Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs)
Definition: Certified Nursing Assistants, also known as CNAs, are healthcare professionals who provide a basic level of care to patients under the guidelines of RNs (typically).
Whenever someone is admitted into the hospital, it is standard that they are seen by numerous healthcare professionals, such as physicians, nurses, and individuals in specialized fields. Certified Nursing Assistants, commonly referred to as CNA’s are an important and necessary component to this group of individuals
But how do I get there?
Unlike most careers in healthcare, a CNA position is a job that can be obtained as young as 16 to 17 years old.
To become a CNA, one must:
Take a state-approved CNA course.
The duration of this course varies from 4 to 16 weeks, with accelerated course programs offering a faster route to certification.
When enrolling in CNA programs, it is necessary that one passes a background check, obtains or proves that they have the necessary immunizations and documentation, including:
Health and Wellness Checks
Pass a drug screening test
*Obtain a high school diploma or GED, although some CNA training courses don’t require it.
In this CNA course, students will cover numerous health topics such as:
Anatomy
Infection control
Patient Assistance
Patient rights
Students will also receive clinical and laboratory training
Depending on the state, a minimum of training hours may be required before one can apply and take the CNA exams.
Exams vary from state to state, but include both a written test and skills evaluation.
This proctored exam should take 130-140 minutes total
After this exam is passed, the CNA certification is obtained, allowing you to practice only within the state of your certification. This certification is typically renewed every two years, but this process varies from state to state.
What do they do?
CNAs may work under the supervision of Registered Nurses, and their role includes the following:
Hands-on Patient Care (personal hygiene, feeding, grooming, dressing, etc)
Vital Sign Monitoring
Secondary Support for Nurses
Let’s talk about locations
Home Health Aides can work in a variety of settings, some of which are:
Nursing Homes
Hospitals
Assisted Living Facilities
Home Health Agencies
ERebhab Centers
Long-Term Care Centers
Government Agencies
Hospice Care
A career in medicine is a reward.
Overall, a career as a CNA is very rewarding, as it is a gateway step into healthcare, especially nursing. It improves social skills drastically and how one should treat and provide patient care.
