CNA Training and Career Information

Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

The road to becoming a licensed nurse aide is not an easy path to travel. Nursing assistants face many challenging scenarios during the course of their everyday work. Patient care is at the core of the CNA’s responsibilities and primary job duties.

Caring for those who are ill or injured can be a daunting and stressful task. It takes a strong individual to be able to balance the work load of a nursing assistant. Successful CNAs must learn to manage multiple patients simultaneously and be able to think clearly under pressure and work within time constraints.

Are you up to the challenge of getting certified as a nursing assistant and starting a career as a health care worker? Start here with our wealth of CNA career information and learn more about the exciting training and job skills required to be a CNA.

How to Complete CNA Certification

The process of completing your CNA certification can be outlined in three easy steps. First an individual must find an approved CNA training course and enroll. After passing the class the student must sign up for the CNA certification exam and pay the required fee. Upon successfully passing the CNA test the individual can apply to have his or her name included on the state nurse aide registry and they can begin working as a certified nursing assistant.

Are Online CNA Classes Available?

Many accredited online colleges and universities currently offer CNA classes in a distance learning format. These courses might be ideal for people who are working full time or who do not live close to a CNA training facility. However, the main disadvantage of online CNA programs is the lack of hands-on training. Since half of the CNA certification exam consists of performing 5 practical skills, it is highly beneficial to have hands-on practice to help learn and master the required CNA job skills. The best way to incorporate online learning into a CNA training program is in conjunction with classroom based study.

What Does CNA Training Include?

There are 25 basic skills that every nursing assistant is expected to know and to be able to perform effectively. 5 of these 25 skills will be chosen at random for each potential CNA to perform during their certification test. This section of the exam is critical to passing the test and gaining certification. If the student cannot perform any one of the 5 skills proficiently they will fail the test. The 25 basic CNA skills include…

1. hand washing
2. entering patient’s room
3. applying knee-high elastic stocking
4. assist to ambulate with transfer belt
5. assist with use of bedpan
6. denture care
7. donning and removing gown and gloves
8. count and record radial pulse
9. count and record respirations
10. dressing client with affected right arm
11. feeding client
12. modified bed bath
13. making occupied bed
14. blood pressure
15. measure and record urinary output
16. measure patient’s weight
17. range of motion knee and ankle
18. range of motion shoulder
19. position on side
20. provide catheter care for female
21. provide fingernail care on one hand
22. provide foot care on one foot
23. provide mouth care
24. provide peri-care for female
25. transfer from bed to wheelchair using transfer belt

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