To be a good CNA you have to be loving, patient, and committed. A great stepping stone to a nursing career is being a licensed nursing assistant. It's tough work and very satisfying profession.
At the end of your training you should pass a state-regulated exam whatever path you decide on. This exam has both an itemized part and a practical, clinical part. Your basic care-giving skills in the clinical setting and proper utilization of safety precautions is analyzed within the practical area of the exam. Your professionalism, the proper methods while confronting patients, your bedside manner will probably be displayed throughout the exam.
One of the most simple approaches to jump into a CNA career is to visit local hospitals or nursing homes and inquire about training. Often at a reduced cost or for free, lots of places will hire you as a nursing assistant and teach you until you're certified. You'll be certified and have a job in the field within a couple of weeks. If you can obtain a job without certification, you may wonder why even be certified in the first place. You will get a minimum of a few bucks higher in wage and also have a far better career opportunities when you're certified.
The simplest way to begin is to look for local CNA classes. For info on which nursing agencies provide CNA programs, you may also contact your State Nurse Aide Registry or State Licensing Board because this type of job is licensed on the state level. There are several job titles which make reference to a CNA, such as a nurse aide, patient care assistant, or home health assistant so you should pay attention to them when looking for CNA programs. Programs to become certified will take anywhere from two to eight weeks, with a lot of programs taking 3-6 weeks.
