In order to be certified every prospective Certified Nursing Assistant must successfully graduate a CNA training program and take the state CNA Certification exam.

State approved CNA certification training programs consist of two parts – theoretical knowledge and hands-on training.

Special thanks to www.med-caretraining.com for providing complete information about their exact CNA certification training program and details about the CNA knowledge and skills the prospective Certified Nursing Assistants gain during the training that prepares them for CNA certification and successful CNA career.

Every CNA certification training program starts with theoretical course that provides the prospective Certified Nursing Assistant solid knowledge and nursing skills that their patients will expect from them as an important health care providers.

After 40 hours gaining CNA knowledge and hands-on CNA skills in the training classroom prospective Certified Nursing Assistants experience the practice of full care of patients in a long term care facility. This hands on CNA training helps the prospective Certified Nursing Assistants to gain the confidence and the competence needed to enter the healthcare field and to have successful CNA career.

CNA certification training requirements:

1. An applicant must be at least 16 years of age.

2. An applicant must speak english

3. An enrollment application, a personal admission interview and a physical examination with a Tuberculosis test must be completed prior to admission.

CNA certification training termination (prospective Certified Nursing Assistants will be dismissed on the following grounds):

1. Failure to maintain standards of attendance

2. Unsatisfactory academic training progress

3. Intentional disruption of the CNA certification center activities

4. Deliberate dishonesty

5. Violation of the law

6. Non conformity to the CNA certification center’s rules and policies regarding the use and possession of alcohol or controlled drugs.

Services included in a CNA certification training program:

Usually the CNA certification training center will provide prospective Certified Nursing Assistants services such as scheduling, CNA training, monitoring academic progress and arranging for state CNA certification test. Upon successful completing of the CNA certification training program, prospective Certified Nursing Assistants will receive a list of prospective employers.

Med-Care Training exact course description:

101 Orientation

Learning about  the Certified Nursing Assistant’s role on the health care team. Introduction to health care facilities and their patients.

102 Relating to patients

Prospective Certified Nursing Assistants learn how to understand patient’s basic needs. Building relationships. Using good communication skills. Communicating with the sensory impaired.

103 Infection control

Prospective Certified nursing Assistants get all the knowledge needed to take precautions. Controlling Hepatitis B virus. Preventing AIDS and other infections. Washing of hands. Using protective barriers.

104 Body machanics

CNAs learn all the correct techniques for lifting and transporting patients. Learning how to position, move and transfer patients.

105 Vital Signs

Prospective Certified Nursing Assistants learn to take accurate measurements of temperature, pulse, respiration and blood pressure. CNAs learn their normal values.

106 Basic patient care

Observing, reporting and charting. Promoting independence. Bed making. Personal hygiene. Serving food. Weighing and measuring. Range of motion. Giving a back rub.

107 Elimination

Prospective Certified Assistants get knowledge and skills in using bed pans. Documenting fluid intake and output. Treating bowel and bladder problems.

108 Safety and emergency procedures

CNAs are trained in preventing accidents. Responding to emergencies. Fire safety. Using protective devices.

109 Specific disorders

Prospective Certified Nursing Assistants are trained to understand and care for patients with different diseases such as cancer, heart disease,  Alzheimer’s diseases, diabetes,seizure, confusion and stroke. Dealing with death and dying.

110 Assistive devices

Prospective Certified Nursing Assistants learn all the basics of proper care for patients with: hearing aids, vision aids, canes, walkers, crutches and prosthesis

111 Terminology and abbreviations

Prospective Certified Nursing Assistants learn frequently used medical terminology and abbreviations.

112 Clinical Laboratory

Laboratory time allows for demonstrations of techniques and actual hands on care of patient in a nursing home under the supervision of a clinical instructor.

113 Review and CNA Certification Test

CNA Certification Training duration:

Total CNA certification classroom training hours – 40 clock hours

Total CNA certification clinical training hours – 60 clock hours

Total CNA certification training program – 100 clock hours + 5 clock hours review

CNA Certification grading policy:

A = 90% – 100% Excellent

B = 80% -89% Very good

C = 75% – 79% Good

F = 74% or below Failing

CNA Certification training program graduation requirements:

Upon successful completion (75% and more) of both theoretical and clinical components of the CNA certification training program certificate of completion is issued. If all financial obligations are met the prospective certified nursing assistant has the opportunity to take the State CNA Certification Exam.

Photo copyright: http://www.flickr.com/photos/christianacare

At the discretion of the Director of the CNA Certification training center, prospective Certified Nursing Assistants who achieve below 75% level will have the opportunity to have 5 clock hours of remedial assistance. CNAs must have 75% to successfully complete the CNA Certification training program.

Training for CNA certification is an integral part of the educational process for every prospective CNA who wants to start a CNA career in one of the many health institutions across the USA, such as hospitals, assisted living facilities, adult day health centers and nursing homes. Because the Certified Nursing Assistants have such an important place in patient health care, the quality of their training and qualification are of the utmost importance. A proof for this importance is the fact that both the Federal Government and the various states of USA have all enacted specific regulations governing the qualification and the certification of Certified Nursing Assistants. The CNA training and certification standards vary depending upon which state is involved, but most of the training for CNA certification is fairly uniform across the country.

When training for CNA certification, the prospective CNA is expected to gain nursing knowledge and first-hand experience with numerous nursing procedures and pieces of medical equipment which are vital for the patients with whom the CNA will come into contact. Since the role of the CNA encompasses a broad range of nursing tasks involving basic hygienic needs as well as more complicated patient care procedures, the training for CNA certification is complex and covers a lot of health topics.

For example, prospective CNAs are trained in the proper procedures for such basic hygienic and patient care tasks as brushing and flossing of the patient’s teeth as well as basic denture care, aiding the patient with showering, shampooing, and grooming hair, and assisting male patients with the act of shaving. Certified Nursing Assistants also assist patients in using the bathroom or bedpan, empty urinary bags when full, and provide care for those patients with catheters (although special training is generally needed to actually insert the catheter). Certified Nursing Assistants also assist in collecting urine and stool samples, as well as providing enemas. Prospective Certified Nursing Assistants must also learn the proper way to assist patients with dressing and undressing, as well as the approved procedures for moving patients from a bed to a chair – including the use of mechanical lifts.

Described activities are part of the Certified Nursing Assistants duties, but the training for CNA certification requires a lot of nursing knowledge than just learning these basic hygienic practices. The Certified Nursing Assistants also assist with many of the duties performed by Registered Nurses or LPNs. These duties include taking patient vital signs, for example temperature with a thermometer, taking and noting both pulse and respiration, and taking patient blood pressure.

The training for CNA certification also entails theoretical knowledge and hands-on training that teach the prospective Certified Nursing Assistants how to properly move patients in their bed, including the proper way to turn a patient over and assisting a patient into every position from supine to lateral. Also the prospective Certified Nursing Assistants must learn the appropriate way to help patients walk to prevent falls, and assist them in performing basic exercises designed to maintain or improve patients range of motion.

The training for CNA Certification provides the prospective Certified Nursing Assistants the broad range of knowledge and nursing skills that their patients will expect from them as an important health care providers. From knowing how to provide the basic essentials of hygienic care to knowledge of basic first aid and CPR, training for CNA certification helps the prospective Certified Nursing Assistants have a meaningful life and career dedicated to helping others.

In order to work as a Certified Nursing Assistant, every patient care professional must complete a CNA training course and pass the CNA certification test given by the State Board of Nursing. The CNA certification test consists of two parts, a written exam and practical part testing the CNA skills gained during the CNA training program. CNA licensing is done by the state and the CNA certification requirements are different in every state of the USA. It is advisable the prospective CNA to register for testing in the state where the patient care professional expects to work in.

Usually the prospective CNA is testing with a group. The written part of the CNA exam is given before the CNA skills test, and everyone take the test at the same time. During the first, written part of the CNA certification test, the prospective CNA have to answer approximately 100 multiple-choice questions, and the first part of the CNA certification test is up to 2 hours long. The written portion of the certification test covers patient care and protocols, patient monitoring and record-keeping, laboratory and testing procedures.

Following the written part of the CNA certification exam, the instructor takes the finished tests, and then the prospective CNAs are called on to perform their CNA skills test one at a time. Usually the prospective patient care professionals are asked to bring a helper with them to facilitate the CNA skills testing and sometimes the testing institution provides a model for this purpose. The model acts as patient for the prospective CNA to demonstrate all the skills gained during the CNA training. The particulars of the CNA skills test vary, and may not be the same from person to person. The prospective CNAs doesn’t know in advance which skills they will be asked to perform until the actual CNA certification testing.

The practical portion of the CNA certification exam covers the most common skills that the prospective CNA will encounter. This usually include:

- performing measurements of vital signs – blood pressure, pulse, and respiration

- demonstrating the proper way to make a bed, both with and without a patient in it

- ambulating or moving patients, helping them dress, moving them in to and out of a wheel chair, responding to emergencies such as choking, etc.

For most of the states of the USA the results of the CNA certification test are mailed to the prospective CNA and they are not provided immediately after the CNA certification test completion. Once the prospective patient care professional have earned CNA certification, the professional is free to work as a Certified Nursing Assistant, Home Health Aide, Nurse’s Aide, or other similar position at any hospital, assisted living facility, adult day health center, nursing home, or other facility.

The first step to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is to successfully complete a CNA Training program. All the prospective Certified Nursing Assistants who have graduated a state approved CNA Training program complete a state CNA exam for CNA Certification. The CNA certification exam tests the nursing assistant medical knowledge of the prospective Certified Nursing Assistants gained during the course of the CNA training they have completed, as well as the practical abilities they have to perform the duties of a CNA. The CNA certification test aims to test  the applicants proper training and knowledge and to certify their abilities to proper serve the needs of the patients they will take care of. Every prospective Certified Nursing Assistant interested in taking the CNA Certification Test will have to pay a state CNA exam fee which depends on the US state in which the certification test is held. The CNA Certification test consists of two parts that test the nursing knowledge of the applicants and their practical CNA abilities. On the date of the CNA Certification Test the applicants should arrive to the CNA certification center prepared to take the written knowledge part of the CNA Certification Test and properly dresses to take the clinical portion of the certification. In order to receive a passing grade, successful completion of both parts of the CNA certification exam is required. After successful completion of the CNA Certification Exam the name of the Certified Nursing Assistant is placed on the state registry and the CNA gets the rights to work in medical institutions such as hospitals, nursing homes, long term care facilities and other.

Almost all states of the USA require that professionals working as Certified Nursing Assistants complete a CNA Certification Test. As mentioned above this test is a combination of both written and technical comprehension. The written portion of the CNA Certification Test is usually multiple choice, although the form of the test can vary by state, and tests the comprehension of a variety of nursing assistant skills. The prospective Certified Nursing Assistants are usually given a certain amount of time to complete this portion of the CNA Certification Test. After applicants finish the written part of the test they will be required to take the practical portion of the CNA Certification Test. The practical part of the certification test allows applicants to show their mastery in performing all the nursing skills that are required when working as a Certified Nursing Assistant. It is very important that the prospective Certified Nursing Assistants come to the certification center properly dressed so that they can complete the technical portion of the certification test.

Upon the completion of both parts of the CNA Certification Test, written and practical,  prospective Certified Nursing Assistants will be notified of the passing or failure of the examination usually through the Board of Nursing or via the certification center in which the CNA exam was held. In case of successful completion of the CNA Certification Exam the name of the CNA is placed on the state registry. In some cases CNAs are provided with a Certified Nursing Assistant card.

In some states of the USA, there are different types of certifications for nursing assistants. These additional certifications provide the CNAs with skill sets that allow them to perform additional nursing responsibilities. These additional certifications include the Geriatric Nursing Assistant certification (GNA) that allows the CNAs to work in long term care facilities. They also include the Certified Medicine Aide certification (CMA) that allows the CNAs to administer medicine in long term care facilities and nursing homes. In order to be Certified Medicine Aide certified a CNA must have taken a 60 hour state approved medicine aide course and a Certified Nursing Assistant must also have at least one year of experience as a CNA. Other type of additional CNA certification is the Home Health Aide (HHA) certification that allows a CNA to work in home health care agencies.

Obtaining the CNA certification as a nursing assistant allows prospective Certified Nursing Assistants to work in a variety of settings assisting individuals with daily care and grants a noble and morally and financially rewarding medical career.

CNA Certification requires that the prospective CNA either attends a class that gives the proper CNA training to perform all the certified nursing assistant duties, or the prospective CNA professional can work in institutions, such as hospitals and nursing homes where they will be given hands-on CNA training that provides them all the nursing knowledge and medical skills needed to pass the CNA Certification test. The requirements for CNA Certification are different for the different states of the USA, but all do require that the prospective CNA needs to pass a state CNA Certification test that is usually given by a RN (Registered Nurse) who specializes in testing perspective CNA medical and nursing knowledge of each and every aspect of working as a CNA.

There are CNA Classes that take only two weeks  to be completed, but these types of classes only provide basic knowledge of the CNA job. Because of the nature of this career, the skills level improve when the nursing assistant starts to provide actual caregiving and gain more confidence and expertise, so practical classes are very important part of the CNA training that grant excellent results on the state CNA Certification exam.

It is advisable for the prospective CNA to attend CNA training classes that lasts at least a month. These types of CNA training programs provide the minimum CNA skills and knowledge to successfully pass the state CNA Certification test. There are a lot of CNA Training programs online but it is better to attend local offline CNA classes.

CNA training classes provided by local colleges or institutions such as hospitals and nursing homes provide complete CNA training programs that consists of two parts, written and clinical. These types of training programs prepare the prospective CNA perfectly for the CNA Certification exam because they provide complete set of knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of a certified nursing assistant.

In the classroom courses, prospective certified nursing assistants are taught how to handle all personal care for the patient, including taking vital signs, how to give bed baths and transferring patient in a safe manner, along with the rules and regulations a CNA must adhere to. The first part of the CNA Training in extremely helpful to pass the CNA Certification test and the prospective certified nursing assistants are taught by a teacher who is usually a registered nurse (RN). CNAs are taught medical abbreviations, the normal ranges for some tests, how to watch for patient’s signs of serious illness and how to make out reports.

In the second part of the CNA Training, the prospective certified nursing assistants perform clinical work in a nursing home or hospital setting. This gives them the required experience need to actually look after patients in a personal way. These practical classes will educate the prospective CNAs how to make reports to their superiors, do charting, learn to bathe and use the shower room in the facility, participate in feeding patients that are bedridden, and learn to take those that are not to the dining area. During these CNA classes the prospective CNAs get to work on different floors of the facility, which also prepares them for their CNA Certification exam. Prospective CNAs are introduced to patients that are suffering from Dementia and having many problems that being older in age cause, and these type of CNA training prepares them not only to successfully complete the state CNA Certification test but also to be great professionals in their field.

Successful CNA Certification leads to a morally and financially rewarding CNA career, career that is for many CNA professionals a life mission rather than just a job. CNA certification is also a great way to start a medical career and good starting point to become a LPNs (Licensed Practical Nurses) or RNs (Registered Nurses).

Photo copyright: http://www.flickr.com/photos/christianacare