A temporary nurse aide works on a short-term contract to assist nurses and nurses’ aides. People without nursing backgrounds can now work in health care by taking a free eight-hour course online.
COVID-19 has created a greater need for temporary nurse aides to provide care for elderly and disabled patients. The American Health Care Association, a nonprofit health organization that seeks to provide resources to skilled nursing centers, assisted living communities, and other long-term care providers offer the temporary nurse aide course.
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Currently, the eight-hour course is allowed under specific waivers for temporary nurse aides in Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, South Dakota, Texas, and West Virginia.
However, some states require additional training to become a temporary nurse aide. These states are:
Alabama, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Oklahoma requires a 16-hour course in order to become a temporary nurse aide.
In Illinois, the temporary nurse aide program has expired.
In March 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services voided the minimum 75-hour training requirements for nurse aides in order to cover the staffing shortages in nursing homes.
What does a temporary nurse aide do?
A temporary nurse aide administers many important tasks throughout their shift to assist the nurses on staff. That said, they have to work under the supervision of a registered nurse or nurse’s aide.
These duties include, but are not limited to:
- Bathing
- Oral Care
- Grooming – Shaving and Nail Care
- Dressing and Undressing
- Infection Control and Prevention
- Positioning, Moving and Restorative Care
- Nutrition and Elimination
- Comfort Care and End of Life Care
How Do You Become a Temporary Nurse Aide?
To become a temporary nurse aide, you must complete an eight-hour online course through the American Health Care Association. The course covers daily living, infection control, and prevention, positioning, nutrition and elimination, along with comfort and end-of-life care.
Candidates must answer 40 of 50 questions correctly to pass the final assessment. After passing the course, candidates will receive a certificate that they can give to their potential employers.
The certificates expire on April 21, 2021. The certificates are suitable for the pandemic duration or at least while there is a public health emergency in place.
Temporary nurse aides can find employment with nursing homes or hospital facilities with their certificates.
How Can You Convert to a Certified Nurse Aide?
To go from a temporary nurse aide to a certified nursing assistant, short-term aides must transition into an emergency nurse training program. The emergency nurse aide training program requires at least 75- hours of training.
However, temporary nurse aides can apply their eight hours of initial training toward the 75-hour minimum requirement for certification. Also, 16 of the training hours have to involve a clinical setting.
In conclusion, COVID-19 has created a need for assistance with patient care. It’s an excellent opportunity for someone who has never worked in the field to get a jump-start. If you recently transitioned over to a registered nurse or CNA and need to take continuing education credits, we’ve got you covered at Incredible Health. Our courses are free, online, and accredited.
