Continuing education for healthcare personnel assures that workers will be up to date in the latest knowledge and techniques for taking care of patients. Federal law requires certified nurses’ aids to have at least 12 hours of continuing education per year to become recertified. In California a certified nurses’ assistant must complete 48 hours of continuing education every two years in order to renew his or her certificate. At least 12 hours must be taken each year and 24 hours may be taken online. Florida requires the federally mandated 24 hours in two years, and specifies the subjects nurses’ aids must study. Check with your nursing licensing board in your state to see what continuing education requirements you will need to meet.
Many hospitals offer their own continuing education given by their inservice departments, and this is one benefit to look for when choosing a place of employment. Many of the courses offered are tailored to the needs of the hospital, so they will be helpful in your work and you will have a chance to put into practice what you have learned in the classroom. Self-study courses can sometimes be included in pay envelopes so that nursing assistants can study at their own pace. Some hospitals allow non-employees to register for a fee if there is room available.
Many community colleges and nursing schools also offer continuing education units (CEU’s), so check with the local schools. The school where you got your nurses’ aid training might be a good place to start, and the teachers there can probably recommend good sources of continuing education.
The Red Cross is another continuing education provider. The organization’s courses emphasize cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and emergency preparedness.
Online courses are also available to make continuing education convenient. Many online courses are inexpensive, offering an unlimited number of hours for an entire year for around $20.00-$30.00. Some online sources include myfreece.com, cnazone.com, cnaceu.co, and quantumunitsed.com, to name a few.
Anatomy and physiology for certified nurses’ assistants are two of the courses you might take. If you are considering upgrading your career to become a practical nurse or registered nurse, learning anatomy and physiology will give you a head start before you take your basic science courses to enter nursing school. Courses on diseases are also available, and they typically cover chronic diseases that you are likely to see, such as HIV/AIDS, diabetes and arthritis. Many courses will help you to avoid problems such as nursing errors, accidents, and spreading infection from one patient to another. Safety is an issue addressed by many CEU courses. Domestic violence is also a course that is useful for nursing assistants to have so that you can recognize the signs of abuse and report them when you see them. Medical records courses are also available.
If you are thinking of changing the direction of your career in some way, continuing education can be helpful. If you have worked in a residential care facility and think that you would like to change to an acute hospital, try looking for courses in the specialty in which you would like to work.
When you complete a CEU course you will be issued a certificate. If you take on online course you will need to print your certificate. Keep records of all the CEU’s you take over a period of two years. When it is time to renew your certification, you will be required to fill out a form with titles of all your courses, their government-issued numbers, the dates you took the courses, the number of CEU’s and the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the places where you took them. Plan your CEU’s in plenty of time and you will be all ready for renewal when the time comes.
You might be able to get your continuing education for free in some cases. Read our article on Free CNA Inservices
Expert Author: Kathryn Goldin, R.N., M.D., M.S.P.H.
Hi< I just wanted to know, about 10 years ago I was certified cna but did not keep up on my cert. Would I have to take the course all over again or is there a test I can take. I know I recieved it in mass in the berkshires. Would I be able to look it up and still use it. thanks, Karen
Hi Karen, you will need to retake the training as well as the exam.
hello, my CNA Certification expired march 2011 and I wanted to renew it ASAP before March 2012. i read on the form that you have up to 2 years to renew it after the expiration date. The only problem is that I called the facility I worked at as a CNA to see how many hours I completed of in service and they told me i have been gone too long and cannot provide me with that information. I was employed there may 2008 to november 2010. What do I need to do to renew my CNA license?
Hi,
I am interested in being a continuing education trainer for Med Tech’s, CNA’s and assisted living facilities. My background is in Public Health and Biology. I would like to know how to go about become and trainer/ having a training center. Your input would be appreciated.
Thanks!
One of our expert contributors will get back to you on this very soon.