Working as a Certified Nursing Assistant in Houston, Texas

There are currently over 105,000 active certified nursing assistants who work and reside in Texas. In order to become a certified nursing assistant in the state of Texas, one must first complete an approved nursing assistant training program as well as a competency program and pass the competency evaluation program examination. As in other states that use the certified nursing assistant, most programs in the state of Texas cover a broad range of subjects, including basic nursing principles, patient rights, effective communication, job safety, anatomy and medical terminology, ethics, observation and reporting. In the state of Texas, the programs typically consist of at least 51 hours of classroom instruction and 24 hours of clinical training. In these two programs, students learns such skills as bedside nursing skills, bathing, feeding patients, taking vital signs, answering call lights, and preparing and assisting patients for examinations.

Education to become a CNA in Houston, Texas

Not all states have the same kind of programs and not all states have the same regulations concerning the training and employment of the certified nursing assistant. Therefore, it is prudent that you read the material and find a CNA course program that will be close to where you live and that will provide the needed material for a successful career as a certified nursing assistant.

How to become CNA in Houston, Texas

As with any other career or employment position, one really needs to know what it takes to succeed in a specific job or position, and this is the same for those who wish to become a certified nursing assistant. It is important that you understand that there are unique differences in what might be expected of you in the city of Houston, Texas, compared to any other location or city in the country. However, there are similar expectations when it concerns the basic elements of a certified nursing assistant.

Are you good with people? Are you a “people person?” Do you have a unique desire to help people who are in pain, or are depressed? There might be times while working as a certified nursing assistant that you will be called upon to talk with a patient who has been unruly towards other patients on your floor. While this and other situations will be covered in your training, not all situations are the same and sometimes you will need to shift your attention towards the needs of the patient, leaving your own needs alone. This takes a special kind of person, one who is willing and able to differentiate between the needs of the individual over your own. Sometimes, this is not taught in training; it is part of an individual’s ‘make-up,’ and no one can really teach you these and other important aspects of being a certified nursing assistant. How is your temper? Do you usually get along with almost anyone, or are you a loner in life? Working as a certified nursing assistant usually requires a person to be out-going and friendly, even when the patient is tough to get along with or unruly. This is a time when you will need to consider whether you have what it takes to perform as a CNA.

Employment opportunities for CNA in Houston

Houston, Texas is a very large city. It is the fourth largest city in the United States with a population of over 2.5 million people. This means that not only are there many employment opportunities in and around the city, but there is also a rather large turn-over rate in the city as well. This means that, because people move around a lot in large cities, a position that might be filled today could very well need an employee the next. One does not find this specific situation in some of the smaller cities in the country. Houston, however, because of its size, Houston is always in need of certified nursing assistants. Whether you want to work in a hospital or a nursing home, the situation is almost similar in both instances. Texas, like in most other states, requires special licensing when working in nursing homes and it will be prudent of you to check into this licensing procedure before you decide where you might want to be employed.