Becoming a Nursing Assistant

Nursing Assistant Requirements and Demands

A Certified Nursing Assistant, also known as a CNA, has a demanding, challenging, but ultimately rewarding job. Working in hospitals, long term care facilities, assisted living centers, adult day care centers, home health agencies, hospice agencies, and other medical, community, and residential settings, CNAs work closely with patients to care for their basic physical and emotional needs.

Those with certain character traits make the best Certified Nursing Assistants.  These include sensitivity, self-confidence, maturity, a positive attitude, patience and dependability. Certified Nursing Assistants are currently in demand in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2008, the mean annual national salary for a CNA or Nursing Assistant was $24,620. The outlook for the profession is good as well. Jobs for Certified Nursing Assistants across the United States are expected to grow by 18% through the year 2018.

Although states vary in specific requirements to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), there are some constants. In most states, one may still be enrolled in high school, but must be at least 16 years old in order to apply to become a CNA or Nursing Assistant. One must also be able to speak, write and understand English. Not every state requires certification of its Nursing Assistants, but to be able to obtain the best jobs and the best pay, it’s a good idea to complete one.

CNA and Nursing Assistant training programs are offered at vocational-technical centers, nursing care facilities, and community colleges. Make sure the Certified Nursing Assistant training program you choose is recognized by your state’s Board of Nursing (usually under the state’s Department of Health and Human Services) as an approved, accredited program. Some CNA training programs require applicants to have prerequisite reading and math tests prior to granting admission.

Most CNA and Nursing Assistant training programs are 75 credit hours long, and may take from four to twelve weeks to complete. Nursing Assistant courses include nutrition, anatomy, physiology, infection control, communication skills, rights of residents, and personal care skills. A typical CNA training program consists of at least 16 hours of a supervised internship in a clinical setting, with the rest of the time divided between classroom instruction and laboratory practice.  CNA training programs range in cost from $400 to $1200.

Nursing Assistant exam

Upon completion of the CNA/Nursing Assistant training program, you will take an exam, often partly written or oral and part practical. You must submit your transcript and/or any passing grades from your CNA exams to your state’s Board of Nursing licensing unit. The state will issue your CNA certification to make you a Certified Nursing Assistant in that state. Once you have received your CNA, your education does not stop. You must fulfill at least 12 hours of continuing education each year to maintain that certification as a Nursing Assistant (again, Nursing Assistant requirements from state-to-state vary — check with your state to verify its Nursing Assistant requirements).

So, you’ve passed your test and are a full-fledged Certified Nursing Assistant — now what? If your school/training program offers placement services, take advantage of those to help you find a job as a CNA. Good places to look include hospitals, long-term care facilities, and home health agencies. If you have received your certification, you will not be limited to taking a job in the same state in which you received your CNA training, because most states have reciprocal agreements and recognize certifications from other states. Having your CNA opens up a world of opportunities and possibilities that did not exist before obtaining your certification as a Nursing Assistant.

Related posts:

1. CNA Certification
2. Nursing Assistant Training Programs
3. Obtaining a CNA Scholarship