New York is one of the top states in the US that employs CNA’s (Certified Nursing Assistants). The city of New York has undergone numerous steps to provide increased funding and educational training in the CNA discipline. It’s been estimated that New York will experience a shortage of roughly 38,000 Certified Nursing Assistant’s by the year 2015, most of these jobs will all be available within the New York City area. This estimate is set to grow in number over the coming years, so needless to say if you are a CNA, or considering CNA Training and live in the New York area, this could not be a better time to get a job and further your career in the field.

Additionally, the Health Care Association of New York State (HANYS) estimates that at least 4 out of every 5 hospitals in the state are experiencing nursing staff shortages.

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) – What is a CNA?

A certified nursing assistant (CNA) is trained to assist patients with their daily living activities. CNA’s are also known as Nurse Aides, Patient Care Technicians, Orderlies, and Home Health Aides. A CNA works under the supervision of a trained Nurse, and are responsible for providing their patients/clients with basic care services, eg; Grooming, Bathing, Feeding Patients, and also checking their vital signs and fluid input/output.

In order to become a qualified CNA, you must first complete the CNA Training program (specific for each state, so if you live in NY and plan to work in NY, then make sure you become certified in NY and according to that states standards). The length of each CNA program varies from state to state, but it generally last from 6 to 12 weeks. After which you need to sit a CNA Certification Exam.

The role of a CNA is a very important one, and should not be underestimated. Certified Nursing Assistants are thought of as the ‘Eyes and Ears’ of the nursing staff, and being so close to their patients and working with them daily means that normally a CNA will be the first to spot if anything is wrong with their patient, so they can quickly report this to their superiors. CNA’s can be found in many different types of institution, including Medical Hospitals, Group Homes, Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities, Sheltered Housing (on-call CNA’s) and many more. Becoming a CNA can serve as a great career move and stepping stone for those who are interested in moving on to becoming a Nurse at a later date.

You can find a list of CNA Jobs Available in New York Here

In the State of California, they follow a set of guidelines or ‘rules’, as set out in the OBRA 1987 mandate. The guidelines are there to try and ensure that CNA (Certified Nursing Assistants) employees administer a certain quality of care whilst doing their jobs in long term care facilities. Laws have been put in place by the state to help benefit not only the residents and patients of care facilities, but for the CNA’s themselves. The Department Of Health Services Office is responsible for maintaining, monitoring and approving all suitably qualified CNA’s.

In California, several LTC Facilities (Long Term Care Facilities) offer a large range of job opportunities for CNA’s who wish to experience life and a career in the medical industry.

Here’s a list of requirements you’ll need, to work as a CNA in the State of California:

• You’ll need to have passed both the written and skills sections of the state CNA Exam
• You will need to be mentally and physically fit.
• You must have a good record of employment.
• Your CNA Certification must be ‘active’

Average Salary for a CNA in California:

• Average salaries are between $19,000 to $36,000 per annum
• Average hourly rate is typically $8 to $10 dollars per hour. (depending on experience)

Already an approved CNA? Apply for Reciprocity:

If you are already an approved CNA, and you move to California from another State, you must have an active CNA certificate and a good record of employment. If you have these, then you may qualify for CNA certification in California without having to re-take the CNA training evaluation. To be fully qualified to work as a CNA, you’ll need to submit the required documents.

California State Contact Information for CNA Certifications:

For more detailed information, you may contact the CA Nurse Aide Registry at:

CA Nurse Aide Registry
CNA/HHA/CHT Certification Unit
Licensing and Certification Division
1615 Capitol Avenue, MS 3301
P.O. Box 997416
Sacramento, CA 95899-7416
Phone #: 916-327-2445
Fax #: 916-552-8785

Looking for a State Approved CNA training class in California?

One of the essential pre-requisites of a CNA is to be trained in a state-approved training program. You’ll find a few listed below:

Allan Hancock College

800 South College Drive
Santa Maria, CA 93454-6399
Phone #: (805) 922-6966 ext. 3384 and 3541 (Nursing-CNA Program)
Fax #: (805) 922-1403

Cost is $312 ($26/unit) other fees are not included
12 units in one semester

American River College

4700 College Oak Drive
Sacramento, CA 95841-4217
Phone #: (916) 484-8011

• Tuition for:
• Resident is $156 ($26/unit)
• Non-resident is $1296 ($216/unit)
• International is $1404 ($234/unit)
• Other fees are not included
• Six (6) unit per semester, 63 hours for theory and 135 hours for clinical instructions

Antelope Valley College

Main Campus
3041 West Avenue K
Lancaster CA 93536

Palmdale Campus
1529 E. Palmdale Blvd
Palmdale CA
Phone #: 661-722-6300 ext. 6402

• Tuition for:
• CA Resident is $130 ($26/unit)
• Non-resident is $305 (additional $175)
• Other fees are not included
• Five (5) units per semester and 50 hours for classroom instruction and 112 hours for clinical training

Los Angeles Harbor College

1111 Figueroa Place
Wilmington, CA 90744
CNA Program Coordinator: (310) 233-4360
Application/Information: (310) 233-4447
Admission: (310) 233 – 4090
Fax #: (310) 233 – 4662

• Estimated cost is $556 these includes:
• Course fee
• Student Health Fee
• Associated Student Organization Fee
• Student Representative Fee
• Uniform
• White Nursing Shoes
• CPR course
• Malpractice Insurance
• Fingerprint Processing
• Application Fees to state
• State Exam
• CNA Textbook
• CNA Module
• Five (5) units per semester

Preferred College of Nursing

Preferred College of Nursing, Bakersfield
1415 18th Street #205
Bakersfield, CA 93301

Preferred College of Nursing, W. Covina
421 S. Glendora Ave., Suite 101
West Covina, CA 91790
Bakersfield: (661) 324 – 2509; (661) 324 – 2677
West Covina: (626) 917 – 0111

One semester class only

Palo Verde College

One College Drive
Blyth, California 92225
Phone #: 760-921-5500
Phone #: 760-921-5504 (Nursing and faculty secretary)

One semester class

There are a variety of things that can cause bedsores, the main culprit is prolonged pressure on a specific area on the body. Because of the pressure the affected area is under, it soon becomes deprived of oxygen causing the muscle and tissue to deteriorate. Another cause  of bedsores is repeated friction on specific areas on the body, incotinence (causes a rash) and improper cleansing of the area. People who have diabetes and suffer from circulatory problems are at an increased risk of getting bedsores, as their circulation is already affected by their pre-existing condition.

Other high risk patients are those who are paralysed. A paralysed patient cannot feel the pain and discomfort bedsores can cause, therefore it is vital that the patients assigned Certified Nursing Assistant spots the appearance of bedsores early, and treats them as promptly as possible.

Of course, preventing bedsores from happening in the first place is a CNA’s main objective. Bedsores are very painful, and can be hard to treat depending on the patients condition and range of movement, so prevention is key. As a CNA, you will be trained and shown how to prevent bedsores, and because you will provide around the clock care to your patients, you should be able to prevent them from happening relatively easily.  The main prevention method is to rotate and move the patient regularly, allowing the circulation to flow around all parts of the body. For patients that are immobilised, and possibly too large to move on your own, teams of CNA’s should work together to achieve this.

Proper rotation will  ensure that all areas of the body are receiving proper circulation, preventing pressure from building up on one particular area for too long. Placing a sheet underneath the patient that can be grasped from both ends can sometimes assist you when rotating. Another method for preventing bedsores is to try to keep the moisture on the skin to a minimum, and it goes without saying that patients should never be allowed to lie in their own waste, for even the shortest periods of time. Not only would this be unacceptable practise, it is also inhumane, and Certified Nursing Assistants should be diligent in changing and cleaning their patients regularly. Failure to clean your patient properly can lead to a breakdown of the patients skin, causing rashes and inflammation. The use of petroleum jelly or A&D ointment can help prevent this.

When drying a patient after changing them, its better to blot the wet area with a dry cloth instead of rubbing, as this may cause irritation. Other methods of preventing bedsores include the use of medical pads to reduce friction from movement, and the provision of proper nutrients to keep the skin as healthy as possible.

Certified Nursing Assistants are in essence, the people who ensure that residents of nursing homes are cared for properly in the most basic but essential ways. Responsibilities that a CNA has are things like ensuring residents are clean (bathing or helping them bathe), and insuring that they are completely dry so that skin irritations and problems do not arise. Other CNA duties consist of things like brushing teeth, maintaining a patients hair (brushing and cleaning) and also many other basic hygeine tasks you would do for yourself, but for the patients you are caring for who are unable to do these things for themselves.

In addition to this, some patients in nursing homes may require to be fed by certified nursing assistants, specially so if they have suffered a stroke or other illness that impairs their motor skills. As such, having a Certified Nursing Assistant to care for them  is essential to them maintaining a high standard of living each and every day.

Certified Nursing Assistants also provide nursing home residents with help in maintaining their flexibility and mobility. CNA’s are trained to use and provide Range Of Motion exercises on residents, which are used to help keep joints, limbs and muscles flexible.

In addition to all these duties, CNA’s must always maintain a high level of personal interaction with residents or patients. CNA’s have a role of being a patients companion and friend as part of their job description. Many residents in nursing homes can be lonely and have very few, if any, family or friends to visit them. This can lead to depression, which can in turn spark other illness’s and conditions, so the emotional support CNA’s give is a vital part of their job, as the patients may not receive this from anywhere else.

Being a CNA comprises of medical, physical and emotional support, and all 3 are just as important as each other.

An important character trait of a CNA is the need to be thorough. You must be dependable, and reliable. Your employer will rely on you to show up to work when you are scheduled to do so, and failure to do this can leave patients without the proper care they need, and can put further strain on the existing staff of the facility you work within.

A further benefit of being thorough is when caring for your patients. Ensuring you clean your patients body, change dressing, and bed covers thoroughly will raise the comfort levels of your patient, while also preventing un-needed disease and infections from arising. Being meticulous in your work and duties, however large or small, is a crucial part of being a CNA, and your employers will count on you having this trait.

Patience is also a vital trait for a Certified Nursing Assistant. In your job you will deal with people who need your assistance for a variety of different reasons, your patients will be fully aware that there are certain tasks they cannot perform by themselves, and as such they will rely on you to help them with this. As a qualified CNA, you will already have the necessary training required to take care of someone, but one thing they do not teach is patience!. This is a quality that if you do not already have, you must ensure you develop it. There will be times where a patient may have difficulties explaining what it is they need or want because of speech or mental difficulties, so you must be prepared to be patient and understanding of this. In a similar vein, some patients may be elderly or physically impaired, and as such cannot walk or move very fast, patience is key to dealing with people like this.

Patience is a vital trait needed to be a good CNA.

Another good trait to have is to be tactful. Your patients will not always be happy, some may be in a mood for one reason or another unknown to you, and some may show little appreciation for the tasks you perform for them. However, as a trained nurse assistant, you must remain civil and cordial. There are certain ways to get a patient to complete their physio exercises, or to move so you can make their bed, without being harsh or abrasive towards them. At no point should you ever show negative behaviour to the patient, whether they are being negative towards you or not. Of course, there is a line that must be drawn, and at no point you should give in to being a patients mental or physical outlet, ie: a punching bag!. As a CNA you must have the ability to express your concerns to the patient (and your superiors) in a civil, respectful and cordial manner.

CNA Training Classes provide you with the technical know how and understanding to perform the job of a nursing assistant successfully. Further developing the above qualitys and traits will be of great service to you and your own character, as well as to the job you perform as a Certified Nursing Assistant.

To become a fully certified nurse assistant in the US, you will be required to take and complete a nurses aide program which is approved by the state you choose to take your training in. Completing a state approved CNA program will ensure that you have completed the necessary number of classroom and clinical hours that are need for qualification and certification.

The CNA certification exam is regulated and administered by each state, and covers both the written and clinical section. For the clinical section of the exam, you must be able to show your ability at bending and moving a patient, measuring the patients output of bodily fluids, taking a patients vital signs, and other various daily maintenance jobs that are related to caring for a patient in a long term care facility or other health institution. Having full comprehension of the required skills will ensure you gain state certification, and recieve a vital placement on the state registry, guaranteeing to employers that your are fully capable of performing the job of a Certified Nursing Assistant, beyond the supervision of a clinical setting.

After you obtain your certification as a nurses aide, its vital that you maintain and increase your skills as you progress. CNA’s in some states are required by law to complete a specific number of hours of continuing education credits (CEU’s) each year in order to maintain and keep their certification. There are some states that even require you work a certain amount of hours each year in order to keep their certification.

As you gain experience as a nursing aide, there may arise opportunities to develop and further your skills, which require more certifications. Nursing assistants are not allowed to distribute medicine to patients, in some states however there is a special position which is called a Certified Medicine Aide. To become a CMA, you must have a CNA certificate, and also have a satisfactory length of employement and experience as a CNA. Upon completion of the course, which can be obtained through organisations such as The Red Cross, a nursing assistant will now have the added ability to distribute medication to patients, and the responsibility that comes with that.

As with most career choices, taking the intiative to increase your range of skills will ensure that you can perform your job above and beyond the required level, increasing your employability and making professional advancement easier.

Nursing Aides, who are also known as ‘Nurse Aides’, ‘Nursing Assistants’, Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA), Geriatric Aides, Unlicensed Assistive Personnel, Orderlies, and ‘hospital attendants’ generally provide ‘hands on’ care, and perform routine tasks under the supervision of other medical staff.  A CNA’s tasks can vary, as nursing assistants handle many different aspects of a patients care. Common duties that most CNA’s will perform is helping their patients to eat, dress,  move around, while keeping their room neat and tidy.

Certified Nursing Assistants also answer calls for help, deliver messages to and from the patient, serve food, make beds, tidy rooms etc. Some nursing aides are also responsible for taking a patients temperature, pulse, respiration rate, and blood pressure. They may also help patients get in and out of bed, help them walk, escort them to examination rooms when needed, and also provide skin care. Sometimes a CNA will be asked to help other medical staff at the facility by setting up medical equipment, moving supplies, and assisting (where possible) with some procedures. Aides also observe and monitor patients physical health and emotional condition, and report any changes back to the nursing and medical staff.

Certified Nursing Assistants who are employed in nursing care homes are often the sole caregivers, having much more contact with residents and patients than other members of staff. Because some residents stay in a nursing care home for months to years at a time, CNA’s develop long term relationships with their patients, and interact with them and their lives in a positive way.

Home Health Aides help the elderly, or disabled, to live in their own homes instead of health care facilities. Under the supervision and direction of medical staff, they provide health related services to the client, for example, administering oral medication. Like Nursing Aides, Home Health Aides may check their patients pulse rate, temperature, and respiration rate, also helping with simple exersize. They may also help patients get in and out of bed, dress, bathe, groom etc. On occasion, a home health aide might change non-sterile dressings, give massages and provide the patient with skin care. They can also help with braces and artificial limbs. Home Health Aides with the right experience and training, may also assist their patients with medical equipment such as ventilators, which help patients to breath.

The majority of the time, most Home Health Aides work with patients who need more extensive care than their family and friends can provide. Some help discharged hospital patients who have short-term needs.

Doing some CNA Training, and in turn becoming a Certified Nurse Aide, can give you a job for life. You’ll have the security of knowing you’ll always be able to work, you’ll earn a respectable living, and most of all you will have pride and satisfaction, which not many other jobs offer!

Every day, more and more people are looking for a new job, or a change of jobs because of their company downsizing due to the bad economic climate. Another reason for many people looking for new jobs is that they simply don’t receive enough wages…. people are getting tired of being underpaid, and more importantly under appreciated.

As a Certified Nurse Assistant, you’ll have plenty of employement opportunities. As a matter of fact, employers will likely be begging you to come and work for them!. Certified Nursing Assistants can work in hospitals, health care facilities, patient homes (private work) and in many other area’s as well. CNA’s are sometimes also classified as Nurses Aides, Patient Care Technicians, Personal Care Assistants, Home Health Aides, and simply ‘Home Help’.

To become a CNA, you’ll need to take a training class, or enroll in a CNA training program, culminating in you taking and passing a CNA Certification Exam in order to become official qualified. There are some physical requirements for a job of this type, since it does involve moving patients, making beds, tidying and organising their room, helping them to dress, helping them to the toilet, and other similar tasks. Being a certified CNA is mainly a job of giving care and monitoring your patient.

Once you have finished your training and become a qualified Certified Nursing Assistant, you’ll have a broad range of choices when it comes to choosing your work environment, workplace, and even your area of speciality. For people who enjoy working in the health care sector, becoming a nursing assistant can be a quicker route than the traditional nursing school programs, and is normally considerably less expensive!.

At any given time there is usually plenty of nursing assistant positions that remain un-filled due to the major shortage and fast turnover of workers in the field. Young women seem less keen to take on a full time job which has some disadvantages, like no fixed hours (not always the case), coupled with high pressure. Jobs in health care require a very special type of person, someone who is strong willed, dedicated, and has a kind heart.

CNA Jobs are both physically AND mentally challenging, and sometimes nurses can be exposed to infectious diseases that may pose a threat to their own health, as well as their families. Besides taking care of their patients, Certified Nurse Assistants are expected to administer medicine, and keep a report of the progress of their patients. They are also sometimes required to set up and operate the various medical equipment that is needed.

Apart from these downfalls, CNA training can be one of the most rewarding job choices you can make. You will have the security of knowing you will always be able to find a job with great pay, and you’ll gain the respect of others for being a professional health care worker, and of course you’ll have the personal fulfillment and satisfaction that comes with helping others and improving their quality of life. The latter, very few other jobs can offer.

CNA’s provide the most basic of self care services to their patients. Some of these services include Grooming, Bathing, Feeding, Help with using the toilet, keeping patients room organized and tidy, monitoring and recording vital signs (pulse, blood pressure etc), Lifting the patient and transfering to and from a wheelchair when necessary, Range Of Motion exercises, and also documenting the patients condition(s) and recording their vital information. In addition to this, Certified Nurse Assistants offer emotional and mental support, which includes helping them socially.

Whilst many people embark upon a lifelong career as a Certified Nursing Assistant,  there are also many people who utilize the CNA program as a ‘bridge’ on their route to becoming a Registered Nurse (RN). The CNA training program is a good choice for people who’d like to gain some work experience in the field before commiting to a more lengthy nursing program.

Some people are put off from enrolling in other nursing programs because they often have many necessary pre-requisites in order to be admitted to their training programs, however the CNA programs appeal to many because of the lack of any requirements for entry into a course or training program. A high school diploma, or GED is all that is needed to enroll in a Certified Nursing Assistant program. The course is often offered at community colleges and medical facilities and can be completed in six to twelve weeks. The coursework includes (but is not limited to) Anatomy, Physiology, Infection Control, Nutrition, and training in the basics of nursing. Upon completion of the CNA Exam, the student will be given a CNA Certificate and will be eligable to register with The National Association for Home Care for Home Health Aides.

After completion of a Certified Nurse Assistant program, CNA’s can earn between $23,000 and $30,000 per year. Your actual salary will be dependant on a variety of factors, including your chosen work environment and the length of experience you have as a CNA. Jobs are available to Certified Nursing Assistants in Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities, Mental Health Institutions and Private, Home environments.

Doing a CNA course can be a great way to start your health care career. The health care sector is one of the fastest growing industries today, and the demand for qualified CNA’s is expected to increase exponentially over the next decade or so.

Often, you can find local health care facilities who are advertising in the newspapers, offering paid training (you get paid while you train) and also free CNA classes. Classes like this are often offered to anyone willing to partake in them, and require no previous medical experience.

The 1st step to becming a Certified Nursing Assistant is to find a program that is most suited and compatible with your needs. If you do put in an application to a health care facility offering free CNA classes, be sure to read the fine print, as some health care facilities often require that you work for them for a certain period of time once you become certified. If you do get hired, you must be prepared to undergo a background check (to see if you have a criminal record) and also a drug test. These checks are normally mandatory for all jobs in the field of health care.

Via a health care facility, CNA classes and courses can run anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks of training, which is often every day (Full Time). If you are doing training through the Red Cross CNA Class or a community college scheme, classes can often run for up to 6 months, depending on their schedule.

Once the CNA training class ends, you will be scheduled to take a CNA Certification Test in order to become officially certified. Upon completion of your training, some places ‘may’ allow you to work for up to 4 months before you take your CNA Certification Exam.

If you are currently in High School, and you are considering becoming a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) at some point in the future, it’s worth trying to take some extra science classes such as Biology and Chemistry. It’s true that CNA classes do not normally delve too much into Sciences at any great length, however having some basic knowledge will go a long way to helping you understand some of the terminology and treatments you will use and administrate after you become a qualified CNA.

Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant is a job in which most of your skills and abilities will come through hands on practical care, rather than in a classroom. If you are basing where to attend your CNA training depending on classtime, or how comprehensive the study is, it’s worth keeping in mind that Certified Nurse Assistants learn to be proper CNA’s once they actually get on the job, and actually work with patients. All the skills you need to become a CNA will be taught in any CNA class that you attend, because after you finish your training you will be expected to take the State exam which is the same for everyone who takes it, in order to become certified.

Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant is a great way to give yourself some life long satisfaction, a great steady income, and a job security that very few other professionals get to enjoy.