CNAs, Certified Nursing Assistants, play a highly essential role in the field of health care. Also called as patient care technicians, nurse’s aides and orderlies, these people offer an indispensible part of health care. CNA professionals help nurses in several medical facilities by rendering basic care to the patients that is crucial in hospitals, nursing homes and clinics. There is always a great demand for qualified CNAs in the healthcare facility. CNAs are expected to possess certain skills to carry out their job properly. These include assisting with the medical apparatus of the patient, checking for critical signs and aiding them with basic health care requirements.
Different options to become a CNA
If you aspire to become a CNA, you are left with many options to start your career in this field. One of the options is by applying for nurse aid course offered by the community colleges. In the community colleges, the period of the course extends for 2 academic years generally. The second option is, for those who cannot attend community colleges, may apply in the specialized schools. If an applicant cannot access both of these options, he or she can join training program at a nursing or health care facility. Typically, these programs are extended for prolonged durations.
What the training is about?
Training contents differ from on-the-job training to completing a formal training program. Formal training programs are provided in schools, nursing homes, vocational-technical schools, community colleges and hospitals. Nursing homes which offer CNA training classes necessitate that a candidate working at their facility for certain period of time in exchange for training. Schools conducting formal training are a mix of hands-on practice sessions and classroom setting.
CNA coursework content
In the course, the students will be taught about patient care standards, duties and responsibilities, use of different medial component, legal issues, proper everyday care procedures and the other topics like anatomy, nutrition, body mechanics, infection control and nutrition. Once you are completed with the certified nurse assistance training program, you are needed to attend the particular state certifying test for you to become certified as well as start working as CNA in long term care facility, hospital, private homes, care homes, clinics and adult day cares.
If you want to progress in this career, you can consider further extending your career into other health care professions, which would require additional formal training and also education based on your wish, for example you may prefer becoming a licensed practical nurse, a certified medical assistant or a registered nurse.