Health care professionals who are trained to help patients with their daily activities and ensure that all their healthcare needs are taken care of are called certified nursing assistants. These individuals are trained in all basic nursing procedures and usually work under the supervision of a registered nurse or a licensed nurse. Nursing assistants play an important role in health care facilities. They are required to undergo formal CNA training classes before they are allowed to practice. While the licensing of nursing assistants may vary per country, all of them are required to undergo a certain number of education and practical training.

Nursing assistants must undergo certified nursing assistant training classes through state-approved training programs. The training period constitutes a minimum of 50 hours of theoretical learning and 100 hours of clinical training under proper supervision. Those who complete this program are given the title Certified Nursing Assistants or State Tested Nurse Aid. They are then placed on the state registry of nursing aides. To maintain their license, nursing assistants are required to undergo 48 hours of continuing education for every 24 months.

One of the most important requirements for being a certified nursing assistant is the mastery of a basic set of nursing assistant skills. These skills indicate a nursing assistant's preparedness and ability to handle the needs of patients. Before nursing assistants are allowed to work in health care facilities or in homes, they should be able to show complete mastery of these set of skills. CNA training classes include proper training in any situation that requires the services of a nursing assistant, though most nursing assistants are asked to service the elderly.

It is not commonplace for people to see nursing assistants in most hospital units but their services are required in some. However, they are not usually present in high stress units like ICUs and CCUs due to the patients' critical condition. Among all the hospital staff, nursing assistants are usually the ones that work closely with patients. Bathing, feeding and grooming the patients are some of the duties of nursing assistants. Nursing assistants are also trained in basic medical procedures like testing for a patient's vital signs. These procedures are included in CNA training classes. Nursing assistants also offer social and emotional support aside from making sure that the patient is comfortable. . Patients that require the care and attention of nursing assistant are those who need constant supervision due to a health condition or old age. The services of nursing assistants are indispensable both for patients and health care facilities.