How to become a Cna in a Nursing Home
If you have a heart for helping people, a good bedside manner, and a desire to make a living doing something that is rewarding, becoming a Certified Nurse's Assistant (CNA) might be the perfect job for you. There are many places that CNAs can find employment and one of these is in a nursing homes, where those employed are usually working with the same people day after day. This is a big difference from those working in a hospital where different people will be admitted and released on a daily basis. CNAs in nursing homes have the unique opportunity to really get to know the patients that they are helping.
While there are many great things to be gained by becoming certified as a nursing assistant and working in a nursing home, it should be noted that this is very hard work in most situations. Many of these homes are somewhat under-staffed, which means that you will stay extremely busy and may not feel that you have enough time in the day to do the things that need to be done. That can be frustrating. The work of a CNA can also be physically exhausting and you will need to have some strength to perform tasks such as moving patients and equipment around throughout your workday.
If you still think that this is a career you would like to persue, it won't be all that difficult for you to get the education that you need to accomplish this goal. There are two primary means of gaining the knowledge and skills that you will need in order to be certified as a nurse's assistant. The first is to go to your local community college and speak to someone in the counseling office who can help you to get set up in the classes that you will need. There will be charges for your education, of course, and it can get somewhat expensive for you. However, you will be able to pay and get into the course with little trouble in most cases.
The second option is to contact local nursing homes and inquire about whether they, themselves, provide "in house" CNA courses. Many of them will provide the education free of charge, or for greatly reduced rates, if you are willing to commit to work for them when you have become certified. These courses can be rather competitive to get into, requiring you to interview first and be selected among the applicants.
When you have completed your chosen education course, you will need to take a test that will be administered through the state that you are getting certified in. Your education provider will be able to direct you regarding who you must contact in your state to arrange this testing for certification. You will need to pay a fee for the test and once you have taken it and passed, you are on your way to a very rewarding career as a CNA in a nursing home.
