Who Becomes a
Certified Nurse Assistant?
Helping Those With Healthcare Needs
You like to help people; you could say it's a passion. Well, this is a field that attracts compassionate people. Whether it is in a hospital or in a private home, patients rely on CNAs to assist with a variety of needs.
What Does a CNA Do?
The term CNA stands for Certified Nursing Assistant. Some of the other titles for workers in this profession are Patient Care Assistant (PCA), State Tested Nurse Aid (STNA), Nursing Assistant-Registered (NA/R), nurse's aide, orderly, and home health care worker. Basically, it is a person who assists individuals with healthcare needs.
CNA's are always in demand in the growing medical fields. You will be in a profession that is required in every state and territory of the USA. The median wage is approximately $23,200 per year.
Some of the tasks and routine care performed by a Certified Nurse's aide include:
- monitoring vital signs, food & liquid intake
- report patient's condition to professional staff
- moving a patient from a bed to a wheel chair
- grooming/bathing/dressing a patient
- feeding a patient
- repositioning them in bed, or changing linens while the bed is occupied
- catheter care
- prepare patient for surgery or treatment
- surgery room preparation
- and much more
A career as a CNA gives you satisfaction in helping others, and the flexibility and opportunity to work in any city or region of your chosing.
How to Get Started to Become a CNA
Training to become a certified nurse's aide (CNA) or nursing assistant can be done through an employer-sponsored program in as little as 8 to 12 weeks, or by attending adult education programs at a local community college for a semester. State-approved training programs must be a minimum of 50 hours of theory and 100 hours of supervised clinical training.
You must have a GED or a high school diploma before starting any CNA program.
When you are ready, you must also take and pass a state-administered CNA certification test. This will include a comprehensive exam as well as a hands-on demonstration of skills used in working with a patient, such as making an occupied bed, etc.
Each state has its own rules and regulations. You must take the exam and be certified in the state you plan to work in.
The Certified Nurse Assistant Exam Study Guide will help you prepare for the test - and help you pass it!
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