CNA courses of study provide you with the skills you need to achieve a rewarding career in this dynamic, growing field of health care.
In order to become a Certified Nursing Assistant, you will need to take CNA courses designed to provide you with a firm knowledge base, as well as hands-on experience in the field. What types of courses should you take? What should a quality CNA course provide to you? You will find that most CNA courses offer a relatively standard array of subjects.
Topics covered
Before you can enjoy a career in the growing healthcare field, you’ll need to have a solid education. This education will be provided to you through CNA courses, of which there are several providers you can choose. You’ll find online CNA schools, which provide a wide variety of online CNA courses, as well as the more traditional CNA classes offered in physical locations.
Typical subjects covered by CNA courses should include anatomy, as well as physiology. You will also need a firm knowledge of infection control, basic nursing skills and more. Nutrition basics, from calorie counts to vitamin and fatty acid requirements, are often covered. Basic nursing skills is the broadest topic covered and includes such subtopics as wound care, patient bathing and grooming, monitoring vital signs, taking samples for testing, measuring the intake of food and water, as well as how to prevent bedsores and increasing patient mobility.
How to choose CNA courses
The quality of the course you take will directly determine your success and might even dictate whether you are able to take the state licensing examination. Therefore, you should make certain that the course provider is accredited. Accreditation means that the provider has passed rigorous checks and that credits earned through the course will be accepted at other medical schools, as well as by state authorities.
Clinical practice requirements
All CNA courses should have a requirement for approximately 100 hours of clinical practice experience, as well as a minimum of 50 hours of in-school study. Clinical practice experience is vital to your success; if the provider does not require this and gives you assistance in obtaining this experience, then you should opt for a different course provider.
Additional resources
PreMedGuide.com can help you learn more about online CNA classes.
The Red Cross can help you learn more about CNA courses and requirements.
IWCC provides information about CNA courses, as well as information about fees and other requirements.
Premed Guide