CNA Training Classes in SC
Aspiring certified nursing assistants (CNAs) know that it takes experience, training and also the ability to make split-second decisions to succeed in this profession. All over the United States, there are venues that employ a CNA, including hospitals, hospices and home-health agencies. In South Carolina, the potential for employment is no different, thanks in part to the Wallace Thomson Hospital in Union and the prestigious Georgetown Hospital System. Learn about CNA training classes in SC, and get prepared for a career in the medical field.
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Duties of a CNA
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The primary duties of a CNA revolve around aiding patients with day-to-day living activities. This includes bathing and oral care, monitoring and assisting with the patient's nutritional intake, dressing and undressing the patient, helping with daily exercise, and also cleaning the patient's bedpan. In addition, CNAs are capable of recognizing a patient who goes into distress, know when to summon help, and also provide CPR.
Benefits
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Medical institutions benefit greatly from hiring CNAs. Nurses find their workload lightened, and are able to attend to more patients. Physicians know that the patients are looked after with respect to daily living activities. Family members appreciate having someone help them with their loved one's need for exercise, toileting, bathing and other activities that are extremely time-consuming and difficult for someone who is not skilled. Prospective CNAs appreciate the fact that training is quickly accomplished; within a couple of months, they are able to earn a living with their newfound skills.
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Requirements for CNA Training Classes in SC
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The training of new SC CNAs is overseen by the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS), which has published a handbook for prospective CNAs. (Follow the link in Resources.) South Carolina has adopted the prerequisites of the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program, which is a federal statute and governs the content of CNA training classes.
Locate a State-Approved CNA Training Class
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SC only allows candidates from state-approved CNA training programs to take the exam. A complete listing of all technical colleges, junior colleges and medical facilities that offer these CNA training classes is posted online. (A link is provided in the Resources section.) Remember that there is no guarantee the cost of training is similar; prospective students must do the legwork themselves and compare programs prior to signing up for a training class.
Features
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One example of an approved program is found at the Midlands Technical College in Columbia. State-approved in the training of South Carolina CNAs since 1990, the school offers an intensive 102-hour program that takes only 2 months to complete. Prospective students need to possess a high-school diploma or GED, must have already celebrated their 18th birthday, and have to pass a criminal background check. Graduation is offered to students who pass the program with a grade average of 70 percent or better. The cost is $650, which does not include the cost of the subsequent Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation Services Exam that must be taken to be eligible for employment as a CNA in South Carolina.
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Resources
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