One of the most in demand and rewarding careers is a certified nursing assistant. Certified nursing assistants work in the healthcare field, attending to patients in a variety of environments, including hospitals, nursing homes and private residential homes. Certified nursing assistants are often known as nursing aids because their primary role is to assist fully registered nurses. If you are considering a career in the health field, becoming a certified nursing assistant may be the ideal choice for you. In order to become a nursing assistant, you may be required to take a few classes and earn your certification.
What does a certified nursing assistant do?
As a certified nursing assistant, the job responsibilities vary from patient to patient, but duties may include assisting patients with eating, bathing, household chores and/or errands. You will also typically be responsible for taking the patients vitals and reporting your findings through charting. In some situations, a certified nursing assistant may help dispense medications, change bandages, transport patients to testing in other areas of the hospital and/or simply provide companionship.
How to Become a Certified Nursing Assistant
There are several options available which offer training to become a nursing assistant. For example, many local community colleges offer certified nursing programs. The major disadvantage to earning your certification at a community college is the waiting list for the program may be quite long. Facilities which specialize in medical training programs, such as the Providence Training Institute, provides certified nursing assistant training which typically has a much shorter waiting list and are more detail oriented with their students because of their smaller class sizes. You may also be able to attend classes through a local hospital. In many situations, you will need to have a few prerequisites before applying to a CNA program. You may be required to have either a high school diploma or a GED. If you’re too busy to attend classes, many of the classes for the CNA program can be taken online.
What types of courses are required?
Some of the coursework required to become a certified nursing assistant include CPR classes, first-aid, HIPPA laws, ethics, medical terminology, anatomy and physiology. Many of these courses can be taken online, which makes it convenient for those who are working and raising a family while still trying to attend school.
Once you complete the certified nursing assistant program, you will be required to take an exam and register with the state. Once you have earned your certification, you can then begin working your way through the medical field. This type of work is extremely rewarding and it is an excellent opportunity to garner the experience you’ll need to become a registered nurse. If you’re interested in becoming a certified nursing assistant in the Phoenix, AZ area, then you should look into the training programs being offered by the Providence Training Institute.
