What to Expect From Certified Nurse Assistant Training?

Answer 1

The demand of trained nurse assistants in the medical field is one that will continue to rise throughout the years. Becoming a certified nurse assistant is not as complicated as other careers and consists of two parts: training and certification. By successfully completing both parts, an individual can obtain employment within a medical setting.

What is a Certified Nurse Assistant?

A certified nurse assistant is a trained individual that has been certified by the state. Nurse assistants often work directly with the patient, whereas a nurse completes strictly medical tasks that require a license. For instance, a nurse assistant may assist a patient in a nursing home with bathing or putting their clothes on. However, she will not be allowed to give the patient medication or to preform medical tasks such as drawing blood.

Certified nurse assistants are mostly found in nursing and assisted living homes. There are positions within hospitals and physician's offices, however the opportunities are rare.

Training

To become a certified nurse assistant, an individual must complete a detailed training class. Classes are held at local colleges and also with potential employees. Training consists of approximately 80 hours, or two weeks, of training in which the student will learn how to position patients, take their vital signs such as blood pressure and respiration rate, and how to correctly give a bed bath. Upon completion of the class, the student will receive a certificate documenting that they have successfully finished the required number of hours and have passed the final exam. A student must complete the training class before testing to be certified by the state.

Certification Process

The certification process for a nurse assistant starts after the student has completed the required training. An application will need to be filed with the state examiner's board requesting the opportunity to test for certification. When a test date has been scheduled, the state will mail the nurse assistant details regarding the time and date of the test and directions.

On test day, the student will be tested on their knowledge of the skills by both written and skill-based tests. The skills test consist of completing a certain number of tasks correctly on a friend. Upon successfully passing both tests, the state will issue the nurse assistant her certification.