Before you can work as a certified nursing assistant in any setting, you will need to complete CNA licensing. There are several steps to this process. In most cases it will take you a few weeks to a few months to become a certified nursing assistant.
The exact requirements for licensing are set forth by the state in which you live. For the most part, the general requirements are similar from state to state. The number of classroom or clinical hours required can vary. You might learn more nursing assistant tasks in some states than in another depending on the duties CNA’s are able to perform where you live.
You will need to locate and enroll in a nursing assistant program. Sometimes a healthcare facility will offer training to people who are interested in becoming a nursing assistant or for new hires. Nursing schools as well as community colleges provide another good resource for finding nursing assistant licensing programs.
A CNA course will teach you the skills you need to work as a nursing assistant. There will be classroom training as well as clinical training. You will get some hands on experience so that you know how to work with patients. The course will teach you how to help your patients, the steps that you will take in an emergency situation and an assortment of other things that you will need to know when working as a nursing assistant.
If you miss a certain number of CNA training classes or are late too many times, it is possible that you will not be eligible for the CNA certification test. It is important to make arrangements so that you can be at each class and at the class on time. If you must miss a course due to illness, talk to the instructor immediately so that you can determine how to make up the work you have missed.
Before you can become a certified nursing assistant, you will need to take the exam. The exam for certification must meet all requirements as listed by the state. You will have two parts of the test that you need to finish. One will ask you multiple questions about a variety of topics. The second part of the test will be where you demonstrate your skills on a live person. In some settings this might be a patient in others it will be a model patient.
You will not become certified as a nursing aide until you receive a passing grade on the test. This means that you need to pass both portions of the test. It is necessary to repeat the test if you do not pass. The testing individual will tell you how soon you can test again. If you do not pass the first time, you can study harder the second time around. Find someone to help you with your studying if you are really struggling.
Once you become licensed as a nursing assistant, you will be ready to start a new and rewarding career.
We have looked more closely at CNA licensing at the pages below:
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