Nursing assistant job
What is a nursing assistant?
Alongside nurses, the nursing assistant is an emblematic figure of the nursing staff specializing in patient comfort and hygiene. A predominantly female profession (more than 93% of professionals), the nursing assistant intervenes on a daily basis under the responsibility of nurses to accompany hospitalized people.

The nursing assistant works mainly in hospitals and clinics, but there are also opportunities in retirement homes or at home, to take care of dependent or sick people.

Missions of the nursing assistant
The profession of nursing assistant is not easy and requires constant attention to patients. His interventions are:

Accompaniment
Reception of patients and installation
Checking the condition of the chamber
Preparing the Lunch Carts
help with toileting and dressing
assistance with travel,
Eating and snacking
household chores (not to be confused with the social life assistant )
Psychological and moral support

Medical care and supervision:
Monitoring of the patients' state of health in order to notify the medical referent as soon as possible
Control of the patient's vital parameters such as pulse or temperature measurement
verification of the proper functioning of medical devices,
Changing dressings
Distribution of medications
Training to become a nursing assistant
To become a nursing assistant, the State Diploma of Nursing Assistant (DEAS) is mandatory.

Initial training
Admission to schools takes place on the basis of a competitive examination, without any qualification requirement.

Schools that prepare for it are paid and you must be at least 17 years old to qualify. The training then lasts 10 months.

The competition consists of a written eligibility test and an oral admission test.

Some candidates are exempted from the written test:

candidates holding a baccalaureate or a diploma recognised as equivalent; candidates holding a title or diploma in the health or social sector recognised at CAP level issued in initial or continuing education; candidates who have completed a 1st year of nursing studies and have not been admitted to the 2nd year; candidates holding a foreign degree allowing access to university studies in that country. Formation continue For a retraining, admission to schools can be done through the validation of prior experiential learning (VAE).

Qualities required to become a Nursing Assistant
Good physical condition The job of a nursing assistant requires a good physical condition. Indeed, on the one hand, it is necessary to be able to move patients, who can sometimes be corpulent, but also to be very available. It is a job that leaves little downtime and requires work that is often staggered: nights, weekends, public holidays...

Moral strength
Mental strength is essential for the caregiver to endure physical and moral fatigue. It is also important to have a good resistance to stress and pressure to be able to work in this type of job. Indeed, nursing assistants are often confronted with very stressful situations during their missions.

Rigour
The health and comfort of patients depends in part on the methodical and rigorous work of the nursing assistant: tidying up rooms, remaking beds, maintaining a regular meal schedule, giving the right medication, ensuring vital functions, etc.

Be reassuring
No one appreciates being hospitalized and it can cause great moments of stress for patients. The caregiver must know how to respond to them and provide a reassuring support to ensure that the stay goes as smoothly as possible. Becoming a nursing assistant requires a keen sense of listening in addition to great availability and empathy.

Salary of a Nursing Assistant
The majority of nursing assistants work as employees. More than 70% work in clinics or hospitals and their salary varies between €1400 and €1950 (net). In addition to this main salary, which increases with seniority, there are various allowances and bonuses.

Where does a caregiver work?
New nursing assistants can work in several places: hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centres, retirement homes, convalescent homes, reception centres for the disabled, hospitalisation services or home support services for the elderly.

These can be either private establishments or establishments dependent on the State or local authorities.

Possible evolution of the nursing assistant
After 3 years of professional practice, a nursing assistant with a DEAS can take the competitive examination to become a nurse in IFSI. He can also specialize in certain activities: sterilization agent, hemodialysis, gerontological assistant or move on to other social or paramedical professions: dental assistant, medical-psychological assistant, educational monitor, medical analysis laboratory technician, childcare assistant, etc.

Trends in the profession
Every year, 18,000 nursing assistant diplomas are issued and yet, the profession is still short of candidates. With needs in terms of support for the elderly continuing to progress, the profession of nursing assistant is not unemployed. Training as a nursing assistant promotes rapid access to a first job. In recent years, this profession has represented a significant opportunity for professional integration...