Pregnancy: Are You Ready to Have a Baby

Are you a woman?  If you are, have you been thinking about motherhood?  If you have, you may be wondering whether or not you are ready to be a parent. While parenthood is occasionally unexpected, a large number of women and their partners plan and prepare for it.  If that is the approach that you would like to take, there are a number of important factors or issues that you should first take into consideration.
Perhaps, the most important factor to take into consideration is healthcare. When pregnant, you will need to schedule regular prenatal exams. Towards the end of your pregnancy, these exams may be as common as once or twice a week. For that reason, healthcare should be taken into consideration.  Do you have health insurance?  If you do, does your health insurance cover pregnancy and prenatal care?  If it does not or if you are uninsured, you may end up paying for the cost of your pregnancy alone.

http://michael-boss-washington.myshopify.com
In keeping the cost of having a child, it is also important to examine the costs after your baby is born.  It is no secret that raising children is expensive.  How are you currently managing, financially, now?  If you are having difficultly making ends meet, you may be unable to afford the cost of a child. Of course, there are financial programs out there to assist, but you shouldn’t rely too heavily on them.  If you would like to have a child, it is advised that you take steps to financially prepare for doing so. These steps may involve increasing your work hours or eliminating unnecessary purchases.

Another factor that needs to be examined is your current living situation.  Do you own your own home or do you rent an apartment?  Regardless of whether you are a homeowner or a renter, do you have enough space for a child?  If you do not, it may be a good idea to rethink your current living situation. Although many mothers like to keep their newborns in the same room with them at night, there will come a point in time where your child will need their own room.  If you would like to buy a larger home or rent a larger apartment, you may want to think about doing so before you decide to become pregnant, as it may save you a considerable amount of stress.

Another issue that needs to be discussed is your partner or spouse’s feelings on having a new child.  Although it is more than possible for you to be a single mother, by way of a sperm donor, many women make the decision to have a child with a man that they love. Despite being more than possible to raise a child as a single parent, it is important that you seek assistance from the father. That is why the decision to have a child is one that you and your partner should make together.  If you are married or if you have been with your partner for a long period of time, there is a good chance that they will be just as excited with having a baby as you are.  If, at this point in time, you realize that you both have difficult goals and aspirations in life, the issue needs to be dealt with as soon as possible.
When deciding if you are ready to become a mother, the above mentioned issues are all ones that should be taken into consideration. As a reminder, many women have children unexpectedly, but many take the time to plan and prepare for pregnancy and childbirth. If you would like to thoroughly examine your decision before getting pregnant, it is advised that you do so.  You can research pregnancy and raising a newborn baby by speaking with your healthcare professional and other parents or by buying a collecting of birthing and parenting books, as well as by using the internet to your advantage.  

Support Groups for Nursing Assistants

Working as a Nursing Assistant can be very fulfilling. It is a great feeling to know you spent your day helping others. However, with this job comes a great deal of stress and frustration at times. This is due to short staffing so there is too much to get done, issues with other medical staff, and dealing with terminally ill patients or those who have died while in your care. All of this can start to take a toll on a Nursing Assistant, both physically and mentally. As a result, many Nursing Assistants suffer from burnout. They no longer find joy in the profession they were once passionate about.

To help you manage the stress and other factors that your job as a Nursing Assistants brings, support groups are a great way to discuss how you are feeling, both the good and the bad. It is a way to create relationships and receive support from others in the same profession. You will also have the ability to provide support to others in the group.

There are many ways Nursing Assistants set up support groups. It is very easy to put up a flier at work and ask those who are interested to come to a meeting. Make sure your flier addresses the group is only for Nursing Assistants. Many employers will support this effort, and offer you a meeting place. Make sure you discuss your reasons for wanting to establish a support group to administration prior to advertising.

 Some groups meet weekly while others meet every other week. You can have established topics for each meeting or just allow members to bring to the table what ever they want. Make sure to set up ground rules for respect as well as prevent the meetings from becoming nothing but complaint sessions. The purpose of the support group is to help you stay positive, not generate the negative.  

If your group of co-workers is very small, you might decide to set up a Nursing Assistant support group in your community, inviting Nursing Assistants from all medical facilities to meet together. You can select a central location such as the library. Often Churches will allow groups to gather in their facilities when not in use. You can also choose to rotate the medical facility that will host each meeting.

Online support groups for Nursing Assistants have become very popular. They allow you a level on animosity that face to face meetings do not. Also, your group will consist of people from all over the Nation, not just in your area. This can lead to learning new ways that work well for others that you can apply to your work environment. Online support groups for Nursing Assistants are free to join. They also don’t require an effort being put into reminders for meetings, or securing places to meet. 

One such online support group called Nursing Assistant Central .com has thousands of members. They invite individuals thinking of entering the Nursing Assistant program, those who are in the program, recent certificate holders, and those employed as a Nursing Assistant. There are message boards and chat rooms to discuss hundreds of topics. There is even a section where individuals can post questions related to their job. This site offers support and relieve to individuals in the Nursing Assistant field everyday.

It is important for Nursing Assistants to be aware of the dangers of stress and burnout in their profession. Having a reliable support system in place is a great way to offset the effects of stress and burnout. While our families and friends are often supportive of our career choice, they don’t understand the depth of some of the challenging issues that happen for Nursing Assistants in their job. Having a support group made up of your peers allows you a resource that is walking in the same shoes. If you are hesitant, give a meeting or two a try. You just might find it is exactly what you need to help you keep that level of enthusiasm for your job at its best.

The Pay Scale for Nursing Assistants

Nursing Assistants are a valuable part of our medical facility staff. They offer ongoing care to patients at level most other staff don’t have the time to. They tend to basic needs of bathing, feeding, and dressing. They also provide emotional support to the patient and the family. Nursing Assistants are expected to help other medical staff at a moments notice with a variety of tasks including setting up medical equipment and getting patients ready to be taken for X-rays and surgery. 

Most people entering the Nursing Assistant field don’t do it for the pay. They do it out of a desire to be of assistance to others in need as well as a desire to work in the medical field. Since medical facilities rank Nursing Assistant as an entry level position, they pay is very low compared to others, especially nurses. This can lead to some Nursing Assistants feeling angry, upset, and unappreciated.

The median expected salary for a Nursing Assistant in the United States is $24,383. On average, that is approximately $2,000 per month. That amount varies by experience and job location. As you can see, it does pay more than minimum wage and often employees in this field are able to secure health insurance and retirement plans.

However, when you compare that to the median salary of a Licensed Practical Nurse, which is $43,333, you can see a huge different. While it is understood that the Licensed Practical Nurse position holds more responsibility and well as requires more schooling and training, we can also see why some Nursing Assistants feel that they aren’t earning enough. It is also common that the better a Nursing Assistant is paid, the more pride they take in offering quality services to all patients. 

Many health care facilities understand this, and work hard to keep Nursing Assistants content. They try to give raises as they can for performance as well as the length of time on the job. They understand that Nursing Assistants are vital to the overall balance of the Nursing staff. They also realize finding qualified employees is hard enough without having to continually interview and train new staff. Since Nursing Assistant jobs are plentiful, they can lose their good employees to other facilities who offer better pay.

Due to the pay difference, some individuals choose to go to school directly into a degree program and skip the Nursing Assistant certificate program all together. For those wanting to ease in the doorway of the medical profession and those who need the income while in school, the Nursing Assistant program is still very valuable to them in terms of having an income and being in a learning environment of the medical field.

The pay scale difference can often result in issues arising between Nursing Assistants and the Nursing staff. On one side, you have Nursing staff feeling that they have a degree and shouldn’t have to participate in particular tasks. Others just are overwhelmed by time restraints, and therefore keep their job segregated from that of the Nursing Assistants. On the other side you have Nursing Assistants who feel their tasks are harder and they aren’t getting paid nearly as much as the Nursing staff. This can lead to them developing feelings of resentment towards the Nursing staff. This being said, it is important for administration to help both the Nursing staff and Nursing Assistants interact and appreciate each other.

Seeing that pay difference as well as wanting to participate in more advances areas with the patients has lead many Nursing Assistants back into training to earn a degree as a Licensed Practice Nurse, a Registered Nurse, or another specified area in the medical field.


Medical facilities and the government agree that when medical staff is short, the patients are the ones who suffer the most. It is no different in the area of Nursing Assistant. If they positions aren’t filled, the patients may not get all of their needs met daily. For example, some nursing homes only bathe the patients every other day because of short staff issues.

The government is trying to find funding to help increase the rate of pay for Nursing Assistants. However, they feel that they pay isn’t the only issue. It is believed that healthcare facilities need to start showing Nursing Assistants more respect, appreciation, and recognition for their hard work. This profession has one of the highest turn over rates do to demanding work conditions, feelings of being under valued, and lower pay than most feel they are worth. The result is healthcare facility patients feeling the burden in part because of the pay scale for Nursing Assistants.

Confidentiality is a Must for Nursing Assistants

Nursing Assistants are exposed to a wide variety of events taking place in the medical field. It is crucial that they are aware of the importance of maintaining confidentiality in all aspects of their job.

Nursing Assistants are well trained in the policies and procedures of the facility. While it is important to follow them, it is not recommended to discuss them outside of the facility. For example, you don’t want to provide others with confidential information regarding evacuation and other emergency procedures. Doing so many compromise the safety of the patients and staff during a natural disaster or violent attack.

Patients requiring care in a medical facility are to have their privacy protected. This means you do not discuss their care or other personal information with any other person except staff they have an interest in the care of that patient. Confidentiality becomes an issue when you know someone in the facility or someone asks you why someone else in there.

All patients have the right to their privacy being maintained. Compromising this information is a direct violation of every medical practice. Providing such information can result in termination of your job, and in some cases, the loss of your Nursing Assistant Certification.

Communicable diseases can surface in medical facilities. It is important that you follow the policies and procedures set in place by the particular facility your work with. However, do not release information regarding such diseases to anyone. This could result in a panic over the possibility of an epidemic, and lead to patients wanting to leave the facility against medical advice.

The proper medical staff will release information on communicable diseases to the proper agencies. Often this includes the area health department. They can then help the medical facility incorporate a plan of action to remedy the solution. The decision might be made to share the information with the area newspapers in an effort to allow them to protect themselves and to seek medical attention if they display the symptoms of a communicable disease that requires treatment.

Being a Nursing Assistant can lead to a Career as a Nurse

A Nursing Assistant certificate allows you the opportunity to secure employment at entry level in the medical field. This position requires compassion and dedication to assisting others. It also requires a high level of effective communication as well as attention for detail. Most people entering the Nursing Assistant profession find it to be a rewarding and challenging career. However, many choose to use it as a building block for becoming a Nurse.

The program for becoming a Nursing Assistant is very fast compared with the time it takes to earn a degree in Nursing. Therefore, many see it as a logic choice to gain experience in the medical field. It is an excellent idea for those that aren’t sure if Nursing is for them. It is better to spend four to twelve weeks in training to find out then to spend two or more years working on a Nursing degree.

There are individuals who must maintain employment while pursuing their education degree for financial reasons. For individuals in this position, completing the Nursing Assistant program offers them a way to secure employment that is related to what they are going to school for.

Others choose to advance their career once they have been working as a Nurse Assistant because they see many of the tasks Nurses are responsible for. It is a level of responsibility they wish to acquire. Since they work so closely with the Nursing staff, it is a perfect opportunity to explore more of what takes place. Others have a sincere desire to further their education, but for a variety of reasons have not been able to.

There is a significant pay difference between working as a Nursing Assistant and having a degree as a Nurse. The dollar amount varies based on location, but on average the difference is $4 to $9 per hour more. It doesn’t take long at all for the overall income difference to be seen. Nursing assistants often decide that they want to work in the medical field, but definitely want to be paid more for their work. Of course, the level of responsibility differs greatly between a Nursing Assistant and a Nurse. 

Working at a medical facility as a Nursing Assistant can work to your advantage when you decide to pursue a degree in Nursing. It might help you get into the program if there is more interest in the program than enrollment opportunities.

Due to the continuous demand for qualified trained professionals in the area of Nursing, most medical facilities will support you in your efforts to further your education. They will often adjust your work schedule to accommodate you whenever possible.

Tuition assistance programs are offered by many employers in the medical field. They work in a variety of ways. Some will cover a percentage of your tuition; others will pay up to a particular dollar amount. Often, you will be required to agree to work for them for a particular length of time or have to reimburse them for any tuition paid on your behalf. Others won’t pay anything while you are attending school, but will offer tuition reimbursement upon completion of your Nursing degree.

Another advantage of working as a Nursing Assistant prior to obtaining your degree in Nursing is you will have an edge over other recent graduates. You will have work experience to offer in combination with your degree while many others will only have their degree.

Employers like to maintain their quality employees. If you are able to show outstanding work ethic as a Nursing Assistance, it is very likely they will offer you a position as a Nurse upon your completion of your degree. This often depends on the job openings at the medical facility you work for.

Your certificate and work experience as a Nurse Assistant can help make career opportunities appear. It may peak your interest in returning to school to work on your Nursing degree for a variety of reasons. It can help you be accepted to a Nursing program, as well as help you secure employment after completing your Nursing degree.

Become a Nurse Assistant

If you enjoy helping other people, a career in the medical field might be for you. The field is always in demand of qualified compassionate individuals who are willing to put forth their best efforts to help others. A Nurse Assistant is an entry level position that will allow you the opportunity to help others and gain experience in the medical field.

Since Nurse Assistants are needed throughout the Nation, you will be able to secure employment opportunities most anywhere. Job security is very high in most areas of the medical field. The training programs to earn your certificate all vary depending on state regulations. However, most can be completed in four to six weeks on average. The cost of such programs is very low.

If you need assistance with the cost of the course, many programs offer scholarships or financial aid. In addition, many community agencies such as Human Services will assist you with the cost of completing such a training course. Some employers in the medical field will agree to either pay for your Nurse Assistant training or reimburse you upon successful completion of the program.

Most Nurse Assistant programs start every six to eight weeks. It will depend on the length of the course and the interest in your particular area. This is different than most certificate programs where you have to wait until a full semester ends before you can enroll. Sometimes that can mean a three or four month waiting period.

During your Nurse Assistant training, you will attend a classroom learning environment as well as receive hands on training. The hands on training requires you to complete a certain number of hours, called clinicals, working at a medical facility with actual patients. All of your work will be overseen by trained professionals who with assist you with the proper procedures and medical understanding.

The combination of classroom learning and clinicals will result in you being well prepared to enter the job market as a Nursing Assistant. Often, the medical site that oversees the clinicals will offer employment to those students who are learning well, following procedures for their facility, and who have a positive attitude.

Working as a Nurse Assistant can be very exciting and rewarding for the right person. The work is challenging and you may find yourself over extended at times. Things in a medical setting will change all the time, so the job definitely isn’t predictable. There are so many variables including the patients, then number of patients, other staff, and the medical needs of the patients that you work day with never be predictable.

While being a Nurse Assistant is an entry level position, it is also a very important position. You will be responsible for many daily living tasks for each patient. These tasks include bathing, grooming feeding, and checking their vital signs. You will also be responsible for assisting with medical equipment and moving patients as needed. The exact requirements of the position will vary depending on the facility you work for.
Becoming a Nurse Assistant generally does not take very long. You will continue to learn about your role as a Nurse Assistant once you secure employment. You will be exposed to medical information and procedures by the rest of the staff. This information will be very valuable. Many people choose to use the role of Nursing Assistance as a foundation to continue their education and become a Nurse or to explore other types of employment in the medical field.

Burnout as a Nursing Assistant

Those who decide to pursue a career in the medical field as a Nursing Assistant set out to show compassion and help others. Their hearts are in the right place, but they may soon find their minds and bodies suffering from burnout. This is the result of continually feeling like you can’t meet your work requirements. Soon you find you are completely drained and exhausted due to feeling overwhelmed. Often, the result is losing the motivation that lead you to take on that role in the first place.

The role of a Nursing Assistant is a demanding one. One of the biggest complaints from them is that they have too much to do, and not enough time to get it all done. Burnout is dangerous because it affects individuals emotionally, physically, and mentally. It is tough to see bright, compassionate Nursing Assistants leave the medical field because they have come to resent the role they have taken on. It no longer serves a purpose for them. What was once a positive experience has become a nightmare.

The stress of burnout on a Nursing Assistant can lead to problems with their health as well as lead to depression. Often, they either quit their job or they are fired. This leads to financial difficulties and many times issues in their relationships. Nursing Assistants report burnout in their profession is common because they are overworked, unappreciated, confused about work expectations and priorities, worry about job security, they are overwhelmed by the number of responsibilities, and they do not feel their pay is sufficient for the amount of duties that they are required to perform on an ongoing basis.

It is important that Nursing Assistants understand burnout, and the havoc it can reap in their professional and personal life. Understanding what burnout is, why it happens, and the signs of it can help Nursing Assistants deal with the situation before it spirals out of control. The first step in avoiding burnout is to take care of yourself physically and emotionally.

Signs you are experiencing job burnout or soon will be include no longer finding enjoyment in areas of your job you once really liked, becoming cynical or bitter about your job, and you are starting to experience problems in relationships with co-workers, friends or family as a result of the conflicts of your job.