Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) are healthcare professionals who provide intimate, hands-on healthcare to patients in medical settings under the supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN), or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). CNAs assist patients with bathing, dressing and any other basic activities involved in daily life.
Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.
― Malcolm X
Dissimilar from other professionals in the nursing field, certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are not required to hold a college degree. However, training is required, resulting in a postsecondary non-degree certificate or diploma. CNA credentials are issued by state, so prospective nursing assistants just need to enroll in a state-sanctioned training program and then pass a state
When becoming a CNA, individuals are required to have obtained a high school diploma or GED, plus nursing assistant training. You can find these programs at community colleges, trade schools, and medical facilities. Before enrolling, prospective CNAs should be sure the program they’re looking into is approved by their state’s nursing board and by the National League for Nursing Accredited Commission (NLNAC).
Upon successful completion of CNA training, individuals will subsequently be required to pass a CNA certification examination. This exam consists of two parts – a written part and a practical part. The written exam will be taken in a group setting and typically consists of a number of multiple choice-style questions. Test takers have 90 minutes to answer. The second portion, the clinical skills exam, is administered one at a time with a single test proctor/observer. Individuals will be tested on four randomly selected clinical skills to demonstrate their competency. They will have 30 minutes to complete this section of the exam.