Thinking of enrolling in a certified nursing assistant (CNA) course and want to know exactly what the course content is? Maybe you are interested in knowing what your job prospects are, after attaining such qualifications? Could it be that you are simply curious about what exactly a nursing assistant, a certified one at that, goes through to earn such a title? Did you also know that the certified nursing assistant course is sometimes considered an entry point into the nursing profession? Let us explore together what is involved in the training of the members of this particular facet of the medical profession.
To enroll in such a course, you will need to already hold a high school diploma or its equivalent. A duration of between six (6 ) and twelve (12) weeks can be expected when training, with both classroom instruction and practical sessions held at community colleges or medical facilities. Courses will generally involve the teaching of basic physiology, nutrition, infection control, anatomy and basic nursing skills. During their employment, the nursing assistant may need to perform some of these tasks (note that this is not a complete list) ; being able to protect the patient's rights, helping patients keep their own personal hygiene, assisting patients when their mobility is impaired with walkers, wheel chairs and gurneys, monitoring patient weight and height and administering certain ointments and medications. It is therefore, prudent that a trainee acquaints themselves with the terminology, equipment and procedures involved in training sessions as much as they possibly can.
Because the developed nations of the world have an aging population, the need for these unique members of the medical profession is growing.
As doctors and nurses are unable to be at every patient's bedside all the time, the nursing assistant becomes like an extension of the nurse. A certified nursing assistant needs to be like the nurse's "eyes and ears", observant and competent in bedside manner. In most cases, they will be aware of the patient's conditions from time to time and usually in emergencies. They can inform the nurses or other medical practitioners of changes in the patients' condition. In some life threatening cases, the nursing assistant may need to make a split second decision and perform procedures in the absence of a doctor or nurse.
Knowledge of and certification in cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid, knowledge of fire and other relevant emergency procedures in hospitals and patient care facilities, performing EKG, bladder scans, adjusting oxygen flow rate (for patients requiring oxygen) , may be required for successful employment as a nursing assistant. The prudent trainee should seek to grow their skill set to improve job prospects and potential remuneration.
Certified Nursing Assistant Course