CNA Certification Tips
A career as a Certified Nursing Assistant can be very rewarding and CNA’s are is in high demand. Here are a few tips and pointers if you are working on your CNA certification.
Steps to become a Certification CNA
The first thing that you want to do is find a school that offers CNA training. Many nursing schools, community colleges and vocational schools offer different CNA programs. Most states require anywhere from 75 to 100 hours of training. The hours required in each part varied by state and is set by the state boards of nursing.
All the CNA programs are separated in two halves. There is the class portion, which can sometimes be done online, and a clinical part where you spend certain hours practicing under direct supervision of a nurse. With both the written and clinical part it is really important to accurately log your hours and to make sure that your supervising nurse checks off your skills as you complete them.
Tips to clear CNA Certification Exam
Once you have completed the required training hours it is time to take your state certified test. This, as well, is done in two parts. There is a written test and a practical test where you are required to demonstrate one of the skills learned.
The written portion of the test is not too hard. The questions come straight from handbook and if you have been doing well in class and you understand the material there will be no surprises on the final test. This is probably one of the easiest portions of the certification, other than the nervousness involved.
The practical portion of test is a little more difficult because it requires you to follow the steps exactly as they were taught. You will be given a packet or handbook that gives every skill and step by step instructions on how to do it. If you follow this to the letter you won’t have any trouble.
There are a few things on the practical part of the test that, if missed, is an automatic fail. These all relate to the core safety concerns for yourself and your patient. The first, and most important, is washing your hands appropriately. Follow the instructions to the letter and do it EVERY time before and after patient contact. The other easily missed portion of a skill is using protective equipment like gloves.
Getting your CNA certification is worth the training and is a rewarding career.
