A CNA is someone who works as a certified nursing assistant. These professionals work in healthcare settings. They are most frequently seen in nursing homes and home health settings though many hospitals and rehabilitation centers hire nursing assistants as well. You cannot work as a CNA until you complete a CNA training course and pass the competency examination for certification.
There are many different places you can look to find a CNA training program. Most nursing care facilities offer training for nursing assistants. Most people who attend this training have been hired to work as a CNA for the facility upon completion of the course. It is not uncommon to find a CNA training course offered at a local community college or at a nursing school. About 3 dozen branches of the American Red Cross also offer training courses for nursing assistants.
Nursing assistant training courses usually range in price from about $400-$1000. Courses usually run about 3-12 weeks depending on whether they are offered on a full or part-time basis. When a CNA training course is offered through a college or university, the course often lasts for one semester. You can find training courses in the day, evenings and even on weekends.
A CNA training course will teach you a great deal about a career as a certified nursing assistant. You will learn how to provide basic care for patients including helping patients with activities of daily living and mobility. Your training will help you prepare to be able to communicate well with patients while always maintaining their privacy and dignity.
There are various instructional methods that will be used during a training course to teach you what you need to know. Lectures, textbooks and handouts often make up the first portion of your course. It is not uncommon for teachers to use role-playing to help you learn how to perform tasks of a CNA. Some lab work is usually introduced during a nursing aide training course as well.
The other part of your CNA training course will include hands on experienced. You will spend several days or more working under the direction of you instructor within a healthcare facility. It will be necessary to spend some of your time watching other nursing assistants and healthcare providers work. You will then have an opportunity to provide some care for patients on your own.
A CNA training course must be approved by the state in which you are training in order for you to be eligible for the certification exam. An approved course will meet all curriculum requirements set forth by the state. Once you have completed all classroom and clinical work for your training course, you will be ready to sit for the certification exam.
The CNA certification test will require you to answer a variety of multiple choice questions. After you finish this part of the test, you will need to demonstrate some of the skills you will use as a nursing assistant. It is usually necessary to demonstrate at least 5 different skills. When you pass both portions of the test, you will be able to receive your certification.
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