Am I Right for the Job?
To be a nursing assistant, you must have compassion and a desire to help people. It is not an easy job, but it can be very rewarding . You may discover the discourage that new CNAs feel when overwhelmed by the workload and fast pace. When faced with challenging situations, nursing assistants who seem to be able to manage stress best are those with true compassion for the people who they are caring for. Nursing assistants who view their occupations as “just a job that pays the bills” usually are not successful and likely to have made the incorrect career choice. Patience is essential to the job, along with self-confidence and a certain level of maturity. Good interpersonal skills with an emphasis on being a team participant are especially valuable traits for all health care workers.
How do I become a CNA? (Certified Nursing Assistant)
It’s not as difficult as one might think to become a certified nursing assistant. However, remember the fact that every state is different when it comes to the amount of time needed to complete the training and testing and what type of environment you’d like to work in. If you’d like more specific information about your state and their requirments, you can always contact your State Nurse Aide Registry and/or State Licensing Board.
Remember when researching in your area that CNAs are known by many names such as Nursing Assistants, Nurses Aides, Orderlies, Patient Care Technicians, Home Health Aides and more, depending on where you live and work. Remember to be prepared to submit a background check and drug test whenever you’d get hired at a healthcare facility.
Regardless of where you live you will need to be trained. A lot of times local healthcare facilities will offer free classes or “get paid while you learn” offers. Usually these are offered to people with no prior healthcare experience and can run anywhere from 2-6 weeks fulltime. Keep in mind that these facilities often require you to work at their facility for a certain amount of time in exchange for training and some will even pay for the state test as well. You can also attend CNA classes at a local community college or become trained through the Red Cross. These classes broadly speaking last longer possibly up to 6 months and can cost anywhere from $300 to $600 for training. The main benefit is that your training is more extensive and I have observed CNAs often are more confident due to feeling better prepared. Many CNAs quickly learn that on the job training is what matters most and although this holds true for many jobs it is especially pertinent in health care settings. After training you will then need to take the state test to become certified Usually your trainer will have you take the test on a specific pre-arranged date and in a specific place. Some places will allow you to work for up to three to four months after completion of your training classes without your certification.
