Tag: Minimum Wage

Disadvantages of Being a Nursing Assistant

Being a Nursing Assistant can be a very rewarding career for those who are compassionate, hardworking, and who enjoy helping others. They are a necessary part of the medical field. Often, their work goes unappreciated by others in the medical profession. There are disadvantages to being a Nursing Assistant that can lead to someone no longer enjoying their job. The Nursing Assistant profession has one of the highest turn over rates in the medical field.

Most people who become certified as a Nursing Assistant dont do it for the pay. They are interested as a way of helping others and working with other medical professionals. The low cost of the program as well as the short amount of time it takes to complete it are also big motivators to enroll in such a program.

We all like to feel appreciated, both professionally and personally. Nursing Assistants who dont feel respected and appreciated by the other medical staff quickly come to dislike their job. It can lead to feelings of inadequacy and resentment. In some cases, it can result in not performing duties to the best of your ability. In others, it can result in simply not performing the duties you dont enjoy doing.

While Nursing Assistants help keep things running smooth for everyone including patients, families, and other medical staff, they are often not paid very well. This type of position is considered entry level. The starting pay is generally a few dollars above minimum wage, but when compared to the earnings of Nursing staff, the pay is still considered to be very low.

Being a Nursing Assistant exposes you to a wide variety of patients. Meeting their needs including feeding, bathing, and dressing can often be difficult. Nursing Assistants are also required to be able to assist the Nursing staff with anything that arises during their shift. Nursing Assistants often find themselves running short on time to complete everything on the agenda for a given day.

One of the most difficult things for Nursing Assistants to deal with is the behaviors of patients. While most appreciate the help being offered, others become very angry and mean towards the Nursing Assistant. The risk of both physical and emotional abuse is very high in this profession. This can definitely take a toll of anyone.

As with any area of the medical field, Nursing Assistants are exposed to death and dying. There are times when feelings of hopelessness are felt by the Nursing Assistant as they see patients that they arent able to help as much as they would like to. While they understand that is part of the medical profession, it can still be very difficult to take.

Even the most dedicated and responsible Nursing Assistants can start to feel burnout in association with their job. This is when your job becomes so overwhelming that you lose interest in it, as well as other activities. It can be the result of working too many hours, working short staff, or a combination of other factors. Watch for the warning signs.

The decision to pursue employment as a Nursing Assistant lead to a wonderful career for you. However, it is important that you are fully aware of the disadvantages of the career choice as well. This way you can make an informed decision. You will need to ask yourself if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. It will also help you prepare for signs of such disadvantages that you can overcome.

Why You Should Become a Dental Assistant

Becoming a Dental Assistant offers you a great career working with people. You will generally be working under one or more dentists. This type of career will allow you to interact with many people as well as get to see various dental procedures take place first hand. This profession allows you the opportunity to participate in providing dental care as well as comfort to patients.

Dental Assistants are often confused with Dental Hygienist. They perform different dental procedures. Dental Assistants help both dentists and hygienist. A Dental Hygienist cleans patients teeth while the dentist performs procedures including fillings and bridges.

Dental Assistants are in huge demand all over the Nation. It is anticipated that Dental Assistants will be among the fastest growing occupations between now and 2012. This means you will have job opportunities available most anywhere you choose to live. The pay for Dental Assistants varies by region, but is generally several dollars above minimum wage. Being a Dental Assistant will allow you to decide if you want to pursue a career as a tech, dental hygienist, or a dentist. You will get to see first hand just what such jobs entail.

Employment as a Dental Assistant will help guarantee you job with normal hours of operation. This is very important, especially if you have a family you want to be spending your evenings and weekends with. In addition, you will generally have paid Holidays off as well. Most Dental Assistants receive a large discount on dental care for themselves, their spouse, and their children. This can be a great perk of the job that saves you a large sum of money in the end.

Some of the duties Dental Assistants will perform include assisting with dental procedures, setting up dental rooms, performing X-rays, and completing lab work. The exact procedures you will be able to perform will depend on the licensing requirements in your state as well as the needs of the dental office you choose to work in. It is important to ask what procedures you will be performing during a job interview if a complete job description is not provided for you.

If you enjoy working with people, having a daily routine that varies, and have excellent communication skills, then a career as a Dental Assistant might be right for you. Since you will be dealing with the public and other dental professionals throughout your day, the ability to communicate is going to make a big impact on how successful you will be as a Dental Assistant.

Generally, the certification program for Dental Assistant is 1 year. The exact length of the program depends on your state requirements and the program you are enrolling in. In some states, you can be trained on the job in as little as three months. Most states require you to pass a Dental Assistant Exam for certification.

Since technology and dental procedures continually improve, you will need to keep up with these changes as a Dental Assistant. Generally, such educational needs and trainings will be set up by your employer for you to attend at no charge.

Becoming a Dental Assistant can be a fun and rewarding career for individuals with a desire to help others, provide comfort, and who has excellent communication skills. The amount of employment opportunities in the field are numerous, with the numbers continuing to climb as more and more people focus on the importance of good oral hygiene.

Dental Assistant Pay

Becoming a Dental Assistant not only prepares you for a wonderful career working in the dental field, is also pays very well. Since this area of employment is anticipated to be one of the most in demand over the next six years, your chances of securing a great job with great pay and benefits is very likely.

The Median hourly rate of pay for Dental Assistants is $13.62. This is well above the minimum wage established in most states. In addition to a great hourly wage, many Dental Assistants will receive bonuses if the dental office is doing well, health insurance, and discounted dental procedures. Almost all Dental Assistants receive paid vacation days, sick days, and paid Holidays.

However, earning such a high hourly wage comes with a great level of responsibility. Dental Assistants perform duties relating to patient care, office sanitation, lab duties, and assisting the dentist and hygienist with a variety of procedures. Dental Assistants need to be alert, pay attention to detail, and have effective communication skills. They must also be able to provide patients with comfort measures both before and after procedures are completed.

Dental Assistants are easily confused with Dental Hygienists. Compared to hygienists, who have a median rate of pay of $23.65 per hour, a Dental Assistant is not making a very good hourly wage. However, they are very different professions. A Dental Assistant does just that, assists the dentist and hygienist with providing the best quality care for all patients. A hygienist takes care of cleaning teeth and generally has a steady stream of patients who come in every six months for routine cleaning procedures.

The amount of pay a Dental Assistant earns depends on many factors. The cost of living in your area will be the greatest influence. The amount of revenue the dental office you work for generates will also be a deciding factor. New dentists might have to pay less than established dentists will clientele because they dont have the traffic coming into the office. However, it is very possible your pay will increase as more patients are drawn to that dental office.

Your level of experience will also be a consideration. You may have to accept a position that pays less than average to get your foot in the door and gain some hands on experience. However, with the demand for Dental Assistants, you should have no problem securing employment. Many dental offices want to keep quality Dental Assistants. They may offer to start you at a lower entry level pay, with the understanding that your performance will be reviewed in 90 days or other time frame. Based on your performance, you pay will be adjusted at that time.

It is important to understand that certified and uncertified Dental Assistants complete the same types of tasks. However, those who are certified earn several dollars more per hour than those who arent certified. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to take the certification exam early on in your career as a Dental Assistant.