CNA Training Class

By Brenne Meirowitz, B.A., M.S., M.A.
There are many places to enroll in CNA training class to become a Certified Nursing Assistant, but American Red Cross CNA training is one of the most popular. One of the reasons is that it is widely available, and the quality of the course and instructors is very high. It should be noted however, that the Red Cross CNA class is not free. There are however many places that do offer free CNA training.

As of  September 08, 2009, the American Red Cross will have CNA training available in 36 cities across the U.S. If you are considering a career in health care, this program is a great way to begin. For many, beginning as a CNA (certified nursing assistant) is a steppingstone towards becoming a RN (registered nurse).

All training programs offered at the American Red Cross meet Federal CNA training standards, while each chapter designs its program to meet specific State licensing requirements, including the number of course hours and clinical training standards of practices and procedures. For example, the San Bernardino, California chapter program consists of a 164 hour course, while The ARC of Central Maryland course consists of 114 hours.

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By Brenne Meirowitz
Certified Nursing Assistant, or CNA registration means you must be registered in the state nursing board databases, as well as the Federal database – HIPDB (Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank). This information is compiled and administered by the NCSBN (National Council of State Boards of Nursing), a non-profit organization, which operates as a collective national nursing board comprised of 60 Member Boards.

Board members include one in all fifty states, Washington, D.C., and all U.S. territories. Founded in 1978, organizers recognized the need to regulate nurses apart from organizations representing professional nurses.

One of the responsibilities of the NCSBN is to inform and enforce a set of nursing standards, and keeping the Nursing Assistive Personnel Registry up-to-date. Licensees in this database include Certified Nursing Assistant I (CNA), Certified Nursing Assistant II (CNA-II), and Medication Assistant-Certified (MA-C). The NCSBN operates as a national watchdog, coordinating issues of discipline, education, and certification. Information, such as disciplinary action taken against a nurse by a state board is shared with the NCSBN, which compiles this information, providing background resources for discipline issues and actions taken.

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By Brenne Meirowitz
If you are considering a career in nursing, you may be eligible to receive free CNA training (Certified Nursing Assistant) through your employer or potential employer. Currently, the U.S. Federal Government offers health industry employers reimbursement for the expense of training for certain occupations through Medicare.

One of these includes training for Certified Nursing Assistants, who by law must meet the Federal requirement that all home health aides pass a competency test. Usually, a home health aide will receive free training before taking the competency test. Additionally, the National Association for Home Care and Hospice offers voluntary certification, particularly in states that require aides to be licensed.

Free training to prepare individuals for the CNA certification test are also offered by some high schools. While most home health aides and Nurse Assistants are generally not required to hold a high school diploma, most do.
The American Red Cross both trains and tests Certified Nursing Assistants. While it is relatively inexpensive compared to other paid programs, the Red Cross CNA class isn’t free. Another alternative is free CNA classes online, however many of these offer courses covering particular topics and skills, and may not cover everything necessary to pass the exam.

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Appearance is not one of the things they teach in CNA training classes. How a Certified Nursing Assistant maintains their own personal hygiene is a reflection on how he or she will maintain the personal hygiene of those in his or her care. Proper dress and personal maintenance is required of all people in any profession. It is always best to look one’s best and to dress accordingly at the workplace. This is very important for certified nursing assistants even more than in other professions. Proper personal hygiene and personal upkeep is paramount.

Make sure you are dressed appropriately to perform your job as a certified nursing assistant. It is required for nurse’s aides and other hospital personnel to wear scrubs. Depending on your employer you may have to wear a specific color or style but under any case scrubs are the staple for certified nursing assistants and other clinical workers in a hospital or long term care facility. Make sure to purchase enough scrubs so that you will always have a clean set to wear to work. There are many stores that offer scrubs and accessories for relatively affordable prices. Wash and press your scrubs for a neat appearance as wrinkles are unprofessional.

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The main goal of CNA training is understanding how to provide proper patient care. As a certified nursing assistant you will be caring for all types of patients. Some of your patients will have limited mobility and it will be your responsibility to make sure that they are properly taken care of. One of the main goals as a certified nursing assistant working with patients who have little to no mobility is preventing bedsores. Bedsores can be very painful and if left untreated can be fatal.

Bedsores can occur for a variety of reasons. For patients that have little or no mobility bedsores occur from prolonged pressure on a particular area. Because of the pressure the affected area is deprived of oxygen and the tissue and muscle of that area begin to deteriorate.

Other factors that cause bedsores are repeated friction on a particular body part and incontinence and improper cleaning of the area. There are particular people who are more at risk for developing bedsores. People who are diabetic and have circulatory problems are at an increased risk since their circulation is already compromised.

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The duties a Certified Nursing Assistant is expected to perform will depend largely on where you are working. For instance, a CNA’s duties at a hospital will be different than at a nursing home, or at a patient’s home. Some positions may require a considerable degree of physical exertion, while others may not.

A CNA must have the ability to understand and carry out routine non-technical, oral and written directions in relation patient and/or resident care. The willingness to cooperate and to carefully follow a prescribed routine is essential, as is discretion – patient privacy is something to be taken very seriously. You should have the ability to get along well with others and to secure cooperation of patients and/or residents. And even more so than many jobs, neatness and personal cleanliness are a must.

That said, the primary duties of a certified nursing assistant are always care of your patient. This can include daily care of a patient, and assistance as appropriate, such as help with eating, getting dressed, and movement.

As a CNA your duties may also include taking and logging patient information: vital signs (BP or blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and temperature), assessing your patients pain level, and their weight.

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Like all CNA jobs, the duties of a Certified Nursing Assistant in nursing homes can be numerous, varied, and challenging. Becoming a certified nursing assistant gives you the opportunity to assist people in the most basic but profound ways each day. CNAs that work in nursing homes help people who are either elderly or bedridden to maintain daily living. Working in a nursing home as a certified nursing assistant requires a commitment to providing a high level of care to individuals who cannot perform particular activities for themselves.

Certified nursing assistants are essentially the people who make sure that nursing home residents are properly cared for in the basic but most essential of ways. A CNA is responsible for giving residents baths and ensuring that residents are clean and dry to prevent irritation to the skin and more serious conditions related to improper cleanliness such as infection and bedsores. Other likely CNA duties:  brushing teeth, brushing and maintaining hair and completing many other daily hygienic chores that you would do for yourself for people who are unable to do so for themselves.

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One of the first lessons in CNA training is learning to take vital signs. Vital signs are very important as they provide information on an individual’s functioning. Measurement for vital signs includes taking a pulse, checking a person’s temperature, checking blood pressure and checking the lungs for breathing rate.

Checking vital signs is important as it provides information on whether of not a person’s body is functioning properly. The rate of a person’s vital signs is compared to a standard number for his or her age and sex. Learning to administer the vital sign test accurately and efficiently will ensure that you have an up to date assessment of your patient’s condition.

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If you are interested in becoming a certified nursing assistant but are deterred because of the cost of tuition you should know that there are a number of low-cost or free CNA training programs available. Depending on your location  and your willingness to research there are a variety of sources to receive nursing assistant training. Even if there isn’t a campus-based program nearby, there are low-cost and free CNA classes online.

One of the best places to look for affordable nursing assistant training is the American Red Cross. Contact your local chapter to get information on the scheduling for their Red Cross CNA class. The nursing assistant program through the American Red Cross is a fast paced program that can usually be completed in four to five weeks so it requires a significant amount of time availability and dedication. All programs are taught by registered nurses. The program is state approved and graduates become eligible to sit for certification after successfully completing both the classroom and clinical portions of the course. Contact your local American Red Cross for the start dates and current tuition rates.

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Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant encompasses more than the technical abilities obtained through CNA training classes. A person should possess particular character traits that are vital to performing the job of a certified nursing assistant as efficiently and compassionately as possible.

One of the most important character traits needed as a nurse’s aide is thoroughness. The ability to be dependable and reliable cannot be underestimated in this job. An employer will count on you to show up for work for your scheduled shift or any additional overtime shifts that you have committed yourself to. Failure to be prompt can leave patients without the proper care and hospitals and nursing homes even more understaffed.

Being thorough also is a benefit when caring for patients. Making sure to clean your patient’s body and change dressings and bandages and bed linen thoroughly will ensure the comfort of you patient and prevent unnecessary disease and infection. Being a person that someone can count on from the littlest to the most major of circumstances is crucial.

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