Many people who look for a career in the medical field that has a short schooling program and easy placement often look at becoming a certified nursing assistant or CNA. Although this career does not offer high pay, it does offer rewarding work in that CNA’s often build strong relationships with their patients and many times enjoy seeing them improve or even recover.
Certified Nursing Assistant Schooling
Most CNA schools offer programs that are designed to work around the schedules of people who already work or who have children. This being the case, a student should not have a problem finding a program during the weekend or evening if their schedule calls for it. Most programs will last from 3 weeks for full time classes, clinical hours, and practical training and up to 8 weeks for a part time program. There are physical as well as emotional and mental challenges that have to be met to become a CNA.
Programs for becoming a CNA are usually offered at technical schools, community colleges, and even some hospitals will offer a program for CNA certification.
Some of the skills needed to become a certified nurse assistant are:
- use of basic medical equipment
- emergency procedures
- daily care procedures such as feeding, bathing, and dressing
- cleaning rooms and making beds
- performing range of motion exercises
- legal issues and rights and responsibilities
- medical terminology
- CPR
Certified Nurse Assistant programs are often very affordable and some may even be free. Most programs are preformed for around $500 to $1000. Some medical facilities will pay the cost of schooling if the CNA will sign a contract to work for them for a specified time, usually around 6 months. Financial aid is also usually available for those who qualify.
Prospective CNA’s have to take a certification exam after the course has been completed. After this exam is passed a CNA is now qualified to begin work.
Certified Nurse Assistant Schools
1. Avalon Training Center – Newman
709 N Street, Newman, CA 95360
Phone: (209) 862-2862
Classes are approximately 8 weeks in duration. During this program, students will be taught the theory of nursing assisting. Theory will be followed by the application of clinical skills. The instructor will be on site at all times continually preparing the students to satisfactorily complete the training course.
2. Houston Community College
3100 Main St.
Houston TX 77002
Ph. 713.718.2000
The Certified Nurse Aide Certificate provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities essential to provide basic care to residents of long-term care facilities. Students will learn about resident rights, communication, safety, observation and reporting. Students will also learn to assist residents in maintaining basic comfort and safety.
3. Covenant C.N.A. School
1 Baltimore PL NW Suite 401
Atlanta, GA 30308
Phone: 404-733-5491 / 404-914-7729
Covenant CNA School’s focus is providing excellent training, dedication, strong moral values and an unparallel commitment to the Covenant they make with their students and to the future patients they will serve.
4. Northeast Florida Jacksonville
8160 Baymeadows Way West Suite 300 32256
904-730-9996
This short innovative course was designed to quickly prepare students for the Florida CNA exam. It will provide the student with the most up to date information available on the Florida CNA exam. This learning is all done hands-on using the same equipment that the state will test on. The student will also be provided with their study guide that is tailored strictly to the Florida CNA exam.
5. Klamath Community College’s
7390 South 6th Street, Klamath Falls, OR 97603
Phone Number: (541) 882-3521
Students are prepared to provide emergency care, personal care and nutrition support to patients under the supervision of a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse. Students also study ethical issues, infection control and safety.
Certified Nurse Assistant Salary
As in most employments and technician salaries, location and other factors play a factor in salary potential. On the low end, a CNA will earn around $20,000 per year. The high end is just under $30,000 per year. The average starting salary is between $11 per hour and $14 per hour. As the medical field goes, this is salary potential is low, but most people use CNA certification as a stepping stone to higher paying medical careers, such as LVN’s or RN’s.
Most health care facilities understand that the work of a CNA is not easy and the pay is not high, and they do their best to make the nursing staff content. Also, for CNA’s who have higher performance, higher salaries and bonuses are sometimes offered.
Working as a CNA can be beneficial for people who want to pursue a career in medicine, but have to work while they do this. As most CNA work is done in a shift schedule, careful planning can leave room to continue education and work at the same time. It can also be beneficial to a person who is not sure if they want to work in the medical field. Since it does not cost much money and the course is short, a person will not have much invested if they decided a career in medicine is not right for them.
All in all, most CNAs enjoy their work and find it very fulfilling. So whether it is used as a full time career or as a stepping stone to something else in the medical field, if a person wants to help and care for others, they cannot go wrong in choosing a career as a CNA.
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