Steps to becoming a Cna
Acertified nursing assistant, or CNA, is the backbone o the skilled nursing facility, next to the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). They provide direct care, assisting residents with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as feeding, dressing, bathing, and other hygienic activities. CNAs may also work in hospitals as patient care technicians, or in other care facilities, which may require an additional competency exam, depending on the organization, due to different skill sets. Nursing assistants are increasing in demand just as nurses are in demand in hospitals. Due to any spikes in demand for unlicensed personnel, training programs are becoming more competitive and difficult to get into.
In order to become a CNA, an interested party must research local training programs. A simple Google search can help locate them, or websites dedicated to Certified Nursing Assistant placement and training, such asnursegroups.com. Some sites allow a person to search by city and state and may provide links to training site websites. In several states, the local American Red Cross chapter offers courses as well.
After completion of a training course, a candidate must prove proficiency by taking a required written exam and a Clinical Skills exam. These exams are completed throughPrometric, whose website contains information packets, practice tests, and an online application for the skills exam. It also has a list of approved test sites, which are usually at local skilled nursing facilities. Clinical skills range from feeding residents to performing stand-and-pivot transfers from a bed to a wheelchair, or demonstrating the “log roll” or bathing a patient.
If the candidate meets necessary requirements and passes both exams, some states require the candidate to be added to thestate nurse aide registry. This registry is accessible online in most states, and certification may be verified via the website or an 800-number by a facility seeking to hire the individual.
Completing a job search is the next step. Job boards such as Monster or CareerBuilder are widely-used national sites. This means that they are more competitive, although they should not be excluded from use.Indeed.comis another excellent site that is becoming increasingly popular. Some local community colleges have job boards local to the specific community, such as Monroe Community College’sJob Connection, serving the city of Rochester, NY and its vicinity.
Another way to seek employment is to make a list of skilled nursing facilities and/or area hospitals and to apply directly. In this case, it is helpful to find out the names of nurse managers and to contact them directly, giving several days after application submission. However, if using this method, the candidate would benefit from finding out the individual nurse manager’s preference for phone calls in order to accommodate him or her and make a good impression.
Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant is the beginning of a very rewarding career in nursing. It may lead one to possibly pursue training as a Licensed Practical Nurse, or one could simply put in the time and eventually assist with training or become a team leader, depending on the institution’s career ladder. Either way, it is a difficult yet rewarding career that requires compassion, dedication, and strength to pursue.
