Must Have CNA Courses

Why should you continue your educational training?  Because there are skills that you learn from taking extra courses, and other skills that you learn from experience.  You’ll learn to master these skills from experience working in the field, which will leverage your ability to perform outstanding work. A great CNA is an invaluable addition to a healthcare team.  A patient may remember very little from a surgery, but will remember how they felt while they were in the hospital- a CNA plays a big role in this cycle.  This is what makes continued education such an important part of the value a CNA can give to everyone they work with, and come in to contact with.

Here is a great list of must have CNA courses that are sure to improve the quality of your work.

• Patient Identification

Most hospitals have turned to implementing various protocols in patient identification.  You check the armband, ask the patient for their name, and then compare everything with the information you have on file.  Doctor’s offices and nursing homes handle patient identification differently, although similar protocols are put in place to ensure the right person is getting the right care.  Courses in patient identification will familiarize you with the different methods of identification protocols and procedures.

• Ergonomics and back safety

This class will largely improve the quality of your physical health.  Ergonomics classes will benefit you greatly in avoiding movement that will cause prolonged wear and tear on your body.  Moving patients is not always easy, and you shouldn’t wait to learn this the hard way.  Ergonomics and back safety classes will help you avoid long-term back-related issues involved in nursing.  If there ever was a class dedicated to protecting the staff- it’s this one.

• Cultural Competency

You will experience patient interaction with people from all walks of life.  Your patients will come from different cultures, speak different languages, and have different needs and expectations.  Cultural competency will help you understand the stages of care in relation to your patient’s cultural background.  If you truly want to be able to empathize with your patients, take the time to further your understanding of the different cultural needs found in nursing.

• Pressure Ulcer Prevention

Normal skin can start breaking down in a matter of hours in the right environment.  I’ve seen patients pressure ulcers reach a critical stage from one shift to the next.  Once they settle in, they are hard to treat and cause extreme pain and discomfort.  Pressure ulcers are often a secondary illness that can be prevented with good patient care.  They are a common problem among patients who cannot turn themselves in bed or who cannot move enough to rotate the pressure points on their body.  When it comes to pressure points- prevention is key.  Pressure ulcer prevention classes will help you understand exactly how ulcers develop, and what you can do to prevent them.

• Infection Control for Hospital Workers

Infection control goes beyond hand washing, or covering your mouth when you sneeze.  Every nurse is intimately aware of the number of super germs that make their rounds across healthcare settings.  When it comes to patient care, infection control saves lives, and if you can break the chain of infection, it means you can save lives.  Classes on infection control will teach you how to stop the spread of germs in order to reduce illness.

Many of these classes are offered to healthcare works employed in hospitals for free.  You could also reach out to your employer on taking classes outside of your workplace.  Many nursing homes or doctors offices will pay to help you further your education.  Become a proactive member of your team today and look in to taking these must-have CNA courses.  Help become an advocate for a healthier today, and a better tomorrow.