• Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

CNA Training Tips

  • Home
  • Free CNA Training
  • CNA Certification
  • CNA Classes
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

Introduction to CNA

June 8, 2011 by Catherine Leave a Comment

CNA Ethical and legal issues

As a professional member of the health care team, there are certain ethical and legal issues that must be upheld by the Certified Nurse Assistant.  Many of these ethical issues involve a little common sense on your part, but it is always good to know your limitations for your place of employment.

First of all, honesty is always the best policy.  You should be forthright with your patients and with other members of the health care staff.  If you make a mistake, you should own up to it.  After all, everyone makes a mistake now and then, and the best way to rectify the situation is to admit when you are wrong.  You should also avoid feeding into gossip or rumors that may cause conflict in your work place.

Avoid operating outside your scope of practice.  You should know your limitations and adhere to them.  You may even be asked to do something beyond your legal capabilities by a senior staff member or a supervisor.   If you are feeling pressured or if your rebuffs go unheeded, you should follow the chain of command and report it immediately.

You should report any and all abuse immediately.  This could involve verbal, emotional, physical or even sexual abuse of a patient by a staff member or it could involve the abuse of a staff member by another staff member.  In rare instances, a patient could assume the role of the abuser.  Be sure and document your findings, fill out an incident report and follow the chain of command to report any signs of abuse immediately.  There should be no reprimand for doing what is right.

A patient is entitled by law, the right to his/her privacy.  Avoid discussing a patient’s plan of care or condition with unauthorized personnel.  Avoid speaking to a patient’s family members about their personal issues unless the patient consents.  If you are unsure, have the family member ask the Doctor or Nurse in charge of them.  A patient’s condition is also not a proper discussion for other members of the healthcare staff unless they are directly involved in the care of that individual.  Also, it is unethical to discuss a patient’s affairs with your own friends or family members outside the healthcare facility.  This is extremely unprofessional and is a breach of patient trust.  It is also punishable by law.

Always document carefully.  Your documentation should be clear and concise and should accurately reflect the condition of the person whom you are caring for.  Avoid berating a belligerent patient in your documentation and leave your personal feelings out of notation.  A patient’s medical files are not about you; they are for that individual and should be kept professional.

There will be times in your medical career where you will bond with someone whom you are caring for.  It is natural to have feeling of compassion or even love for a patient who is under your care, especially if they require long term care.  Many patients feel gratitude and love toward their providers as well and some may want to repay you for your service to them.  It is unethical to accept gifts or money from a patient.  It is best to decline and say a kind word.

As a health care professional, it is easy to become attached to a patient or their family members, especially if they are under your care for an extended length of time.  Again, this is human nature.  However, it is highly unethical to become personally or sexually involved with a patient or one of their family members.  This is very unprofessional behavior and can ruin your reputation within the work place and can debase you in the eyes of the patient or their family.  Sexual relations with a patient or someone close to them may even result in your termination.  Keep all personal and sexual relations outside the work place.

A professional C.N.A. should know all legal and ethical boundaries and should follow them profusely.   If you are unsure, it is always a good idea to brush up on your reading skills and take the time to find out.  Following your code of ethics and working within the confines of the law will prove you to be trustworthy, reliable, and professional and will ensure your success as a professional member of the healthcare team.

Written by Stephanie Dubenezic RN, LPN

Filed Under: Introduction to CNA

April 1, 2011 by Catherine Leave a Comment

Difference between CNA and HHA

A CNA is an individual who has completed nursing assistant certification training and who has passed the exam for certification. On the other hand, HHA refers to home health aides. Home health aides are not always required to hold a certification though in most cases there are some licensing or certification requirements. There are some home health agencies that will hire an HHA. Other times an individual or their family hires an HHA directly for a loved one needing care in their home.

Certified nursing assistants will typically work in continuing care communities, rehabilitation centers and hospitals. A CNA will work with several different patients throughout the day. In a setting where new patients come and go often, a CNA will work with many different patients each year. A home health aide works with one client at a time. They work with patients in their own home providing a variety of home health services. A HHA might very well work with the same individual for several years. An HHA can also work with individuals of all different ages and from various walks of life.

Training for Certified Nursing Assistants

A certified nursing assistant requires more training than a HHA unless the HHA is also required to be a certified nursing assistant. Certified nursing assistants need to attend a state approved training class inorder to get certified. The training programs provide prospective nursing assistants with both classroom and clinical instruction. Training courses usually last for 3-6 weeks depending on the hours of instruction each week.

Certified nursing assistants receive some background instruction on medical and nursing related topics. They will usually need to complete some lab room instruction as well. Nursing assistant students then learn to work with patients directly. They learn how to safely and effectively carry out the most common tasks and duties that are assigned to certified nursing assistants.

When a CNA student completes a training course, they are required to sit for an exam. They must pass a written as well as hands on component to the exam. The exam provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate some of the nursing assistant skills that they learned during training.

Most certified nursing assistants are required to attend additional training each year. They will earn continuing education credits through some of the courses they must take and in-service meetings they must attend. A CNA is always learning something new in order to ensure that they can carry out their duties to the best of their ability.

Training for a Home Health Aide

An HHA often receives hands on training as opposed to attending a training course. There can still be requirements for the number of hours of training an individual must complete and any exams they must pass. They learn how to perform their duties while working directly with a client. Every person that requires a home health aide has their own individual needs. Their aides learn best by working with them directly.

A HHA can also be required to attend a course to become CPR certified. A Basic Life Skills course or other first aid courses can also be required. If a home health aid works for a nursing agency, they can be required to attend additional training courses periodically. They might even need to complete some continuing education credits each year.

Home health aides will generally receive their training under the direction of a Licensed Practical Nurse or a Registered Nurse. They might also spend a few days working under another HHA until they learn what duties they must perform for their assigned patient. It can take a few days for a home health aide to be ready to work with a patient completely on his or her own.

A nursing supervisor will evaluate most home health aides at times. If the HHA needs improvement in any areas, this is the time for their supervisor to point out those areas. The supervisor can then help the aide to improve his or her skills.

A CNA and an HHA often carry out similar duties. They assist patients and clients with activities of daily living. Nursing assistants and home health aides work with individuals who need a little help on a day-to-day basis. The patients and clients are often older individuals, individuals with chronic illnesses or individuals who were recently ill or injured.

Filed Under: Introduction to CNA

March 25, 2011 by Catherine Leave a Comment

Characteristics of a Successful CNA

There are many characteristics of a successful CNA.  A CNA will excel in their career and provide the best possible care for their patients if they have some great attributes.  Let us look at 5 characteristics of a successful.  Of course, these are just a few of the characteristics of a good CNA.  CNAs will need to have various personality traits in order to do well in their career.

There are many characteristics of a successful Certified Nursing Assistant. Today we will cover 5 of the most important ones that you should have to provide the patients with the best possible care.

Compassionate: A CNA should always be a compassionate individual.  They will often be working with individuals who are ill or injured.  They will also be interacting with family members who are concerned about an ill loved one.  CNAs should understand the fears and frustrations of patients and their families.  They should be compassionate even when a family member or patient is being difficult.  A good CNA will always act with compassion under all circumstances.

Kind: Successful CNAs should be kind individuals.  They should be able to make a patient feel more at ease even when they are not feeling well or are simply nervous about an appointment or test.  A patient likes to see a friendly face when they are interacting with their CNA.  They do not want someone who is unkind or who is not at all friendly to them.  CNAs should also be friendly when interacting with family members.

Hard-Working: A CNA should always be a hard-working individual.  CNAs have a lot of responsibilities and duties throughout the day.  They often work long hours and see many different patients.  A CNA should be very ambitious.  If a CNA does not want to work hard, they are not likely to stay employed for very long as a CNA.  They will need to be motivated and be a self-starter in order to be able to handle the workload of a CNA.

Patient: CNAs should be patient individuals.  They will often be over-worked and frazzled.  They cannot let this fact show through to patients, co-workers or family members.  A CNA must be patient even when a patient is being difficult.  They need to remain calm if a family member is complaining about something beyond their control.  Patience goes a long way in the field of nursing.

Responsible: A CNA must be a highly responsible individual.  They will be caring for patients with various levels of illness or injury.  You have to make sure all the paper work of that patient is in order and not miss out on any of the daily duties that you have to perform.

These are a few of the traits that a CNA should have.  You can consider whether or not you have these traits if you are giving some thought to starting out a career as a CNA.

 

Filed Under: Introduction to CNA

August 2, 2010 by Catherine Leave a Comment

Salary to expect working as a CNA

It is important to educate yourself about the CNA salary and pay scale if you are considering or starting a career as a certified nursing assistant.  Generally speaking, this is an entry level career choice.  You will earn more than minimum wage but will be limited in your earning potential even after years of employment.

In many areas of the United States, the average cna salary and pay scale falls between about $23,000 and $28,000 per year.  Some nursing assistants will make a little less than $23,000 and some nursing assistants will be able to earn more than $28,000.  These are just average pay rates.

Most nursing assistants in small town areas do not earn a high income.  In fact, some of the nursing assistants in those areas will only earn about $20,000 per year.  Incomes tend to be lower in communities will the cost of living is not very expensive.

You might find that your salary is higher as a nursing assistant if you live in a city (or even a larger town).  In addition, you might receive a higher salary or pay scale if you live and work in a community where the cost of living is quite high.

Most certified nursing assistants earn a higher income with more years working in the field.  For instance, CNAs often receive a raise after their first year of work.  Most employers will give their nursing assistants a slight increase in pay each year.
After working for four or five years as a CNA, you might see a more significant increase in your salary.  This seems to be particularly true if you work for the same employer for an extended period of time.  Individuals who have worked as nursing assistants for more than ten years typically see the highest wages.

Traveling nurses often have a higher pay scale and salary than nurses who work within a healthcare facility.  Nurses who travel between more than one nursing care facility or nurses who travel to see more than one patient each day (or week), can expect to earn a higher salary.

Nursing assistants who work for home health agencies can often earn as much as $15 per hour.  Individuals who cover night-shifts with clients can sometimes earn even more money per hour.  The same is often true of certified nursing assistants who work in healthcare facilities; employers pay more for individuals who must work overnight.

It is not unheard of for a nursing assistant to earn as high as $35,000 per year in some situations.  Individuals with advanced training or skills can expect to earn a higher salary than nursing assistants with the most basic training.  CNAs can earn a high rate of pay if they work in supervisory positions over other nursing assistants.

You will want to give careful considerations to the average salaries for nursing assistants in your area.  You can search for statistics online to provide you with a general idea of what you might earn when you start to work as a CNA.

Filed Under: CNA Guide, Introduction to CNA

July 31, 2010 by Catherine Leave a Comment

How to Get Your First CNA Job

You might be wondering how to get your first CNA job if you are planning to train and work as a certified nursing assistant or if you have recently received your certification.  There are steps you can take to obtain your first job as a certified nursing assistant.

You can actually try to get your first CNA job before you complete your certification.  Some healthcare providers will hire you to work as a nursing assistant and then will pay for and/or provide your training.  This is particularly common in nursing care settings and any type of continuing care community.

If you are hired to work as a nursing assistant for an employer that pays for your training, you will need to work for that employer for awhile.  The employer will let you know how long you must agree to work from them if they pay for all fees associated with your certification.

You can search for cna jobs in several different locations.  Nursing care facilities, continuing care communities and long-term care facilities hire certified nursing assistants.  Some hospitals hire CNAs to work with patients.  Rehabilitation centers also hire nursing assistants.

Home health agencies hire certified nursing assistants.  These groups hire nursing assistants to work with patients of all ages and health conditions in their own home.  Sometimes an individual or their family will hire a certified nursing assistant to provide private care.

You can search for your first cna job by contacting any of the above type of healthcare facilities.  Ask to speak to someone in the human resources department.  Tell that individual that you recently received your nursing assistant certification and are looking for employment.

It is also possible to find employment by search the classified ads in your local newspapers.  Search for any job ads looking for nursing assistants.  Nursing assistants are often in high demand especially in communities with a large aging population.

You might want to search online classified ads for jobs as well.  Look for nursing assistant positions that are available in your area.  Online classified ads are also a good option if you are willing to relocate for a position as a nursing assistant.

Your nursing assistant training program can also be a valuable resource when you are wondering how to find your first cna job.  The instructor for your training class might know of certified nursing assistant job openings or of employers that have a steady need for nursing assistants.  Some training programs might even offer job placement assistance if you are looking for your first job.

Job fairs can be a good resource if you are looking for your first cna job.  You can attend a job fair to meet with potential employers.  Healthcare facilities often set up at job fairs and many of these facilities have a need for qualified nursing assistants.

Do not worry too much about finding your first cna job.  It is usually not too difficult to find employment as a nursing assistant by checking with healthcare facilities and home health agencies in your local area.

Filed Under: CNA Jobs, Introduction to CNA

July 31, 2010 by Catherine Leave a Comment

CNA Continuing Education

If you have received your nursing assistant certification, you will need to complete continuing education credits each year in order to retain your certification.  CNA continuing education is intended to make certain that nursing assistants always have the latest information in the CNA industry.  Continued training helps to ensure that nursing assistants are always ready to provide the best level of care to their patients.

Continuing education helps to make sure that you stay updated on all the skills and knowledge you learned during your training.  Some continuing education classes serve as refresher courses so that you do not forget important information you learned during your training.

If there are changes to anything you learned during your CNA training, a CNA continuing education course can teach you those changes.  For example, if a safer or more effective way to complete a particular CNA task is devised, you might be asked to complete a course teaching you the new method of performing that CNA skill.

Some CNA continuing education courses are geared towards health professionals in general.  These courses are often intended to ensure that all healthcare providers have the latest information they need to preserve a patient’s privacy and dignity and to provide safe and effective care for all patients.

Your employer will often pay for your continuing education especially if you are working for a nursing care facility.  Some states even require certain employers to pay for or reimburse you for any costs associated with CNA continuing education credits.   This is helpful since you will usually need several continuing education credits each year.

Healthcare facilities often offer education in-services for CNAs and other healthcare employees.  These in-services often are able to provide some of the necessary continuing education credits.  In-services sometimes last for a few hours and other times will last for an entire day.  You might receive pay for in-service training that takes place directly at your place of employment.

You are often able to access cna continuing education credits online.  You can access your training courses from the comfort of your own home.  Online cna continuing education classes help to make certain that you have the time to complete your necessary coursework.  You can complete the training in between all the responsibilities you have each day.

Continuing education courses can cover a wide range of topics.  They can update you or refresh your mind about many of the skills you complete as a cna.  Some courses will be designed to teach you about updates to the privacy policies for patients.  There will be courses to teach you more about preventing bed sores or providing more ways to prevent injury.

Some continuing education courses will help you to recognize the signs of patient abuse and neglect.  The training will provide you with the information you need to help a patient if you think they are being harmed in any way.

You must complete continuing education credits each year to keep your certification.  The education will help you to be an even better certified nursing assistant.

Filed Under: CNA Classes, Introduction to CNA

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
  • Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Get Started

  • CNA Certification Information
  • CNA Classes by State
  • CNA Courses
  • CNA Exam Information
  • CNA Job Description
  • CNA Job Training
  • CNA License Information
  • CNA Online Training
  • CNA Programs
  • CNA Salary and Payscale
  • CNA Skills Information
  • CNA Training and Certification
  • Free CNA Training
  • Free HHA Training
  • Going from a CNA to a LVN/ LPN
  • Going from being a CNA to RN
  • How to write a Convincing CNA Resume
  • Nurse Aide Registries By State

Recent Posts

  • How to become a CNA Instructor
  • If you fail your CNA Exam, what next?
  • Travel CNA Job Description
  • Free CNA Training via Scholarships and Grants
  • Free CNA Training from Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
  • Travel Position for CNA
  • CNA Resume Examples for someone with Experience
  • How to receive Free CNA Training from Nursing Homes
  • How to get Free CNA Training from State Nursing Boards
  • CNA Job Interview Tips
  • Free CNA Training from the Job Corps
  • CNA Resume sample for someone with no experience
  • CNA Interview Questions and Answers
  • CNA Ethical and legal issues
  • How to be Professional as a CNA
CNA-Training-Tips-Expert-Author002

Copyright © 2023 · Executive Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in