A certified nursing assistant is the basic level in the nursing profession. They use their nursing education to help sick patients and assist nurses in the health care sector. They are students who have gone through the state regulated training, passed the examination and have been assessed by the state certified nursing assistant education board.
What are Their Responsibilities?
The job of a CNA is varied and wide. Their primary job is to cater for the patient and assist the licensed nurses in their assignment. they carried out jobs as making of bedding for patient, change of clothes, feed and bathe them, empty bed pans, transport patients from one place to another. They also take patients vitals such as blood pressure and pulse. They perform other tasks as grooming, take note of patient conditions and report same to the nurses.
What is the Education Requirement for Becoming a Certified Nurse Assistant?
All that is required to become a CNA is to complete 75 hours of minimum training and then passed the nursing certificate examinations. To apply for the training you will need to become a high school diploma. Other basic skills include compassion, humility, dexterity, dependability and caring for people. The certified nursing assistant education is very easy and is a major first step to become a qualified nurse.
CNA Education Training
The training of the nursing assistant involves both classroom and clinical. The class work and laboratory work must be a minimum of 60 hours. The other 16 hours are work in a facility before been allowed to work as a CNA. The training will involve course contents like anatomy and physiology, which is more of the study of the human systems like urinary, digestive, sensory, cardiovascular, nervous systems. The training will also cover safety and infection control, the role and responsibilities of a CNA, the communication and interpersonal relationships, personal care hygiene and vitals procedures. Training can be either online or in a physical location.
Nursing Assistant Certification Examination
The body that conducts the CNA Certification exams in the United States is the NNAAP (National Nurse Aide Assessment Program). The exams has the following sessions,
- Written: This comprises of multiple questions which test the skills that a CNA is suppose to possess to carry out the job effectively.
- Oral: They contain several comprehension question and also multiple styled questions
- Skills test: This is primarily to test the ability of a CNA in a simulated environment, where a candidate gives physical demonstration of what he has acquired during the training process.
After these series of test and evaluation, if the student is graded pass, a certificate is awarded.
Places that Offer Certified Nursing Assistant Education
CNA training is offered in colleges and technical schools. To get the ones that will meet your need you can search online for the nearest school close to you and get the details for the program and then take the step to enroll in the program. Also, you can take the online training which is also like the regular campus classes. This is for those who may not be able to physically attend the classes just to time and convenience.
Career Outlook for Certified Nursing Assistants
Jobs for CNAs are growing by the day as more and more nursing assistants are getting to higher level of health professional thereby creating more opportunities for new CNAs. A nursing assistant can work in places like health care facilities, clinics, hospitals, adult care centers, old people home, assisted living centers, long term care facilities, private nursing practice, physicians private practices, etc.
Becoming a certified nursing assistant is a very rewarding and interesting profession. It is a delicate and vital part of the health care department. You need to pay close attention to the certified nursing assistant education guidelines if you wish to follow this career path.
