procedures for nurse assisting, fundamentals of nursing, pharmacology and introduction to complementary healing practices. Before graduating, students are required to complete supervised clinical practice in various medical facilities. CNA trainees aspiring to specialize in hospice care should use this opportunity to observe and practice hospice care.
- Most hospice care providers require nurse assistants to be certified. Applicants can take their state's certification exam through the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP). The exam consists of a written, multiple-choice portion, and a hands-on practice portion. For the written portion, examinees are given an average of 70 questions (depending on the state). For the practical portion, applicants must correctly perform five randomly selected patient-care skills, such as counting and recording patients' pulse and respiration, measuring and recording patients' blood pressure, cleaning dentures, helping with bed pan use and measuring and recording patients' urinary output.
- Working in hospice care often causes great personal strain. Hospice CNAs must deal intimately with the physical and emotional pain of their patients, and their imminent death, as well as the effects felt by their families and friends. Hospice CNAs must be gentle, compassionate, patient and kind. They must be counselors that can offer shoulders to cry on and inner strength, while providing encouragement and peace. CNAs who do not feel they could perform their duties in a constant atmosphere of emotional difficulty should not seek positions in a hospice care environment.
