CNA Classes – Finding the Right Program For You
Certified nursing assistant schools teach their apprentices on how to offer support that goes hand-in-hand with vital care as well as practical nursing, for example, toiletry, bathing, making beds, dressing, checking vital signs, tiding patient rooms, ensuring that the physical needs of patients are well taken care of and exercising.
While choosing CNA classes that best suit your requirements, you need to consider things such as tuition fees, course duration, the reputation of the CNA classes you are enrolling for as well as the lab equipment and class techniques utilized during the entire time of taking the CNA classes. Hence, if you are searching for information on how to select the best CNA classes, you will find the information provided in this article quite an interesting read.
Tips for Choosing CNA classes
Foremost, you need to find a nursing school that offers CNA classes in your locality or state. Fortunately, most community colleges and technical training institutes offer CNA classes. On the other hand, you can also enroll for online CNA classes if you are not in close proximity to nursing schools that offer CNA classes. The requirements for joining CNA classes may differ from one state to another.
As such, before making a decision to join a particular certified nursing assistant training school, make certain that it has been accredited by the state. Certification by the state goes on to show that the particular certified nursing assistant school has met all the requirements of the state. In addition, when you receive your diploma or degree from a certified nursing training school, your chances of getting employed are quite high compared to those that have obtained their certificates or diplomas from nursing training institutions that have not been accredited.
Before making a decision on the CNA classes to register in, it is highly recommended that you make a pre-visit to the nursing school. The purpose of the pre-visit is to enable you to talk to the administration in detail about the certified nursing courses. By doing so, you will be able to find out more about the content of the nursing courses being offered as well as the clinical facilities at the nursing school. If you would like to get a clear understanding of the study sessions, you can request the administration to allow you to sit in one of the CNA classes.
However, you need to note that a number of nursing schools may not be willing to reveal their nursing programs or to showcase the facilities in their institutions to persons that are not yet registered for the CNA classes.
While searching for the most suitable CNA classes to enroll with, make certain that you choose a nursing school that offers more classroom hours alongside lab sessions. If you would like to master the skills of a professional certified nurse assistant, then it is important that you spend more hours in the classroom and laboratory. By doing so, you will be able to gain as much information as possible. A reputable CNA nursing program has adequate hours of rehearsal classes. However, the number of recommended classroom and clinical practice hours may differ from one state to another. But, it doesn’t hurt to add more hours to your classroom sessions or clinical practice session.
Alternatively, you can opt to talk to current nursing assistant students so as to get a deeper insight of the CNA classes being offered at the nursing school you are planning to take your nursing courses. While talking to them, ask them how the tutors and professors conduct their classes, the state of the classrooms and laboratories plus other facilities needed to effectively complete your certified nursing assistant training.
On the other hand, if you are acquainted with some of the certified nursing assistants that have graduated from the nursing school, then you can chat with them in regards to the CNA classes being offered at the nursing school. They are in a better position to know more about the CNA classes and as such will provide you with the much-needed information you are looking for.
While searching for the best CNA classes, you need to keep in mind that the location of the nursing school, the classroom and lab facilities, and accreditation play a critical role in the kind of training you will receive.
CNA Training in Nursing Schools
At this present time, there are greater than 950 United States universities and colleges that offer and run nursing degree programs. Choosing the correct nursing school for you is an important factor, and you’d be advised from making these very common mistakes that people looking for CNA training make:
- An indecisive approach to which field in nursing you want to enter, culminating in you picking the wrong course
- Choosing to train at a CNA school, in which your decision to learn there was based entirely on ‘rankings’
- Picking a school that doesn’t specialize in your field
- Failing to factor in your needs and desires when choosing a nursing school
- Not researching and actually visiting enough CNA schools to make a proper and informed decision
- Being ignorant to the ‘true’ financial cost
By reviewing the most common mistakes people make, you can learn to avoid them and by using sound logic, pick the CNA course and CNA school that is suitable for you and your needs. It’s very important from the ‘get go’ to decide exactly what type of nurse it is that you want to become, and the environment that you’d be happy to work in. Knowing this can help save you cash and you’ll avoid going down a path that might not be necessary for your type of degree.
In all nursing degrees, there’s a certain amount of overlap in the types of training you’ll receive, but you’ll notice that some schools will focus on some areas more than others. For example, you might wish to pursue an Associate’s Degree to become a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant), and in that situation, a community college would likely be your best choice, as you would incur a lot less financial costs than if you were to attend an expensive university. Make sure you take a focused approach and path when choosing a Health Care Career.
In all nursing degrees, there’s a certain amount of overlap in the types of training you’ll receive, but you’ll notice that some schools will focus on some areas more than others. For example, you might wish to pursue an Associate’s Degree to become a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant), and in that situation, a community college would likely be your best choice, as you would incur a lot less financial costs than if you were to attend an expensive university. Make sure you take a focused approach and path when choosing a Health Care Career.
Check Schools’ Rankings
Finding the school which is most suitable for you can be a daunting task. There are numerous websites which declare the top nursing school’s rankings and ratings, and each site will no doubt have its own methods and criteria in which they rank, so how do you know which site is the best when they all have different #1 schools and different ranking criteria? Well, the fact is, none of these sites are right. The ‘right’ school for you does not need to be what someone else has decided is #1. The right school for you should be based on what you personally want and need. It is possible to develop your own list of top CNA schools based on the information available and by what your own needs are, and that’s how I advise you go about it.
The problem with these nursing school rankings is that they are totally subjective. Some of them don’t even accept schools that do not have dual accreditation, they are just disregarded. Others have no requirements for accreditation at all! Some top ranking nursing school’s sites actually base their rankings on student reviews, while others use test results and pass rates to decide which ones are best. Others use feedback from professors from all the schools to determine where they rank.
You simply need to look at the rankings, and at the same time keep in mind what type of nurse you actually want to become and your specific needs in a course. You need to be certain your school has a training program for your chosen field of work, and you need to ask whether it is accredited or not. Your desires are also important when choosing a course or school. Is class size important to you? What about accessibility to professors? Would you prefer to work with the top ‘minds’ in your specific field? … all of these thoughts and desires will mean you’ll need to thoroughly research each school, and luckily it’s not that hard to do. Most colleges and universities have staff that can answer all these questions for you, so don’t be afraid to ask.
Also, check out each school’s website as they often offer a wealth of information. Remember that the actual school’s location is another important factor when choosing where to study, you need to be certain that you can travel back and forth to your school within your travel budget.
Needless to say, actually visiting schools is the most effective way to ensure that the school fits your criteria, and it’s very important that you make sure and actually do this before enrolling on a course. I’d recommend you visit at least 3 or 4 different schools to make a reasonably informed choice. The truth is, a lot of info you find online can be outdated, and rankings are based on opinions, statistics and sometimes driven by a financial incentive. You’ll only truly get a good idea of what a school is like by actually visiting it in person. You’ll get to see what the labs and classroom facilities are like; you can approach and talk with the staff, lecturers, and students, and see which other facilities are in place such as libraries, computer rooms, nursery facilities etc.
Many schools offer some great recreational facilities as well, like Gyms, Clubs, Days out, Work placements and more. You’ll likely discover that the school you are visiting offers more than you previously thought just by visiting their web page.
Checking Schools Background with Nursing Boards
Apart from playing the role of a “Manager” to regulate the CNAs, RNs, LPNs and other such nurse practitioners, the Board of Nursing in each state (be it of California, Maryland, Connecticut and Alaska) does also maintain records about the good nursing schools available in their specific states.
Hence, the first, and also the easiest, step for you is to contact your state’s nursing board, through phone, personal visit or online inquiry; if I may say so, the latter option is swift & economical. So, just open the official website of your state’s Nursing Board and then find out the approved CNA schools located in or near your locality.
It is also essential to discover how good a particular CNA school is at landing jobs for its newly graduated CNAs; some CNA schools, even if unaccredited by the state, are regarded highly by the healthcare industries, meaning that students from such schools are most likely to get hired right after their graduation.
Tuition
Tuition is an important factor to consider while searching for the most suitable certified nursing assistant schools. Certified nursing assistant programs differ in terms of cost, depending on the college or university you have enrolled in and community colleges generally charge less than private nursing schools. One of the factors that you should take into account while thinking about the tuition which certified nursing assistant schools charge, is if there are extra accreditations which are added to the course, for example, first aid, blood borne pathogens, CPR, as well as health insurance portability plus accountability.
There are nursing schools which charge so much in tuition however include the above certification courses in their curriculum. Then again, there are certified nursing schools that charge less in tuition fees in comparison to others but do not include additional certification courses. As such, if you would like to get certifications in them, you will have to pay extra amount for them. Consequently, it is always a good thing to first of all enquire if the certified nursing assistant schools offer additional accreditations before making a decision to enroll with them.
Program Length
The program duration differs from four to eighteen weeks. However, the duration of the course will greatly hinge on the certified nursing assistant schools you have selected. Chances are that certified nursing schools that offer longer course durations have the best curriculum. This is because you will have more time for clinical practice.
In case you already have some clinical practice experience, then you can opt for certified nursing assistant schools that provide a four week course duration. In addition, if you would like to be eligible for the state exam fast, then you should also consider enrolling for a four week CNA nursing course.
To become a certified nursing assistant, you have to pass the state examination. Even though the requirements for the state exam may differ from one state to another, most states will require that you finish an accepted nursing assistant course. Therefore, you have to make certain that the certified nursing assistant schools you are about to select will prepare you for the accreditation.
Other Things To Consider
After conjuring up a list of the state approved CNA schools available in your residential place, you are next supposed to fish out the one best CNA program; but, since all the state accredited CNA programs are reckoned to be of the best quality, it would be a mind-boggling issue to select the one best from the many bests CNA schools. Hence, here are some consideration factors to ease this issue: –
- Ease of Access: Like most people, you may also wish to attend a CNA school that is near to your home and easily accessible, but if you don’t mind staying away from your family or the transportation cost, then the location of the school may not be an issue for you.
- Others: Look out for job placement feature and financial aids in CNA schools.
On Site Training
All community college training programs for CNAs will have an on the job training portion. The college will help set you up with a nursing home, doctor’s office, or other health care facility. They place you at locations requiring help at the time of your training. It does not mean there will be employment at this location once you have completed your training and passed the exam. This type of on the job training will not entail pay. You will work in the office getting an education rather than being paid for the training since it is part of the course you have paid for.
Many companies online advertise paid CNA training programs. These programs allow you to work while you obtain your schooling. You are paid less by the employer than a full-fledged CNA would make because they are helping to train you to work at their facility. After training, you are usually required to continue working with the employer provided you have earned the certification.
Both on the job training options include the same type of training. You will follow around RNs, CNAs, and other medical employees to get your training in taking vitals, drawing blood, giving shots, clerical duties, and other elderly care instruction. All of the training is hands on. One day you may be cleaning bed pans, changing linens, and giving patient’s bathes and another day you may be working with an RN to take patients’ vitals. You will always be supervised during your on the job training for liability purposes. The training programs allow you to learn what CNAs really do.
Financing Your Studies
A great mistake many people make is that they ignore the financial aspect of CNA training. There are plenty of schools out there that offer financing that goes above and beyond the usual financial aid and scholarships, you can receive. Some schools, however, do not, and will not, accept financial aid packets. If your finances are an issue, and for the majority of people they are, then be certain to know and understand what amount of financial support you are likely to need. Alongside financial aid, it’s important to know how much aid you’ll need for a specific school.
Many schools have ‘hidden’ fees that you may not be aware of at first, and until it’s too late. In these economic times, it’s a sad fact, but schools and universities are becoming quite creative and you can sometimes find extra charges for things like parking and healthcare. Make sure you research a school thoroughly and discuss the financial aspects with the staff before you decide to enroll, otherwise you make be lumbered with unforeseen charges after you start your course, which ultimately could mean you might need to drop out due to lack of finances.
Some schools, however, do not, and will not, accept financial aid packets. If your finances are an issue, and for the majority of people they are, then be certain to know and understand what amount of financial support you are likely to need. Alongside financial aid, it’s important to know how much aid you’ll need for a specific school. Many schools have ‘hidden’ fees that you may not be aware of at first, and until it’s too late.
In these economic times, it’s a sad fact, but schools and universities are becoming quite creative and you can sometimes find extra charges for things like parking and healthcare. Make sure you research a school thoroughly and discuss the financial aspects with the staff before you decide to enroll, otherwise you make be lumbered with unforeseen charges after you start your course, which ultimately could mean you might need to drop out due to lack of finances.
Make sure you research a school thoroughly and discuss the financial aspects with the staff before you decide to enroll, otherwise you make be lumbered with unforeseen charges after you start your course, which ultimately could mean you might need to drop out due to lack of finances.
Should You Become a CNA? Absolutely!
If you are about to decide on becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant for entering into the nursing profession then I shall congratulate you on this. You have indeed chosen one of the best career options and I guarantee that you will never face any obstacles on career path as long as you work decently as a honest CNA. Indeed this career option has many advantages and the training program you are thinking to pursue has got many benefits in terms of various logics. To support your right decision, I am presenting some of the benefits of certified nursing assistant training.
- Affordable Education: The financial investment need to join a CNA training program is much cheaper than any other course in nursing field. The entire course can be completed by investing some hundred dollars to a thousand dollars, depending upon the institutions and facilities offered. Additionally, there are many organizations and institutions are available offering free training course. Nevertheless, chances of getting scholarships, grants and other such financial assistance always remain, with almost every institution.
- Short Course Duration: You need not to involve in lengthy course extending for years to complete the CNA training. Most of the nursing assistant training programs can be completed within 6 to 12 weeks. Moreover, classes running in the evenings, weekends or holidays or online classes are also available to favors the students’ convenience.
- Career Advancement Design: CNA training programs are designed to provide basic nursing knowledge and experience. Thus, these programs pave avenue for higher career options with advanced degree. It will be much easier for nursing assistants to advance their career rather joining the higher programs directly, as the medical knowledge and experience accumulated during working period serves as a strong background to complete the higher degrees.
- Varied Working Options: The CNA training program enables the prospective nursing assistants to work in almost all kinds of healthcare facilities. As a nursing assistant you can choose to work in hospitals, nursing homes, long term health care facilities, rehabilitation centers and other medical and nursing facilities as per your preference. The earning ranges also vary from one work setting to another. Most of the nursing assistants prefer to work in hospitals as they are regarded as the highest payers, of course with added responsibilities than in normal.