Background checks can be a nuisance, but they are a necessary evil for many professions, including certified nursing assistants. For you, they mostly mean some paperwork, fees and waiting around, but background checks are incredibly important for your employer and for patients. What is this procedure so necessary in the life of a nursing assistant?
Employers Demand It
The good news? If your employer does a background check on you, chances are that so long as you’ve been honest, you’re probably hired. The bad news? Be prepared to have many things checked out, including your references, places of employment, criminal record check, driving record, even your credit history! Why is this so important? Those nursing assistants with a criminal record in things like theft and abuse are more likely to steal from and abuse the patients under their care; it’s the repeated offender principle at work. It’s also state regulation; some states simply won’t allow the hiring of some offenders, ranging from things like theft all the way to those with just one misdemeanour! The long and short of it is, be very upfront about yourself, your job history, your education and your references and make sure you kept your nose clean!
Patients’ Peace of Mind
Patients expect their certified nursing assistants to be clean, law abiding citizens, not hooligans. You are building trust with patients who will confide things in you that they may not confide in their doctor. You will be working with these people daily and the only way to make it work is if the patient trusts you. It is implicitly understood that if you work there, you have good standing in the community and the training and education to back up your employment. Background checks ensure that patients don’t even have to think about the qualifications and backgrounds of those caring for them which in turns builds trust and a better reputation for yourself and the place you work in.
The State Requires It
While different states hold their certified nursing assistants to different standards, they all require background checks. Some of them only bar CNAs who have committed crimes like theft and things worse than that. Others though are far tighter and bar CNAs who have a history with harassment, misdemeanors
, drunk driving or felonies. This may seem steep, but remember that CNAs work with extremely vulnerable members of society and both the state and facility have to ensure that they won’t be abused or taken advantage of.
While background checks may seem like one long hurdle, they are very important for both CNAs and the people they work for and with. Take heart; if a background check is being done on you and you’ve been honest, you’re probably hired!
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