How to Obtain a Nursing Assistant Certificate (CNA)?

Answer 1

In order to get a nursing assistant certificate, also known as a Certified Nursing Assistant (C.N.A.) certificate, one must usually go to college or a specialized training center. At this center, students will receive both classroom instruction and hands-on training on skills required to be a competent nursing assistant. There are also classes that are available online in certain areas.

First, locate a school nearby by searching the web for “nursing assistant certificate” or “certified nursing assistant training” and your city name. Contact the school and find out the costs, schedule, and requirements. In some jurisdictions, you may need to be fingerprinted and pass a background check, or may require a high school diploma or GED before you can embark on the nursing training.

After enrolling, you will study the C.N.A. material, which mainly involves skills such as changing a soiled bed sheet without disturbing the patient, cleaning a catheter, washing hands properly, doing light physical therapy, etc. This knowledge prepares you to work in assisted living facilities, hospitals, private nursing practices, etc.

Once study is completed, you will present yourself for an exam on the topics learned. There is usually a written test, plus a hands-on demonstration where you demonstrate your competency in the skills of a nursing assistant. It is this latter test where most students have trouble and fail their tests, as each sequence of a skill must be performed in its exact order on either a doll or fellow student while the examiner observes. Needless to say it is easy to get something out of order, or simply flub to the anxiety of being watched like a hawk.

Persons applying for nursing assistant certificates should expect the course to take approximately 30 hours in most states. It is not very expensive, and nursing assistants are very much in demand. Unfortunately, the starting pay for a C.N.A. is not very high, running from $8 to $10 per hour on average, but it is a good first step towards exploring a career in nursing without a full commitment. Most C.N.A.s continue to study and become L.P.N.s, R.N.s, or even Nurse Practitioners, which can prescribe medicine and have many of the same powers that a regular M.D. has.