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How To Become A CNA Training Anywhere

01.08.2010 by Christine Reuben Category Health Care No Comments →

Certified nursing assistant is also known as nursing assistants, nursing aids, patient care technicians, home health aids, hospital attendants and orderlies. They provide basic nursing care to patients with daily living procedures. CNA training work under a registered nurse, licensed practical nurse’s and medical staff in a variety of settings such as a nursing home, assistant living facilities, private nursing and hospitals.

Certified nursing assistants need to have people skills, ability to lift patients, give general routine patient care, called activities of daily living that might include bathing patients, dressing patients, make beds, serve meals, feed patients, change beds, empty urinals and bedpans and help patients to the bathroom. They also take vital signs, which are blood pressure, pulse and respiration, charting information on your patients, be aware of any changes in your patients condition and report it to the charge nurse.

Certified nursing assistants have more contact with patients than any other members of the medical staff. Most patients stay in a nursing facility for long periods of time and many certified nursing assistants develop an ongoing relationship with them in a positive caring manner.

Certified nursing assistants have to have a good bedside manner, communicate well with people and patients, act accordingly in an emergency, keen observation skills, stay calm in difficult or stressful situations and able to work with people, patients and co-workers.

A certified nursing assistant must be observant and report any changes on a patient’s condition, be able to move patients and turn patients, report and to respond according to an emergency, be able have communication skills, patient and compassionate to people and to their patients.

As a certified nursing assistant you generally work a 40-hour a week, working holidays and weekends. A certified nursing assistant requires no previous experience as you are trained on the job, need a high school diploma or GED, and pass a state nursing assistant exam to become certified. A nursing assistant must complete a minimum of 75 hours state-approved training and pass a competency test and some states require a nursing assistant to be licensed.

Generally, a certified nursing assistant works a 40-hour week including weekends, holidays and possible double shifts if someone calls in sick. You don’t need any experience as you are trained on the job but it is helpful. You need a high school diploma or equivalent. To be certified, you need to attend a nursing program for so many hours of clinical practice and classroom instruction. The hours vary according to what state you live in. Some places of employment will give training while you work. You would have to call around and find out which places have that particular program. Advancement is limited and usually need more training to become an license practical nurse or a registered nurse.

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Become A Certified Nursing Assistant With CNA Classes

22.05.2009 by Christine Reuben Category Health Care No Comments →

by Melanie Allison

Are you a caring people person? Do you want to be a nurse but don’t know what kind or where to start? You don’t have to be confused any longer because this article will present to you the different kinds of nursing school programs you might encounter.

If you’thought about becoming a nurse assistant, you might want to consider the Red Cross CNA class (Certified Nursing Assistant). The Red Cross class gives you a nationally recognized certification.

The traditional entry-level position in nursing is considered to be the Certified Nursing Assistant. They are also known as a nurse’s aide because they take their orders directly from more highly trained nurses. To become a CNA, college is not required. There are vocational programs available that generally only take a few weeks to fully complete. After your educational courses and practical training are complete, you can become certified in your state and begin work. The CNA, however, has limited responsibility. You will find yourself feeding and bathing patients, checking vital signs, and performing other non-invasive tasks.

Another option is to become a Licensed Practical Nurse or LPN. These caregivers take their orders from an RN and often supervise the CNA. They provide care such as injections, medicating, charting patients’ progress, and assisting other nurses and doctors. It is more in-depth than a CNA position, so the education is as well. The LPN requires either a diploma or associates degree in nursing, and the program usually can be completed within a year. Then, you will take the NCLEX-PN exam. If you pass, you can become licensed in your state and start working.

A Registered Nurse or RN can provide all the care of the CNA, LPN, plus have added responsibilities in patient care and surgery and take their orders directly from physicians. This type of nurse will oversee the LPNs and CNAs. To be an RN, the minimum requirement is an associate’s degree in nursing. A four-year bachelor’s degree, though, is more widely preferred. No matter which educational approach you take to becoming an RN, you will still have to take and pass the NCLEX-RN before licensed and able to work.

If you are already an LPN or RN, universities offer you options to continue your education. There is a program called RN to BSN, which provides a registered nurse with only an associate’s degree to achieve a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The same exists for an LPN but is slightly different. If you still want to take your education farther, you can climb all the way up to a PhD with hard work and ambition.

So, now that you know more about the different forms of nurses and nursing school programs, including the Red Cross CNA class, you can decide which one matches your personality. The CNA requires the least amount of education while the LPN and RN take more time and study. The health care field is always growing, so your job outlook is good!

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