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Free Guide to CNA Training Programs in Every State Complete a CNA training course and earn your CNA certification in as little as 3 months |
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What is a CNA? A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is a trained health care provider responsible for providing basic care and treatment to patients suffering from disease, illness, injury or mental incapacity. Most CNAs are employed in long-term care facilities, hospitals, nursing homes or other medical care facilities. Facility administrators maintain a large number of CNAs on staff to serve their patients and abide by state guidelines for ratio of care takers per number of patients. Since CNAs are more cost-effective to hire than registered nurses they make excellent candidates for employment in health care centers. The average salary range for a CNA is around $25,000 per year. The average salary for an RN is around $60,000 per year. This is why CNAs are more attractive to employers seeking to maintain a significant amount of care providers on staff. However, since CNAs have fewer educational requirements than RNs they must work under the supervision of either a registered nurse or a physician. It is typical for health care facilities to employ one registered nurse for every 5-10 nursing assistants.
Daily Tasks & Duties of a CNA The tasks and duties performed by a CNA are very similar to those of a registered nurse. The CNA will provide basic personal care and medical treatment for patients, including assistance with bathing, eating, dressing and toileting. CNAs also provide medical care such as measuring and recording vital signs, height/weight, temperature, blood pressure and heartbeat. They also administer medication and answer patient’s questions about their treatments and medications. One limitation of a CNA is that they cannot prescribe medication or make medical diagnoses. They are allowed to make recommendations to the registered nurse or doctor on duty. CNAs are usually responsible for maintaining daily relationships with the current patients and monitoring their progress. They keep their findings in a medical chart and submit these to their supervisor for review and consultation.
CNA Training Programs & CNA Certification The process of becoming a CNA is very simple and can be completed in about 3 months. For those seeking to gain experience in the health care industry without investing large amounts of time and money in education and training the CNA certification is an excellent option. The first step is to enroll in a state-approved CNA training program and complete the coursework. The federal minimum number of training hours required is 75, but individual states have the authority to increase that number to an amount that they determine to be sufficient. Many community colleges offer approved CNA courses and cost between $400 – $800. Many nursing homes and assisted living facilities offer on-site CNA training for current or future employees. These programs are usually lower cost because they are completed on-site during the process of regular work being performed. If the facility covers the cost of the program it is usually expected that upon graduation the student will become an employee at that facility. Some technical schools and vocational training colleges offer CNA training programs as well, but might have a higher cost because they are private learning institutions. The final step is to register with the state nurse aide registry in the state where you hold your certification and wish to practice. Once you are included on the state registry list your license can be verified by prospective employers.
US Directory of CNA Certification ClassesChoose any state on the map below to find current CNA classes being offered
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The list of CNA training classes provided on our Website includes thousands of programs. Each state has slightly different licensing and certification requirements. Read more about each state using the links below. CNA Training Courses by State
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