subject: Preparing Yourself For A Successful Cna Career With Cna Training [print this page] Certified nursing assistants can be found in almost all health care institutions and medical facilities. You may refer to them as health care technicians, nurse's aides, home care workers or orderlies. You will most likely find certified nurse assistants in private care facilities, especially in homes and centers for the aged and disabled.
CNA training is a must if you want to be a certified nursing assistant. You can obtain CNA training, which on average lasts around 6 weeks, from state-run medical facilities, hospitals, the Red Cross, community colleges or vocational schools. There are also free CNA training programs that are offered by the same institutions, provided that the student also render a reasonable amount of work in exchange for the free training sessions.
Requirements for CNA training may include medical tests like drug and physical examination as well as a background check. Much of CNA training is about the practical aspect of providing basic health care. The practical aspect is vital because CNAs have more contact with patients than registered nurses do, so they are said to be the nurses' eyes and ears.
Training for CNA certification covers subject areas such as patient care, infection control, cleanliness procedures and operating basic medical equipment.
It has been mentioned that training for CNA certification can take about six weeks, but actual duration may vary from one state to another; it also depends on the medical institution that administers the training. CNA training at the Red Cross or a community college takes between six to nine months. There is an advantage to longer training sessions in that the student can be more confident when it comes to the CNA certification exam.
After completing the CNA training course, a student can take the CNA certification exam. The state health board, or in some cases, the medical school that served as training provider, awards CNA certification. CNA certification tests are also handled by the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program.
CNA training is useful for those who want to later move on to a nursing career. With the training for CNA certification, a nursing assistant gets an approximation of a registered nurses work. However, being a certified nursing assistant is already a well-rounded career in itself, paying you good dividends in terms of financial stability.
