Did you know that the employment of nursing assistants is expected to grow almost 10% over the next 10 years? This is significantly faster than average!
The healthcare industry is a necessity; humans will always need medical care and certified nursing assistants are at the heart of the healing process.
A career as a certified nursing assistant is stable, rewarding, and fascinating. If you’ve ever wondered how to become a certified nursing assistant, read on. This article will discuss the ins and outs of the process!
What Is a Nursing Assistant?
A certified nursing assistant, or CNA, is a caretaker who provides the basics of treatment in a hospital or nursing home. They don’t diagnose or make decisions for the patient, but they care for the wellbeing of the patients.
If a patient needs assistance eating, washing, or getting comfortable, the CNA is there to help. The CNA is therefore instrumental in providing quality care for patients.
There is a lot of CNA training available which means lots of avenues for advancement and specialization within the profession.
How to Become a Certified Nursing Assistant
Compared to other professions in the medical industry, becoming a CNA is not too complicated. If you have your high school diploma, you can complete the steps to becoming a certified nursing assistant within a year!
There are a few basic CNA requirements:
• Achieve your high school diploma or equivalent
• Complete an approved CNA program
• Meet your hands-on clinic requirement
• Pass certification
It’s fairly straightforward to find and take a CNA program, as long as it’s state-approved. The program will cover basic sciences like anatomy, pharmacology, chemistry, and medical terminology. You’ll get a broad overview of each subject which will prepare you for the medical industry.
Before the end of the program, you’ll be expected to complete clinical studies. In your clinical studies, you will work under a medical professional like a registered nurse. You will perform hands-on tasks in the field, including checking vital signs and comforting patients.
Certification
After you’ve completed your CNA program and education, you will have to pass an exam to get your certification. This is the most important part of how to become a CNA. The exam will cover everything you learned in your CNA program, so you will naturally be well prepared.
The exam is usually a combination of multiple-choice questions and hands-on testing. After the written portion, you’ll be asked to demonstrate your CNA skills. You might be asked to bathe a patient or provide another form of patient care.
After you pass the exam, you’ll be placed in the state registry and will be able to work as a CNA!
Consider a Career as a CNA
Hopefully, now you have a sense of how to become a certified nursing assistant. Becoming a CNA is not too complicated, and provides a rewarding career as a patient caretaker.
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