Reading Skills for Healthcare Workers

Jane will be finished with her certified nurse assistant training course soon. She is starting to think about what type of job she would like to apply for.

​

First, she thinks about what type of setting she would like to work in: an acute care setting such as a hospital, a long-term care setting such as a nursing home, or a home setting, where she can care for clients in their homes. She also thinks about what types of patients or clients she would work best with: the elderly, patients in hospice care at the end of life, or clients with illnesses or impairments who cannot care for themselves. Jane also needs to consider her own needs. Her mother and her young son live with her, so she would like a flexible schedule to spend some time with them each day. Finally, she has a reliable car, so she would be able to drive to her workplace without relying on public transportation. After considering all of the possibilities, Jane decides to apply for the job of a home health aide. The job would allow her flexible hours with various clients. She thinks she may want to work in a more structured setting like a hospital after her son gets older.

​

Now Jane needs to apply for jobs. She asks her CNA instructors for advice and looks for jobs online. She visits specific websites of local home health aide agencies. When she sees job openings that seem like a good fit for her qualifications, she fills out the job applications online. She also submits a cover letter, a résumé, and a list of references. In a few days, Jane receives calls from three agencies for job interviews. Jane prepares her answers for the job interviews. She feels confident that she will find a nurse assistant job soon.