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How to Become a Certified Nursing Assistant

If you want to become a certified nursing assistant, you have come to the right place because this article will help you understand the steps that you need to take to fulfill your dream. This article will talk about the basics that you need to fulfill, understand who certified nursing assistants are, what they do, and more. Without further ado, let’s explain how to become a CNA.

The Basics

As a certified nursing assistant, you will have to work with your patients very closely. You will be responsible for providing the right care and assistance to your assigned patients. Some of the basic things that you will have to do are assisting other nurses, feeding, grooming, bathing the patients, providing medicines on time, and keeping an eye on the patient’s vital signs. As a nursing assistant, you will be the person that the patient will come in touch with. You will have to provide emotional and social support to the patient and their people.

As a certified nursing assistant, you may work in different healthcare facilities, for example, community care facilities, nursing care facilities, hospitals, and more.

To become a certified nursing assistant, you will have to get a high school diploma or GED. Along with that, you must also complete the 6 to 12 weeks CAN certificate program.

In terms of the average annual salary, you can expect to earn around $28,540 annually.

Understanding the role of certified nursing assistants

Certified nursing assistants, otherwise known as CNAs, are front-line healthcare workers. They are responsible for keeping an eye on the patients’ vital and taking part in multiple nursing and hospital operations. With the support and assistance of a CNA, the patient will be able to get cured better. Certified nursing assistants are also known as patient care technicians, orderlies, and nurses’ aides. Sometimes, you may hear them calling patient care technicians. These nurses work under the supervision of a nurse.

As a certified nursing assistant, your job role will be to help and provide ample support to the patients. For example, you will have to get the dresses, bathe, and also help them eat. As a certified nursing assistant, you will never work on the same routine on two consecutive days. The responsibilities offered to you will vary from patient to patient and the shift that you are working. The job requirement for the day will be shared with you by your RN. However, some of the common things you will have to do, which have already been shared earlier, are a few things you must prepare for. Along with assisting the patients, the CNA will have to assist RNs as well.

Now, how to become a certified nursing assistant?

If you are an aspiring certified nursing assistant, the good news is that the job prospect is good. It is predicted there is already an 8% increase in the certified nursing assistant job requirement. In order to become one, the first thing that you will have to do is get a high school diploma or GED. Apart from that, you will have to get nursing assistant training as well. These programs are available in multiple colleges. Ensure to get enrolled in a good college that can provide you with good medical facilities. Also, the course must be authorized by the state’s nursing board.

How to find the right certified nursing assistant job?

Once you fulfill the criteria and are ready to do a job as a certified nursing assistant, you should get in touch with a nursing staffing agency to help you find the right job. Hopefully, this article has given the answer to the question of how to become a CNA.