Assisted living facilities play an essential role in the health and well-being of our senior population. Whether they need assistance with daily tasks such as bathing, meals, or getting around, or they are physically independent but, for other reasons, cannot live on their own, an assisted living environment is the answer.
Unlike those in skilled nursing facilities, the resident in an assisted living community maintains a fair degree of independence. They can maintain their quality of life while surrounded by other seniors and a staff that sees to their needs. Assisted living facilities provide a wide range of essential services for their residents, including personal care, transportation, meals and dining, laundry and housekeeping, as well as social activities, group outings, and recreation.
In addition to the numerous services offered, some assisted living organizations offer memory care, and all have some degree of on-site medical care. To that end, there are a variety of nursing jobs in assisted living centers, and you may discover incredible nursing careers are yours for the asking as a member of their staff.
Who Works In an Assisted Living Environment
When you visit an assisted living facility, you’ll notice an efficient and friendly environment. Residents visit among themselves, family members come and go, and among the kind and hospitable staff, you’ll see various types of caregivers. These are the nurses who discover incredible nursing careers in assisted living.
CNAs
Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) are at the heart and core of every assisted living facility. These are the people who work directly with the residents. They provide services such as assisting with bathing, toileting, and other personal hygiene. CNAs monitor vital signs when required to support the residents’ well-being. CNAs who work in the assisted living environment may advance their nursing careers through certain certifications, such as dementia care, medication management, and assistance with wound care.
LPNs
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) work under the supervision of RNs and physicians. They are responsible for updating health records, monitoring residents, and administering first aid when needed.
RNs
Registered Nurses (RNs) are also an essential part of the assisted living environment. These nurses oversee medical care, administer medications, and are part of the residents’ overall care team. These nurses have the opportunity to advance their nursing careers in many different ways, like pursuing advanced degrees (BSN or MSN) or advancing within the organization as nurse manager, director of nursing, or charge nurse.
NPs
The nurse practitioner (NP) in an assisted living organization is in the unique position of providing nursing care as well as managing residents’ medical care. They often work as the go-between for nursing staff and PAs or physicians. The on-site NP can asses the patient, order and interpret tests, diagnose illness, prescribe medication, create patient care plans, and follow up with the resident and their family.
PAs
A Physician Assistant (PA) who works in an assisted living community is primarily responsible for providing direct medical care for those residents in need of such. The PA may conduct physical exams, diagnose certain illnesses, order lab tests, manage chronic conditions, prescribe certain medications, and refer to other healthcare professionals when necessary.
11 Ways You Can Discover Incredible Nursing Careers Through Assisted Living
Working in assisted living can open up a world of opportunity for nurses. Through career development and advancement, you can have an incredible nursing career for years to come. Here are some ways you can learn more about nursing careers in assisted living and discover if it’s the right path for you.
1. Get to Know Exactly What Assisted Living Is
Unsure if a nursing career in assisted living is right for you? Get to know exactly what that job looks like. Use the internet to read up on assisted living facilities in your area or the area you wish to live in. Visit an assisted living facility (with permission from those in charge, of course) and observe the staff as they perform their duties. Browse career opportunities at assisted living organizations here.
2. Network
Use your connections to find out more about working as a nurse in an assisted living organization. Through professional organizations, your nursing school, or even LinkedIn, you may reach out to someone who can shed some light on nursing careers in this field.
3. Volunteer
Volunteering is one of the best ways you can discover whether or not this is the right career path for you. Through volunteering or shadowing, you can see what the job expectations are and also get an idea of the residents. Identify if you have what it takes insofar as skills and ability to work in assisted living.
4. Attend a Career Fair
Some of the larger organizations host career events for nurses interested in a career in assisted living. These types of job fairs are very helpful in providing a glimpse into the workplace culture of the specific organization. You’ll also find out about available jobs and get a general idea of salary and benefits packages.
5. Look Into Specialized Training
If you are already determined, you do want to discover an incredible nursing career in assisted living, then make yourself undeniably qualified. Pursue certification in geriatric care, memory/dementia care, or assisted living care. Boost your education, qualifications, and resumé through additional training in these areas.
6. Explore Professional Organizations
Some organizations involve assisted living professionals specifically. One such organization, the American Assisted Living Nurses Association, has been around for over two decades and offers opportunities to connect with other nurses working in the same environment. This organization provides real insight into the professionalism and dedication of those who discover incredible nursing careers in assisted living.
7. Speak to Families
According to the American Health Care Association, nearly a million seniors over the age of 65 are residents in assisted living communities. Someone you know is likely the family member of someone in assisted living. Family members provide a unique perspective on specific care and practices of specific assisted living organizations. Families often provide unfiltered information regarding their loved one’s care. Through their feedback, you may discover the right assisted living facility in which to grow your career.
8. Investigate Opportunities for Internal Advancement
Through their work in assisted living, nurses often find themselves in the unique position of caring for the same individuals for years. Once the relationship between nurse and residents develops, those in charge wish to maintain the familiar and typically promote from within. If you’re looking for advancement in your nursing career, a job in assisted living is it. You’ll grow professionally and advance through professional development within your career in assisted living.
9. Research Industry Publications to Find Out More about Assisted Living Trends
As medicine advances, so does everything associated with it. To that end, you’ll find many assisted living centers embrace emerging trends in technology and certain protocols that make the environment much more efficient. Through your research, you can identify the trends and determine the direction you wish to grow and how you can use it to your benefit.
10. Look Into Part-Time Opportunities
Most assisted living communities offer both full-time and part-time employment, so don’t be afraid to get your feet wet through a part-time opportunity, especially if you’re stepping out of your comfort zone. By working in a part-time nursing position, you’ll be front and center, gaining powerful experience and seeing firsthand how you can make a difference in the lives of the residents. Part-time work also lets you determine if the assisted living organization is a good fit for you. You’ll get a bead on the day-to-day culture of the workplace, how you get along with the rest of the staff, and just what is expected in terms of patient care.
11. Leverage Working with Medical Staffing
When you work with BOS Medical Staffing, you’ll have access to hundreds of open jobs in assisted living. Discover the many ways you can develop and grow your career through specific job opportunities in your area. Of course, discovering the right career path for you may take some time, but by using the jobs board, you’ll find the right place to start.
What Are the Benefits of Assisted Living Nursing Careers?
For those dedicated nurses who wish to discover incredible nursing careers through assisted living, there are many benefits.
Job Security
Job security is a major plus. The aging population is growing, which is one of the main reasons nurses are in such high demand. The well-being of seniors in these communities relies on nurses to take the lead. Those nurses with leadership skills are always going to be in demand, especially in assisted living.
Some Degree of Predictability
Nurses who like the predictability of a career in an assisted living facility benefit as, although no two shifts are exactly the same, there is a certain pattern to the day-to-day work in assisted living that isn’t there in hospitals and clinical settings. As a nurse in an assisted living community, some of your responsibilities are:
- Taking residents’ vital signs
- Conducting and assessing health exams
- Organizing patients’ schedules
- Working with the residents’ healthcare team
- Keeping family members informed
- Answering family members’ questions
- Coordinating with co-workers and staff
- Coordinating with residents outside healthcare such as doctor appointments and physical therapy not on site.
Patient Relationships
For the nurse who values her patient relationship and care, a career in assisted living offers a wonderful opportunity to do just that. Working in a clinical or hospital setting typically places the nurse’s focus on physical care and treatment. Assisted living nurses develop relationships with the residents that are essential to quality of life. Nurses with strong soft skills like communication, compassion, and patience may find nursing careers in an assisted living environment the perfect job for them.
Being Part of A Community
Not only are you making a wonderful difference in the lives of the residents and their families, but you’re also part of a community. You get to know and develop a strong relationship with the residents, their families, and your co-workers. A career in assisted living allows you to develop strong ties with those you work beside.
Fulfilling and Rewarding
When you take on a job in assisted living, your nursing career becomes significantly more fulfilling and rewarding. By providing care to seniors, you open the door to opportunities to advance your career as well. And it’s never boring! CNAs, LPNs, and RNs fill a diverse range of roles within assisted living facilities and organizations.
Very often, the hands-on care, knowledge, and skills nurses develop through their experience working in assisted living propel them up the career ladder. Many assisted living employers also help you advance through certification opportunities. Rest assured, if it is the right fit for you, nursing careers in assisted living can be successful and rewarding for years to come.
If you’re thinking about using your nursing certification or degree to discover incredible nursing careers in assisted living, you should investigate further. Those nurses who feel called to work in this special and specialized environment reap some marvelous benefits and meaningful relationships. But, more than anything, you’ll direct your passion for patient care to making a difference in the lives of the residents as they strive to continue to live independently. Rest assured, the residents and their families will value your care for a very, very long time.
Find Your Fit with A Nursing Career in Assisted Living
Discover incredible nursing careers and opportunities when you look to assisted living organizations. For more on how you can make a difference by choosing a nursing career in assisted living or to find out about available jobs, please contact BOS Medical Staffing.
