Tag: tarrant county college cna

Choosing a Healthcare Career

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Let’s face it: the choices we make tend to play an integral role in our day to day lives. Also, no one can deny that some choices definitely carry more long-term significance than others. For instance, the choice to have turkey bacon and lightly scrambled eggs for breakfast has less long-term fallout than the decision to obtain higher learning or job training. In other words, some of the choices we make can have a profound impact on our outcomes in life.

An individual should always proceed with caution when making decisions. In addition, important lessons can be gleaned from each choice that an individual has made. One choice that many people make is the option to train or retrain for a new career. Many questions arise that revolve around this monumental decision. Why do I want a new career? Which career path do I choose? Which school do I attend? How much will this cost? How will this decision affect the people around me?

Career training might not be a matter that requires decision-making on a daily basis for most people. Nonetheless, multiple aspects exist that contribute to the choices we make with regards to our jobs and/or careers. The choice to enter a certain field or industry can lead to either a lifetime of rewards or many years of major headaches. Since most people spend approximately one-third of their lives on the job, it is crucial to work in a field that is enjoyable and stable.

In general, the majority of individuals cannot go wrong by choosing to pursue a career in the healthcare industry. Jobs in the healthcare field are plentiful and offer perks such as steady pay, career mobility, educational progression, and opportunities to advance. For example, a certified nursing assistant (CNA) can return to school to become a licensed practical nurse (LPN), registered nurse (RN), or physician (MD). Thus, the choice to enter the healthcare field to become a CNA is extremely wise.

By examining the variety of healthcare career choices that can be made and paying close attention to the benefits and drawbacks associated with each, the major task of making a final decision on medical field job training can become a much more informed process. The potential lessons a person can learn by making deliberate career training choices often plays an enormous part in how future encounters will be managed in relation to the employment marketplace. Choose wisely!

To obtain a healthcare career as a nursing assistant in just two short weeks in the Dallas/ Fort Worth Metroplex, call Legacy Healthcare Careers CNA School at (682)626-5266.

Upcoming Weekend-Only CNA Class Starts Sunday 5/5/2019!

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Legacy Healthcare Careers, a small vocational career-training school in the Mid Cities area of the Dallas /Fort Worth Metroplex, is pleased to offer an upcoming weekend-only certified nursing assistant (CNA) training class with a start date of Sunday May 5, 2019. This weekend CNA training program is approximately one month long and has a scheduled graduation date of June 3, 2019.

Prospective students will be able to continue to work their full-time jobs while enrolled in the weekend CNA training program at Legacy Healthcare Careers. In addition, these nurse aide training classes have been conveniently scheduled to be in session every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening, enabling students to have the rest of the week off. Call (682)626-5266 for more information or to begin the enrollment process.

Legacy Healthcare Careers is a practical, affordable family-owned school that was initially founded with the internal passion to cultivate a new generation of competent, caring and compassionate entry-level healthcare workers. The staff of Legacy Healthcare Careers is deeply committed to providing nursing assistants with the training that shall serve as the foundation to their careers in the medical sector. 

The school’s Mid Cities location is convenient to those who live in Fort Worth, Dallas, Arlington, Grand Prairie, Irving and other communities in and around the DFW metro area. The weekend evening classes have been specially crafted to fit into the unique lifestyles of busy adult learners while still leaving plenty of precious time to spend with family and friends on weekend mornings.

Legacy Healthcare Careers’ nurse aide training programs are accredited by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s (HHSC) Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS). Additionally, the school has full regulation and approval to operate from the Career Schools and Colleges division of the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) in Austin, Texas.

Visit http://www.LegacyHealthcareCareers.com for more information or to submit an online admission application. Also, feel free to call Legacy Healthcare Careers at (682)626-5266 or the 24-hour hotline at (682)313-6404 for additional information.

New Years Resolutions Related to Your Career

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Yes! The air is so thick with giddy anticipation that a person could figuratively cut through it with a knife. To some individuals, the new year is the most wondrous time of the year due to the professional and personal transformations that could be initiated if one is motivated enough to make changes. Another new year has entered our lives and consciousness along with the awesome promise of 365 new days that lie ahead.

Since everyone has been gifted with the same 365 days per calendar year, the ultimate goal is to avoid frittering those precious days away with lofty new years’ resolutions that turn out to be mostly unattainable. After all, it has been wisely said that time is an individual’s most valuable asset. Once a person wastes his or her valuable time, it is gone forever and can never be replenished again.

New years’ resolutions related to occupations and careers are of the utmost importance. After all, most people spend a considerable amount of their lives at work. In addition, the earnings from gainful employment often dictate how comfortable our personal lives will be. Bluntly put, money makes things happen, while a lack of money can cause even the best person to struggle with constant uphill battles related to finances.

For those who would like to make some career-related resolutions in the new year, the following is a brief list of ideas that may result in professional and personal self-improvement. Keep in mind that discomfort is usually the motivating factor that drives positive change in people. In other words, some of these new years’ resolutions might feel somewhat uncomfortable at first.

However, these new years’ resolutions are most definitely worth the time and effort in the long run for those who possess the perseverance and tenacity to keep plugging away at them. Without further ado, keep reading to find out about the actions that virtually any individual can take in order to transform one’s career prospects and overall value in the employment marketplace for the better.

Enter the healthcare industry…

People who are unhappy with their current jobs or careers may wish to consider a career pathway in the healthcare sector. No matter the educational level, there is room for all types of people in the healthcare industry. A fulfilling position in the healthcare industry can be a life-changing new years’ resolution for so many individuals who are disgruntled with their present situations in life.

A dishwasher with a ninth grade education who is dissatisfied with his current job can transform his life and financial situation by completing a certified nursing assistant (CNA) program to become a nurses aide. Likewise, an overworked, underpaid social worker with a masters degree can retrain to become a registered nurse (RN), physicians assistant (PA-C) or any number of fulfilling roles in healthcare.

Pick up a technical-related skill…

Let’s face it. Computers and technology are the towering waves of the future. Thus, it would be reasonable to say that those who are proficient with technical skills are the least likely to be left behind in this ever-changing, often brutal employment market. The olden adage advises people to either adapt or die! Knowledge is power, so empower yourself with relevant skills to boost your fund of knowledge.

People who are not very computer-literate might pursue an attainable goal of learning how to operate a basic computer. Those who are unfamiliar with the Microsoft Office suite of applications may wish to learn how to use Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint since many employers like to see these skills on a job applicant’s resume. Those who are already proficient should consider learning the basics of coding.

Pursue a volunteering opportunity…

Volunteers often dictate the amount of time they can devote to their volunteering ventures. Furthermore, volunteering involves devoting one’s personal time to assist others, and providing assistance to others is an essential ingredient in altruism. Also, volunteering can cause the volunteer to feel good and build character by providing exposure to diverse life experiences.

Most hospice companies accept and train interested persons who want to volunteer their time to help terminally ill patients and their families. Another noble organization is Meals on Wheels, a nonprofit service that arranges deliveries of prepared meals to those who are homebound and unable to cook for themselves. Also, many emergency medical services (EMS) companies readily accept volunteers.

Legacy Healthcare Careers CNA School offers a 4-week CNA program as well as a 1-week (7 day) CNA program to prospective students who are located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas. Both the 1-week and the 4-week CNA classes are state-approved.

Call (682)626-5266 to enroll in classes today. Legacy Healthcare Careers will also be offering a certified medication aide program later in 2019 to currently employed CNAs and unlicensed direct care staff workers who seek advancement in their healthcare careers.

Visit www.LegacyHealthcareCareers.com for additional info on the CNA classes offered at Legacy Healthcare Careers CNA School. Jump-start your legacy today…

 

Top Questions You Must Ask Of Any Nursing Assistant Training Program

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To communicate this message in the most straightforward manner possible, not all certified nursing assistant (CNA) training programs are created equally. First of all, some CNA programs are offered at community colleges whereas other classes are taught at private schools or nonprofit organizations. Second of all, differing schools can charge drastically different tuition and fees for what is essentially the same CNA training.

Thirdly, some schools offer ongoing support services after students graduate from the nursing assistant training program while other schools offer absolutely nothing whatsoever. Ongoing support for nursing assistant graduates that some schools offer can be in the form of job placement assistance, CNA state test preparation courses post-graduation, provision of recommendation letters to other schools and employers, and help with writing résumés and cover letters.

Without further ado, the following is a compilation of questions that prospective students may wish to ask of any nursing assistant training programs they are considering attending.

  1. Is the CNA program approved? Nurse aide training programs must be approved to operate in the state where the school is located. If the nurse aide training program is not approved, graduates will typically not qualify to sit for the CNA state test.
  2. How long does the CNA program take to complete? Some programs take a week or two to complete, whereas other programs drag it out over the duration of an 16-week entire semester.
  3.  Does this program offer job placement assistance? Some nurse aide training programs offer job placement assistance to graduates, which is an immensely helpful service.
  4. Is the CNA program taught by nurses? Most states require nurse aide training programs to be taught by licensed nurses. Some CNA programs employ registered nurses (RNs) to teach all classes, whereas other programs utilize licensed practical/ vocational nurses (LPNs/ LVNs) to provide all the instruction. RNs tend to have more years of clinical and theoretical education than LPNs/ LVNs.
  5. Does the school offer help with passing the CNA state test? Some programs provide ongoing support to help graduates of the CNA training program pass the CNA state test. This is a fabulously helpful service that comes in handy to graduates who need extra help.
  6. What is the average class size? Some schools offer smaller class sizes of less than 10 pupils per class. Other CNA programs can have up to 20+ students attending nurse aide classes together. In general, smaller class sizes can translate into a higher level of individualized attention and more time for questions.

The nursing assistant training programs at Legacy Healthcare Careers CNA School are fully approved to operate by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) and the state Department of Aging and Disability (DADS). In addition, Legacy Healthcare Careers offers job placement assistance to graduates, preparation for the CNA state test, and small class sizes that promote individualized attention to all students.

Moreover, all classes offered at Legacy Healthcare Careers are taught by RNs with many years of combined clinical experience. The tuition and fees for the CNA classes are affordable; additionally, the school offers a highly innovative 7-day course of study that enables students to become nursing assistants in only one week. Call (682)626-5266 to enroll or visit the school’s website at www.LegacyHealthcareCareers.com for more information.

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Texas CNA Skills (Part Three): Measuring and Recording Respirations

Screenshot 2018-12-01 at 12.22.36 PMRespiration, also known as breathing, is one of the four main vital signs that nursing assistants, nurses, respiratory therapists, paramedics, emergency medical technicians and other healthcare workers must know how to accurately obtain and record. Of course, the other three vital signs include temperature, pulse and blood pressure.

Alternately worded, a patient’s respiratory rate is his or her breathing rate. It is the number of breaths that he or she takes over the course of one full minute (60 seconds). Generally, a respiration rate that falls between 12 and 20 breaths over the course of one whole minute is considered a normal and expected finding in an adult who is resting.

Remember the concept in this manner for enhanced ease of recollection and lack of confusion: the process of respiration is more commonly known as the process of breathing. Respiration is a very high-priority basic need because a patient who stops breathing will be dead in a matter of minutes without timely outside intervention. Fortunately, taking and recording a patient’s respiratory rate is one of the technically easier procedural skills for a healthcare worker to carry out.

Respiration is an enormously complex activity that is comprised of two differing processes called inspiration and expiration. Through inspiration and expiration, the cells of the body continually exchange two gases called oxygen and carbon dioxide. The body simultaneously breathes in oxygen and expels carbon dioxide. Inspiration is the process of inhaling air into the lungs; likewise, it occurs when a patient breathes in. Expiration is the process of exhaling; therefore, it takes place when a patient breathes out.

Inspiration and expiration are massively important processes to the continual functioning of all human bodies since they are responsible for keeping the blood, organs and tissues rich with oxygen (read: inspiration) while ensuring that excess carbon dioxide leaves the body (read: expiration).

Furthermore, the procedure of measuring and recording a patient’s respiration rate is a testable skill on the Texas CNA state test. It is also a testable procedural skill in most other states. Therefore, a nurses aide who wants to pass the CNA state test to obtain certification as a certified nursing assistant will need to know how to accurately take and record a patient’s respiratory rate in the presence of an examiner at the testing site.

According to Pearson Vue (2018), a patient’s respirations should be counted and recorded using the following listed sequence of steps during the skills portion of the state CNA examination:

  1. The nursing assistant should explain the procedure to the patient in a slow and clearly understandable manner while maintaining regular face to face contact as needed.
  2. The nursing assistant must measure the patient’s respiratory rate for one entire minute (60 seconds).
  3. The nursing assistant should ensure that the patient’s call light or signaling device is within easy reach prior to ending the skill.
  4. The nursing assistant must wash his or her hands prior to recording the patient’s one-minute respiratory rate.
  5. The nursing assistant must document a respiratory rate number that is within two breaths of the examiner’s recorded reading. For instance, the nursing assistant will pass this skill if he or she records a respiratory rate of 16, even if the examiner had  documented a respiration rate of 14.

To pass the procedural skill of measuring and recording respirations on the CNA state exam, the test taker’s documented one-minute respiration rate must fall within a predetermined range of plus or minus two breaths of the test site examiner’s recorded reading. Here are a handful of additional tips that can potentially help with obtaining a respiration rate from patients in clinical settings:

  1. Perform the opening procedures before starting the skill.
  2. Count it as one respiration each time the patient’s chest rises.
  3. Count the respirations for one entire minute (60 seconds) to obtain the one-minute respiratory rate.
  4. Record the respiratory rate as indicated.
  5. Perform the closing procedures after ending the skill.

REFERENCES

All About Medical Training. (2015). Count and Record Respirations – CNA Skill Video AAMT. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS0adbHFneA

BioSpine Institute. (2018). Breathing (picture). Retrieved from https://biospine.com/diaphragm-back-pain/

Pearson Vue. (2018). Texas Nurse Aide Candidate Handbook. Retrieved from https://home.pearsonvue.com/getattachment/73a0c524-4cbe-401a-aa5c-fe1ebf4e2517/Texas

Nursing Career Ladder in the United States (Part Three): the Registered Nurse (RN)

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This post is intended to be the third in a four-part installment series that aims to illuminate the dynamic, ever-evolving nursing career ladder in the United States.

The first post in this particular series discussed certified nursing assistants, known as CNAs for short. The second post in this series elaborated on the unique importance of licensed practical nurses (LPNs), also known as licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) in the states of California and Texas. This post will shed some light on registered nurses.

A professional registered nurse, known as an RN for short, is a multi-faceted healthcare professional who is entrusted with the delivery of both direct and indirect nursing care duties and responsibilities. During the course of providing nursing care, the RN observes, assesses and records objective signs and subjective symptoms that patients experience.

RNs document additional findings such as reactions to treatments, progress and patient outcomes. The RN’s keen observations and clear documentation serve as the the hardcore foundation for the planning of patient care, initiation of interventions, and overall evaluation of the patient care that is being provided.

RNs routinely report changes in patients’ conditions to the physician and carry out physicians’ orders as indicated. Moreover, RNs promptly respond to subtle and overt changes in condition to prevent further deterioration of patients’ health statuses. RNs work work in bedside or clinical settings may perform a wide repertoire of procedural skills such as medication administration, complex wound care, respiratory ventilator management, and so forth.

RNs plan all aspects of the care of their patients. In fact, RNs continually formulate and revise nursing plans of care. RNs also teach and educate patients and families on the provision of appropriate care techniques. They also help different individuals, groups and populations to sustain and/or improve their various health statuses.

Professional registered nursing practice regularly draws upon an amazingly large fund of knowledge in order for the nurse to deliver appropriate assessment, planning, nursing diagnoses, intervention and evaluation. These actions, collectively referred to as the nursing process, are executed in a timely fashion to promote patients’ health statuses, prevent devastating illnesses and help clients manage their varied disease processes.

RNs can be found working in varied healthcare settings such as hospitals, extended care facilities, hospices, clinics, doctors offices, home health companies, colleges, universities, occupational health centers, private duty cases, and psychiatric facilities. RNs also work for insurance companies, research firms, governmental agencies, jails, prisons, public health centers, parishes, pharmaceutical corporations, and an array of other workplace settings.

While state laws tend to dictate nursing’s breadth and scope of practice, it is often the specific needs of the patient load on a particular day that determine the RN’s duties for that day. To become an RN, a prospective candidate must graduate from a state-approved nursing program at a community college, diploma school of nursing, trade school, technical college, or university. The graduate must also pass a national exam to secure state licensure as a registered nurse.

Many certified nursing assistants (CNAs) continue their education to become LPNs and/or RNs, thereby ascending the nursing career ladder. Legacy Healthcare Careers offers four-week CNA classes in the Dallas/Fort Worth area that are affordable and will fit in with prospective pupils’ budgets and lifestyles. Call (682)626-5266 or the 24-hour hotline at (682)313-6404 to enroll at our Mid-Cities / HEB area location.

Be sure to look for the fourth and final post in this information-packed four-part series on the dynamic nursing career ladder in the United States. Also, do not forget to place a quick telephone call to Legacy Healthcare Careers at (682)626-5266 or the 24-hour hotline at (682)313-6404 to enroll in fast-track certified nursing assistant (CNA) training coursework.

Nursing Career Ladder in the United States (Part One): Certified Nursing Assistants

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This post is the first of a four-part series that will aim to elucidate the nursing career ladder in the United States. The certified nursing assistant (CNA) is the core foundation and backbone of the nursing career ladder in the United States. Without the hard work and merit-worthy contributions of CNAs, most nurses who work in direct patient care capacities would have extreme difficulty accomplishing the myriad of duties and tasks.

CNAs are vital allied healthcare workers who deliver basic nursing care to patients, residents and clients under the supervision of licensed nurses and physicians. CNAs assist patients and residents with the care tasks that the patient might be unable to do on his or her own due to weakness, debility, illness, cognitive impairment, fluctuations in mentation, or a variety of other reasons.

In essence, CNAs are supervised by licensed nurses while assisting patients with basic nursing care tasks. These basic nursing tasks include routine care duties such as getting dressed, making occupied and unoccupied beds, taking showers, helping with feedings at mealtimes, taking baths, using the toilet, performing incontinent care, taking and documenting vital signs, and observing and reporting changes in patients’ conditions.

CNAs often spend more time with the patient than any other member of the healthcare team. Their insights and observations are often utilized to formulate patients’ plans of care. In addition, CNAs report their observations and suspected changes in patients’ conditions to the nurse. Therefore, the role of a CNA is vital to the functioning of the healthcare industry in the United States.

CNAs can be found working in hospitals, home health companies, private duty cases, skilled nursing facilities, group homes, clinics, psychiatric facilities, rehabilitation centers, hospices, adult daycare settings, prison infirmaries, the military, and a number of other types of workplace settings.

CNAs, also known as nurse aides, are the premier backbones of the majority of hospitals, healthcare centers and skilled nursing facilities in the United States.  Legacy Healthcare Careers LLC provides low-cost, high-quality certified nursing assistant classes that will prepare prospective pupils for a dynamic career in allied healthcare as a Dallas/Fort Worth nurses aide in just a few weeks. Telephone (682)626-5266 or the 24-hour hotline at (682)313-6404 to enroll in CNA classes in the Mid-Cities / HEB area.

While the CNA occupies an amazingly important role in the nursing profession, many nurses aides opt to utilize the CNA career as a foundation-like springboard into other higher-paying nursing career pathways such as the licensed practical / vocational nurse (LPN / LVN), professional registered nurse (RN), and the advanced practice nurse (APN). In other words, many CNAs choose to climb up the nursing career ladder for increased pay and employment opportunities filled with more complexities.

Please stay tuned for part two of this four-part series that sheds some light on the nursing career ladder in the United States.

CNA School in the Fort Worth Mid-Cities Area of Texas

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Legacy Healthcare Careers LLC, a CNA school with a fast track 10-day certified nursing assistant program, a phlebotomy technician training program, a medical assistant course and a certified medication aide class, is accepting new students for enrollment. The school is situated at a convenient Mid-Cities HEB area location in the middle of the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex region of Texas.

The physical address for Legacy Healthcare Careers CNA School’s campus is 7505 Glenview Drive, Suite I, N. Richland Hills, Texas 76180. The office telephone number for Legacy Healthcare Careers (682)626-5266. In addition, the 24-hour enrollment hotline phone number is (682)313-6404; this phone number is for any needs that arise outside of normal operating hours.

Tuition for the all of the nurse aide training programs at Legacy Healthcare Careers is very competitive and rather affordable. Flexible payment plans are available that will surely fit into most prospective students’ budgets. The phlebotomy technician training program tuition is $750, making it one of the most affordable phlebotomy courses in the DFW metro area at the time of this writing.

Students who attend Legacy Healthcare Careers can graduate free from the burden of years of massive student loan debts because all training programs offered at the school are affordable.

Legacy Healthcare Careers CNA school offers fast-track nurses aide programs that are designed to train prospective students for careers as nursing assistants within a few short weeks. All CNA classes offered at the school deliver high quality instruction in basic nursing care techniques. In addition, all of the CNA classes are taught by professional registered nurses (RNs) with extensive experience in nursing and direct patient care.

The nurse aide programs all consist of a proven blend of theory instruction that occurs in the classroom setting in addition to hands-on lab training. In addition, a clinical practicum externship training phase takes place at a local healthcare center in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area where students get the opportunity to practice hands-on procedural skills on actual patients and residents of the facility.

The nurse aide programs are structured and taught in strict accordance with the 100 hour Texas-approved state curriculum for nursing assistant training. In addition, the nurse aide coursework is taught with an overall focus of ensuring that graduates are able to pass the CNA state test on the first attempt.

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Moreover, graduates of Legacy Healthcare Careers receive full eligibility to take the Texas state examination to obtain certification as a certified nursing assistant (CNA). A career as a nursing assistant is loaded with fulfillment, steady pay, job security, the potential for lifelong learning, ultimate joy, challenging moments, and the ability to climb up the nursing career ladder.

In other words, CNA training in the Fort Worth area is a solid investment in an individual’s future career prospects. CNA training can quickly boost an individual’s relative value and overall demand in the local employment market. Some people are actually able to double their earning potential by becoming a nurse aide.

Daytime, evening and weekend class schedules are available to accommodate the busy personal schedules of prospective students who choose to enroll. The minimum age to enroll is 16 years of age with parental consent or 18 years old without consent. Also, no high school diploma or GED is needed to enroll as long as the prospective student has proof of an 8th grade education.

Jump-start your legacy today at Legacy Healthcare Careers. Feel free to visit the Legacy Healthcare Careers school website (www.LegacyHealthcareCareers.com) or the Legacy Healthcare Careers blog at www.LegacyHealthcareCareers.org for more information on the school’s CNA programs in the Fort Worth metro area.