Understanding the role of a
paraprofessional nurse
What is a paraprofessional
nurse? How does one obtain paraprofessional nurse certification? Are
paraprofessionals really nurses? Perhaps this definition will answer those
questions.
"Paraprofessional is a job
title given to people in various occupational fields, such as education,
healthcare, engineering and law, that have obtained a certificate by passing an
exam, enabling them to perform a task requiring significant knowledge, but
without having the occupational license to perform at the professional level in
that field." (1)
For those seeking to become
paraprofessionals in the health care field, as nurse's aides in hospital
settings, home health care aides or personal care attendants, there are a
number of different options.
Initially, one must have a
valid high school diploma, in order to enroll in a course as a
paraprofessional. There are a wide variety of paraprofessional courses that one
may choose from, at training schools or colleges, depending upon where one
lives. They are relatively inexpensive. Many of these courses run for
about six to eight weeks and are followed by an examination. Certificates are
given upon successful completion of the courses. An online inquiry may help a
potential paraprofessional to find appropriate courses in his or her area.
What does a paraprofessional
do?
In the realm of health care,
paraprofessionals work under the direction and guidance of health care
professionals. There are numerous tasks that they are trained to do, but these
are on a non-professional level of health care. For instance, a
paraprofessional nurse may take a patient to the x-ray room. Perhaps he or she
needs to have someone in attendance while in occupational therapy, for safety
reasons. He or she might accompany a patient on an outing or to a doctor's
office for a scheduled appointment.
Because of the high cost of
health care, there are an increasing numbers of paraprofessionals, being
trained and certified. They do provide a valuable and cost-effective service to
the health care community.
Professional nurses appreciate
the assistance offered by paraprofessionals, because their tasks include many
of the things that the professionals with a heavy workload, do not have time to
do.
Many of the responsibilities
taken on by paraprofessionals are patient related. For instance, a patient
needs to be taken for a walk or to a sunroom. A nurse's aide may have the task
of helping to hand out lunch trays and snacks. He or she may be assigned the
job of placing water and ice at the patients' bedsides. The nurse's aide may
find vases for flowers brought in to patients or change the water in the flower
vases. The paraprofessional assists patients preparing for discharge by helping
them with their clothing and suitcases.
While many of these appear to
be menial tasks, it makes a patient's hospital stay much more pleasant. They
are things that are important to patients and they need to be done.
Many paraprofessionals choose to
work in the realm of home health care. Many patients cannot afford to hire
professional nurses for home health care or do not need the constant attendance
of health care professionals. Under the directives and guidance of a
professional registered nurse, a home health care aide or a personal care
attendant, is often able to give the patient the kind of assistance that he or
she needs at home. This could include physical care, assistance with meals or
ambulation.
Training as a paraprofessional,
does not require a high level of education and thus, many of those who have low
levels of education or income are able to find successful employment as
paraprofessionals.
For students, or others, who
want to learn more about the health care field, obtaining certification as a
paraprofessional first, allows them to be employed in a health care setting,
while they upgrade or acquire higher levels of nursing education.
Many of those who are entering
a new country, need time to learn the language, in order to find appropriate
employment. If they are able to obtain certification as paraprofessionals, they
are allowed to work in that capacity. Being in a health care setting with
nurses and patients, gives them the opportunity to learn and practice the
language and have a source of income, at the same time.
While it often seems that the
paraprofessionals are the least of the health care givers, it may also be said
that ‘the least shall be the greatest’. Why is that? Perhaps it is because the
paraprofessionals are there for patients, at times when the professional
caregivers are occupied with their multiplicity of professional tasks.
They
are there as an extra pair of hands, when there are not enough hands to meet
all of the health care
needs of patients. It is not necessarily be the size of
the task that is done, but rather the fact that it is done, that counts in the
end.
Most professional nurses would
say, "Thank you to health care paraprofessionals, everywhere."
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