Certified Nursing Assistant jobs are becoming more and more available all over the United States. The reason for the increase in CNA jobs is related to the increased duties that nurses are taking on. Doctors are allowing the nursing staff to take over in areas that used to be strictly the Doctor’s job. An example of this is the prescribing of medications. Nurses take care of administering prescriptions and giving the patient health instructions when they leave the hospital.
Due to Nurses having more responsibility, the need for well trained assistants is on the rise. This is where training and education becomes very important. I will give an outline about the kind of training and education available for people seeking a profession as a nursing assistant. Certified nursing assistant classes are offered in community colleges and online education courses.
Community colleges provide the Associate’s degree for the nursing assistant. There are a number of online schools that offer the certified nursing assistant degree. A few are University of Phoenix, Kaplan University and De Vry University. Once the individual completes the degree, there is a test that is required before they can become certified.
The certified nursing assistant classes that are required for the Associate’s degree consist of certain prerequisites. These prerequisites are knowledge of medical terminology, physiology, computer basics, CPR and First Aid. Further educational classes include patient care procedures and an externship in a clinical setting. A licensed professional supervises the student who is pursuing the externship and makes sure the student meets the requirements for certification.
Beyond the certified nursing assistant classes, there is also a number of training hours involved. Currently, at least 75 hours of training in a hospital or nursing home is required for the nursing assistant certification. Next the student must take and complete a comprehensive examination.
It should be mentioned that becoming a CNA is a very involved process. For those interested, contact your local community college. The assortment of online schools should also afford the student good choices in seeking certification for the nursing assistant degree. The profession is a rewarding one. Further, the possibility of earning between $20,000 and $30,000 is highly obtainable. Top CNA’s in the U.S. earn as much as $39,000 annually.


















