All about the Career of a Certified Nurse Assistant!
As a matter of fact, the Certified Nurse Assistants are basically the entry-level nurses, who have got the job responsibilities of assisting patients in doing their fundamental activities of everyday life such as washing, feeding, walking and bathing.
Generally, they perform their crucial job duties under the supervision of a senior nurse practitioner i.e. either a Registered Nurse or a Licensed Practical Nurse.
So, if you are also aspiring to wear the praise-worthy title a Certified Nursing Assistant, then here’s a step by step method for getting licensed as a CNA.
Instructions on How to Become a CNA:
Step 1:– Complete the Pre-requisites for entering in a CNA program!
In order to make yourself eligible for enrollment in the CNA program, you will have to be a high school graduate, with good grades in the mathematics and science related subjects.
Aside from possessing a GED (i.e. General Education Development) or a high-school diploma, you will also have to pass a criminal background check as well as present proofs of your current immunizations.
Step 2:– Enroll in an accredited CNA program!
After satisfying the pre-requisites, you will be qualified to enroll in any CNA schools, be it online or in-college. However, it is recommended for you to get yourself enrolled only in those CNA programs, which provides complete theoretical and clinical credit hours classes, required to make yourself eligible to sit in the state certification exam.
Most CNA programs take only about 12 to 18 weeks to get completed whereas some accelerated or, rather say, fulltime CNA programs have a shortened schooling period of about 6 to 8 weeks.
Students who enroll in a CNA program will generally have to go through the courses such as medical terminologies, patient care techniques, communication skills, infection control, physiology and anatomy.
On the completion of this CNA program, you will be honored with a Certification in Nursing Assistant.
Step 3:– Take a State certification exam for CNA license!
Graduation from an accredited CNA program will mean that you will be eligible to sit for the state certification exam in order to get licensed from your state. The state exam basically contains 2 tests; one is in written form to evaluate your theoretical knowledge about nursing while the other test will be done to access your clinical skills.
If you successfully pass the state certification exams, then your name will also be added in the Nurse Aide Registry, which officially heralds the fact that you are now a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).
Who Should Become a CNA? – Qualities Required for Becoming a Good Certified Nurse Assistant!
Now, in case, you are wondering whether to pursue this particular nursing career, then let me inform you that the job descriptions of a CNA is suited mainly to those people, who possess a compassionate or caring nature.
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Good communication skills and the ability to have patience in work are also counted among the prized characteristics of a Certified Nurse Assistant. After all, the job of a CNA basically involves aiding the patients, who are unable to perform the fundamental activities of life.
Hence, if you also put yourself as a compassionate person who does not get bored with helping the disable persons, then, yes, you can become a successful CNA.
Why to Become a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA)?
People have different reasons for becoming a CNA. While most are attracted towards this nursing career, particularly, because of its earning potentiality and the job satisfaction, a majority of ambitious people become a CNA merely for entering into the nursing field and then later on continue their education to earn prominent nurse titles such as Registered Nurse (RN) or Certified Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).
Is the Salary of a CNA Good Enough?
To tell you the truth, the salary of a CNA might not be appetizing enough for your taste. Nevertheless, I must point out that people do not aspire to wear the title of a CNA merely to earn money but rather for the satisfaction gleaned from bettering the life of the disable patients. Indeed, Certified Nurse Assistants really make a big difference in this world, where most people tend to be carefree about other people’s suffering.
For your information, the earning potentiality of a CNA ranges from about $18,000 to around $32,000 per annum, depending upon their job experience level and the geographic location in which they are hired.
Now, you might argue that this above mentioned salary figure is not good enough for a CNA. But, you must also consider the fact that the schooling time required to become a CNA is significantly a short one.
In fact, a CNA certification course does not take more than a couple of month or about 18 weeks in average. In addition, the budget for the CNA education is also highly affordable. So, putting these facts together, you can acknowledge that CNAs are, indeed, paid fairly.
Do You Want To Boost Up Your Nursing Career & Increase your Earning Potentiality?
As I said before, only a small portion of the CNAs commit themselves to this nursing career whereas most others, being ambitious, seek for advanced level nursing educations to become a Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered Nurse or Nurse Anesthetist.
And, needless to say, the salary of these advanced level nurses is also considerably higher than that of a CNA. For instance, the salary of a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) can reach as much as $65,000 whereas a Register Nurse (RN) has the potentiality to earn over $100,000 per year.
Thus, it is indeed a good idea for aspiring nursing practitioners to familiarize themselves in the nursing field by first becoming a Certified Nurse Assistant. Afterwards, with a year or two’s job experience as a CNA, you will be qualified well enough to seek for the enrollment in advanced nursing schools.
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