Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Training & Careers

1) What Are Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs)?

A certified nursing assistant (CNA) is an integral part of the medical team. CNAs take an active role in treatment, maintenance, and rehabilitation of patients suffering from a wide range of injury and illness. Enter into this career path and you can work directly alongside doctors, nurses, and rehab specialists as they collaborate in managing patient recovery from admission to release. A CNA may work under direct supervision or independently, handling such duties as feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, or moving patients.

As a certified nursing assistant, you may find yourself working in a wide variety of medical environments depending upon your specialty. The industries offering CNAs the highest levels of employment include:

• Nursing Care Facilities
• General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
• Community Care Facilities for the Elderly
• Employment Services
• Home Health Care Services

2) CNA Programs and Courses: Technology Meets Health Care

Nursing schools, and particularly those with online education opportunities, are gearing up for an increase of applicants in the field. The CNA program should prove popular for high school grads and mid-career changers who want a job in health care, but don't want the time and financial commitment of a full four-year degree program. While the program isn't as technical as an RN or BSN, it still requires a high level of commitment on the part of the students to learn the terminology and equipment necessary to perform the specified duties.

A few of the topics covered in nursing schools that focus on the CNA certification:

• Anatomy and physiology. The science of the body and how it heals
• Body mechanics. How systems, organs and tissues work together
• Communication skills. Includes oral, written, and electronic communication
• Infection control. Handling bodily fluids properly to prevent contamination
• Nutrition. Creating sound diets for maximum health and recovery
• Resident rights. Legal issues surrounding long-term care

3) CNA Career Trends: Explosive Growth Predicted

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides is expected to increase significantly between 2006 and 2016. The National Network of Career Nursing Assistants notes that an additional 700,000 new positions are expected to be created in the next 25 years. You can improve your opportunities for employment by earning nursing certification through an online education program or through one of the nursing schools that focus on CNA certification. These programs prepare you to perform in specific health care environments or for a certain segment of the patient population.

Trends that should drive the demand for the certified nursing assistant include:

• The long-term care needs of an increasing elderly population
• Financial pressures on hospitals to discharge patients as soon as possible
• Burgeoning admissions to nursing care facilities
• Modern medical technology saves and extends more lives, increasing the need for long-term care

4) CNA Salary Information: Income and Responsibility

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wages for May 2008, the median annual salary for nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides was $23,850, with the bottom 10 percent earning $17,340 and the top 90 percent earning $33,210. Income is influenced by a variety of factors including working environment, experience, certification, and geographic location.

The industries that typically offer top dollar for the services of a certified nursing assistant include:

• The Federal Government
• Scientific Research and Development Services
• Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories
• Colleges, Universities and Professional Schools
• Religious Organizations

5) CNA Career Skills: What It Takes To Make It

Outside of a genuine concern for the well-being of your patients, becoming a certified nursing assistant requires a host of skills and qualities in order to be successful in this profession. Including:

• Resolve. Because you may deal with patients who may be disoriented, irritable or combative, you should be resolute in your determination to provide the best care possible with every patient contact
• Multitasking. Caring for patients requires you to handle several jobs at once, such as keeping accurate records of medications and eating times, recording blood pressure measurements, and keeping track of personal items
• Problem-solving. The human factor of patient care means you should be able to remain upbeat and positive, despite obvious setbacks and the challenges that come with injury and illness--each day brings new obstacles to overcome for both you and your patients
• Discretion. The personal nature of patient care requires you to handle delicate situations with dignity as you may perform unpleasant tasks from time to time--think emptying bedpans and changing soiled linens--maturity is at a premium

6) CNA Certification and Licensure: Continuing Education

The federal government maintains strict guidelines regulating the certification and licensure of certified nursing assistants. Federal requirements mandate that nurse aides who work in nursing care facilities must complete a minimum of 75 hours of state-approved training and pass a competency evaluation. Those who pass are officially known as certified nurse assistants (CNAs) and are placed on the state registry of nurse aides. Other requirements include passing a criminal background check, various health tests, and a full physical examination.

Once on the job, certified nursing assistants receive hours of in-service training on the latest care techniques and medical equipment to keep them up-to-date. This training is in addition to the experience earned from caring for patients and shadowing more experienced CNAs throughout the day. It's this commitment to continuing education that makes becoming a CNA so inviting to prospective students who value professional learning.