CNA Training and Getting the CNA License are the final steps to becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant. The license is usually granted after completing the required certification exam successfully.
Do you want to enter into some aspect of the nursing field without becoming a nurse? You should consider training for a career as a certified nursing assistant (commonly referred to as a CNA.) Nursing assistants provide a variety of services for patients to help make their time in a hospital or continuing care community more comfortable. There are some tasks that you can complete as a nursing aide without being certified. However, you will be able to provide more services and receive a higher salary if you complete training to obtain your CNA license.
CNA Training
Before you will become eligible to take the Certified Nursing Assistant licensing exam, you will need to complete a CNA training program. The program will provide you with the education and training you need to work successfully as a nursing assistant. Each CNA training program will also prepare you for your certification examination.
There will be lecture portions of your training, lab studies, skills and hands on training and clinical experience. You will learn basic patient procedures and how to provide a variety of services for your patients. The course will teach you how to provide your patients with assistance for activities of daily living. You will learn how to monitor vital signs, complete patient documentation and even how to reposition patients who are not very mobile or not mobile at all.
Many community colleges and technical training schools offer CNA training courses. Many chapters of the Red Cross provide nursing assistant training programs. You will also find that many nursing care facilities and other healthcare providers offer CNA training. The duration of a course will vary among providers. However, most courses are at least 3 to 6 weeks in length.
About the CNA Licensing Exam
You must pass the certification examination before you can be employed as a certified nursing assistant(in most states). This exam will carry two parts. There is a theoretical portion of the test in which you are asked questions about patient procedures, protecting patient privacy and other information you covered in your lectures, textbooks and workbooks. This is the written portion of the licensing exam. When you look online you can find may websites offering samples question for the CNA exam. Look over some of these websites in order to have a feel for some of the information that will be covered.
The second part of your test, will be the clinical portion. This is where you will need to show the examiner that you are ready to perform the tasks of a certified nursing assistant. Of course, you will not be able to demonstrate all tasks but will be asked to demonstrate a few. You might be asked to bring someone with you for your testing to serve as your model patient for the exam. When you are completing the test, do not forget to demonstrate all safety and privacy procedures that you learned as part of the skills you must demonstrate.
Do not forget that you will need to complete credits and take other steps each year in order to keep your lcense active after you have passed the certification exam.
yes i have a question i have not worked as a cna in the last 2 yrs because i have been sick and my recertification had pasted do i need to take the class over or is their a few that i can pay. thank you your time donna email (removed for privacy reasons)
Hi Donna,
you will need to take the classes as well as the certification test again. I’m so sorry for your illness and I hope you feel better soon.
I have a criminal background, but have heard that you do not have to have a clean record. What are the requirements?
I worked in a Hospital out of state for 81/2 years, and was given the opportunity to be able and take a Nursing Assistant course thru the hospital. I pass the course and a certificate thru the school I took it from. I now moved back to Indiana and all the jobs I have apply to for CNA openings, they ask if I am certified thru the state of indiana. I am not and would like know if I can take just the two parts of the test to get my certification.
Hi jamie,
You’ll need to apply for reciprocity with the nursing board in Indiana. COntact them and mail them your prior CNA License certification and see what they say.
I have a CNA Certificate in the state of Kansas but it has went into the inactive status because I moved to Colorado and have not worked in the field for over 5 years what do I have to do to get them transferred and stuff ?
Since the time elapsed is more than 2 years, you’d most likely have to retake the training and certification exam. You can contact the Kansas nurse aide registry to confirm.
i currently live in mississippi and i have graduated from a college cna program where they course was full time and we had a month of hands on clinicals, i take my certification test July 9th and am thinking about moving to south carolina for a better job oppertunity, what would i need to do to transfer my licence, or a number i could call for further instruction?
You can get the transfer forms from http://www.asisvcs.com/indhome.asp?CPCat=0741NURSE
Select the form which says Application for Enrollment by Reciprocity.
For more info you can call 1-800-475-8290
I am currently in a cna training program in arizona.. I am moving to iowa after I am finished but there is a long waiting period between the course end and being able to take the exam. The schooling requirements in arizona are higher than iowas.. can I just take iowas exam instead of arizonas to avoid reciprocity?
Hi Marie,
As far as I am aware, you will not be able to do that. The only option would be to come back to Iowa and do the test and THEN start the reciprocity process. Please check with the Arizona CNA registry for further clarification.
Hi, I currently live in WA originally from FL. I received my HHA (home health aide) certification from FL but would like to get a CNA license is it possible to just take the test for CNA with the HHA training? Also I am currently enrolled in college for my ADN and have taken all my pre-reqs but my nursing course does not start until fall 2012 and I want to work in the field ASAP.
Hi, i have a certificate in NY and worked in a long term care facility in from 2009 to May of 2010, i never renewed my certificate when i got the form because i was no longer working as a CNA but now im trying to re-establish my certificate and just need to know if the time i worked during 2010 is enough to renew my CNA through my previous employer. Thanks
Yes it should be enough. You usually need 8 to 12 hours of work experience in the last 2 years preceding the date your license is expiring.
Hi Kris,
You will need to retake the training and do the certification test again.