How to train to become a CNA
As baby boomers age, the demand for health care workers, including certified nursing assistants, will grow. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an 18 percent increase in CNA job opportunities between 2008 and 2018. If you're looking to join this expanding field, you have many training opportunities available to you.
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Things You'll Need
- DHHS approved training program
- Time
- Possibly money
- Determination
- A real desire to work in healthcare
Instructions
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Attend formal classes. Many community colleges, vocational schools and businesses offer training for nursing assistants. Courses will cover communication, body mechanics, anatomy and physiology as well as the proper way to help patients bathe, eat and groom. Financial aid may be available for some of these classes. Check with schools in your area to see which provides training.
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Get training on the job. Many employers such as hospitals and nursing care facilities will hire potential CNAs and provide their own training either through classes and lectures or by keeping a licensed practical nurse or an experienced on staff to train the CNAs as they're hired. Many of these places, however, will want you to commit to working for them for a set period of time.
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Train through the American Red Cross. Dozens of Red Cross in the U.S. provide CNA training and will even help students find jobs once their training is complete. The classes, led by a registered nurse, are a few weeks long and follow guidelines set by the state in which they are offered. Not all states, however, and not all chapters provide the training, so if you'd like to go this route, check the Red Cross websites (a link is provided in the References section) to see if one is convenient for you.
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Tips & Warnings
To become certified, you must pass an exam upon completion of your training.
According to the BLS, the median hourly wage of CNAs was $11.46 in May 2008.
References
- Photo Credit Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
