Bethany Home Inc, 515 West First Street, Minden. Contact# (308) 832 1594

• Bethany Home Inc are known to offer free cna training. As far as i know, they don’t have this offer open at all times and they have limited spots, so contact them regularly to see if any spots are available, and if none are, ask when they might become available or if you can put your name on their list.

Elms Health Care Center, 410 Ball Point Road, Ponca. Contact# (402) 755 2233

• If you’re ready to take your cna training, then it’s worth giving Elms Health Care Center a call. If they are hiring people at the time you call, it’s likely you’ll have a great chance of them offering to pay for your cna classes. I’ve heard good things about this place, they seem to be very laid back, friendly, and eager to help their employees.
  

• Q: I have a Certified Medical Assistance certificate. Can i work as a Certified Nursing Assistant without being certified as a CNA?

• A: – No, you are required by law to have a CNA certificate if you wish to work as one.

• Q: Will i undergo a background check before i can become a CNA? – What kind of stuff will they be looking for?

• A: Yes, you will be required by law to undergo a background check before working as a CNA. The only thing that definately will not harm your chances of becoming a CNA are minor traffic offenses. Everything else will be looked at, but this does not necessarily mean if they find anything that you’ll have no chance of becoming a CNA, it just depends on the offence.

• Q: What exactly is a CNA?

• A: A CNA, which stands for Certified Nursing Assistant, is a person who cares for people with a broad and varying range of health care need. Usually, a CNA will work alongside an RN (Registered Nurse) or an LPN (Licensed Nurse Practitioner) and/or a Doctor.

• Q: As a CNA what will my basic job duties be?

• A: As a Certified Nursing Assistant you must first and foremost, be in generally good health yourself. You will be required at times to stand for long periods of time, and you’ll need to lift things, move things around, including the patients!. As a CNA you must have reasonable senses ie: You’ll need to be able to see and hear quite well. Things like Reading, Writing, and the ability to do basic math and calculations are also a pre-requisite.

• Q: How do i become a CNA?

• A: To become a Certified Nursing Assistant you’ll need to complete and pass your CNA Exam. Before this, you’ll need to actually do a CNA Training course. Each different State in the US have different pre-requisites for this, and most have a minimum amount of hours that you’ll need to complete. This does consist of both clinical and classroom time however, so your time learning will be split between both. After training is complete, you’ll take the State CNA exam and will be required to pass at least 80% of it in order to become certified. CNA training can be found for free in some states, or as a paid course. Some employers will pay for it for you, and some courses can be found online… have a look around.

In order to pass the exam, there are several things you can do to give yourself a head start. The first good bit of advice to passing the NNAAP exam is to simply have an understanding of how the test is actually structured.

The NNAAP exam consists of several different sections, including written, skills testing, and oral sectinos. It consists of 2 main components. The written part of the test consists of several multiple choice questions, covering the main ‘range’ of CNA knowledge that students are required to comprehend and fully understand. The oral part of the test contains 10 basic comprehension questions, in addition to several more multiple choice questions. The 2nd part of the test is a skills test. The skills test is designed to test a CNA students ability to safely perform the duties that are required of a CNA. Candidates are given the chance to show their skills in a simulated hospital situation, while being monitored and evaluated by nursing staff and exam officials to gauge overall performance and ability.

Both written and skills sections of the CNA certification exam are done on the same day, and CNA’s will need to take and pass both parts of the NNAAP in order to become a Certified Nursing Assistant, and to be listed on the Nurse Aide Register. The exam itself might vary slightly from state to state, as with the questions and format of the test. Generally speaking though, the tests are very similar in all states, and most have an average of 70 to 100 multiple choice questions.

It is advisable to prepare the night before the exam, make sure you get a good nights sleep and are fresh and ready to take the test the next day. The written exam can take up to 2 or more hours, so it’s imperative that you go prepared.

Normally, the written test will be the one you are given to take first. Make sure you go over your CNA certification training materials, because this part of the exam will go over many aspects of patient care, and procedures that you will already have covered in your CNA training classes. If you have kept up to date with your cna classes, then no part of this test should come as a surprise to you as you will already have covered all of it in your cna training. It is however, advisable, to make sure you review all your training material in the upcoming days before your exam, so everything is still fresh in your head.

After the written exam, comes the practical portion of the exam. Sometimes, you will be asked to bring an assistant along with you, although most facilities will provide one for you if you cannot bring your own. Your assistant will basically act as your test patient, upon which you can show the examiner your clinical ability. Keep in mind that you should try to remain calm throughout the test. Try not to be too nervous, because the examiners are not there to fail you. They want you to pass the test, so remain calm and remember your training.

You could even practise at home on friends or family members, so when the day comes to do it on your test, you’ll have already done it numerous times before, and your CNA Certification exam should be a breeze!.

It’s worth reviewing these points before your test. Although some may seem obvious, you’d be surprised how many people forget these simple things:

• Come prepared!. Remember things like pencils, pens, a watch, stethoscope, and if required, your Identification card.
• Arrive early. It’s better to arrive at a test early so you can settle in, than having to rush because you are late.
• Make sure you have a good breakfast and drink plenty of water. The last thing you want in your test is to become light headed because you have nothing in your stomach. Your brain also works better when fully hydrated, so take water with you if it’s allowed.
• The examiners will be watching you closely. Often in exam situations, people get stressed out and begin to forget the absolute basics…. Remember to WASH YOUR HANDS before attending to your patient!!. The instructors will not remind you to do this, at this point in your cna certification training you should know to do these things already, and it really should come natural to you.
• If you make a mistake, ask the examiner if you can repeat the process and try again. It’s better to ask to do it again, and do it right, than to do it wrong and say nothing to the examiner. Showing the examiner you are aware of your mistakes will score you more points than not being aware of it, or trying to hide it.
• Keep a healthy amount of communication going with your patient. It’s important to inform them of what you are doing and why, and also talk to them to keep them calm if they are nervous.
• don’t forget to smile. Be positive. Remember, you are already a CNA, you just need to demonstrate this to the examiner.

Remembering these tips and remaining aware of what you need to do to gain your CNA Certification will make a huge difference to you when trying to pass the exam, and after successfully passing the Certified Nursing Assistant Exam, you can look forward to starting a great career as a fully qualified Certified Nursing Assistant.

• 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, theres a certain amount of overlap in the types of training you’ll recieve, but you’ll notice that some schools will focus on some areas more than others. For example, you might wish to pursue an Associates 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

CNA School Rankings

Finding the school which is most suitable for you can be a daunting task. There are numerous websites which declare the top nursing schools 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 thats how i advise you go about it.

The problem with these nursing school rankings is that they are totally subjective. Some of them dont 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 schools 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 its 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 schools website as they often offer a wealth of information. Remember that the actual schools 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 truely 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 webpage.

CNA Classes and Financing

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 recieve. Some schools however do not, and will not, accept financial aide 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, its 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 its too late. In these economic times, its 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.

As a direct result of this, the growing demand for CNA’s has resulted in an increase in the number of free cna training classes for new students. While not all CNA classes are free, there are still many low cost options to consider if free cna classes are not available in your state.

Generally, free cna training programs can be found in a load of different ways and from multiple places. The main way free cna classes are provided are via Hospital and Nursing Care Home programs. You’ll even be able to find some free cna training online, but it’s never as in-depth or complete as the training you’d recieve on site. Many youth and ‘get back to work’ programs for adults also offer fast track cna courses, many of which are free, so if you are interested please contact your local register of Certified Nursing Assistants for more info.

The actual training you’ll recieve consists of both theory and practice classes. The theory will consist of written study materials, where you will learn the ins and outs of becoming a certified nursing assistant. The practical aspect of cna training consists of laboratory based work, where you will physically learn and do the job of a CNA. There’s a difference between actually writing about how to do something, and actually doing it in real life, and thats what the practical learning courses are all about…. putting you in at the deep end so to speak!.

Of course, having first hand training on the job looks great on a resume. In fact, pretty much all employers will expect you to have this, and in many cases it’s a legal requirement.

Your local job center / training agency may also provide free cna training, many times in co-operation with several state institutes who are employed to ensure proper training when it comes to looking after members of the public. You’ll find publicly funded programs for Certified Nursing Assistants, Home Health Aides, Registered Nurses and many more different health care related jobs. The Armed Forces of the United States also offer a huge array of educational options, for those who are on active duty, and even in many cases, their spouses – so be sure to check out all your options.

Finally, free CNA training can also be found (if you look hard enough) from many online schools that offer nursing assistant education. The online training for CNA’s however does not contain the practical training, so you will need to still do that somewhere should you consider taking your CNA exam.

I recieve many emails a day asking where exactly people can find free CNA training, and the truth of it is, i can’t tell you as the list of companies and organisations offering CNA training is changing all the time, and differs from state to state. You’ll find many of these organisations advertising online, so keep your eyes peeled, do a bit of research and you’ll find an option that helps you reach your goal of obtaining CNA Certification.

Certified Nursing Assistants Jobs and Tasks

A CNA needs to have the ability to work closely with people, because they offer intimate levels of care such as grooming, bathing and feeding, its imperative that they are able to communicate with and strike a bond with their patients. If you are a service orientated person who derives pleasure from helping others, and are capable of providing comfort and reassurance to those who are in distress, then becoming a CNA might be the perfect career choice for you.

Alongside providing a high level of physical, emotional and social care for your patients, you will also need to pay a great attention to detail. A certified nursing assistant is responsible for taking a patients vital signs, and they must also relay important info on their patients condition directly to their superiors.

Being a CNA can be a bit of a juggling act at times. Yet, if you are capable of multi-tasking and you have strong organisational skills, then you’re off to a great start. Becoming a CNA is a great way to introduce you to the medical proffesion as a whole. From the point you become a CNA, you will be able to choose if you would like to progress further by becoming an RNA, an x-ray technician, or a multitude of other choices. You will also be able to take a good look at your advancement opportunities, or, like a great many certified nursing assistants, being a certiied nursing assistant might be exactly what you want to be, and no further advancement is neccessary.

Certified Nursing Assistant Training

CNA Training and CNA Certification will be your first step into the field of medicine. In order to become a bonafide, certified CNA, you will need the following things:

• A High-School Diploma (or its equivalent GED)
• You will need to complete a 6-12 week CNA Certification (CNA Training) Program.
• You will have to have a clean criminal record.

CNA training programs are widely available, and can be taken in most states in the US. Requirements for each state may vary,  but you’ll easily find classes that are available via community colleges, medical facilities, and also some adult education facilities. Some of these CNA training programs are sponsored by employess, while other courses guarantee you a placememt once you’ve completed your cna training and recieved your cna certification. Before you make your final choice, be sure to check out all the training options.

CNA Training Cost

The price for certified nursing assistant training can vary depending on where you take your course. The national ‘average’ cost to complete your cna training, take the cna exam, and recieve your cna certification is between $400 and $1000, which is not a huge amount, considering once your complete your training you’ll imediately be able to become employed as a certified nursing assistant.

Note: Be vigilant!. Some training facilities list their CNA training programs as all inclusive, total amount. Where other places list the cost of training materials needed, exam fees, and other costs seperately. Be certain your fully clued up on the total cost before you enroll in a cna course.

What does CNA training entail?

You’ll partake in classroom lessons which go over physiology, anatomy, nutrition, food handling and other basic nursing skills. You will also learn proper and sanitary ways to handle a multitude of different substances in order to help prevent the spreading of infection and disease. Don’t be frightened by this though, you will not be sent out into the field of nursing without being fully prepared for it. Through your cna classes, you’ll gain vital hands on experience and your confidence levels will rise as your knowledge does, and you’ll soon gain all of the qualities needed to become a certified nursing assistant.

Once your training has ended, you will be required to take your cna certification exam, which is offered/provided by the National Association of Home Care. When you do your cna training, you’ll likely partake in one, or a multiple pre-tests, or mock tests, which will help you become more aware of what will be required in the actual exam, and what points you need to focus on etc.

CNA Salary, how much does a CNA earn?

As a fully qualified Certified Nursing Assistant, you will work in a proffesional environment and earn a comfortable living. The latest salary data taken in 2009 states that the medium level income for a CNA is in-between $20,000 and $25,000 per year. For those who have more experience and more ‘years’ on the job, you can easily earn from $35,000 upwards per year.

Becoming a certified nursing assistant is a rewarding and fulfilling career choice, and after taking and passing the cna exam the career choices are limitless. So what are you waiting for? get started with your cna training now!

For those who have yet to enroll in a course, or are thinking about it, its always worth remembering that although you can’t beat proper, paid tuition, there ARE free options available to you if you wish to go down that route. There is a wide range of sources available for free cna training via hospitals, online courses, free information websites, job training groups and of course there are local training classes held throughout the country that you can enquire about enrolling in – the red cross cna class being one of them.

Make sure you fully investigate all your options before enrolling in a cna training program, there are free options available and it can save you a LOT of money going down this route.

When training for CNA certification, the individual is expected to acquire knowledge of and first-hand experience with various procedures and items of equipment which are essential to caring for the patients with whom they will come into contact. Considering that the function of the certified nursing assistant involves a extensive variety of duties including both basic hygienic needs as well as more complex patient care treatments, the training for CNA certification is more complicated than many outside the profession recognize.

For instance, certified nursing assistants are trained in the appropriate procedures for such fundamental hygienic and patient care tasks as brushing and flossing of the patient’s teeth, as well as basic denture care, assisting the patient with showering, shampooing, and brushing hair, and helping male patients with the act of shaving. CNAs also assist individuals in using the toilet or bedpan, empty urinary bags when full, and provide care for those patients with catheters (although special training is generally needed to actually insert the catheter). They also assist in collecting urine and stool samples, as well as providing enemas.

But generally there is more to training for CNA certification than just studying these basic hygienic practices. CNAs also help with many of the duties that would otherwise be carried out by Registered Nurses or LPNs. These duties include taking patient temperatures with a thermometer, taking and noting both pulse and respiration, and taking patient blood pressure. Students must also learn the proper way to support patients with dressing and undressing, as well as the authorized procedures for relocating patients from a bed to a chair – which includes the use of mechanised lifts.

Training for CNA certification also involves training and hands-on education which train students how to correctly move patients in their bed, including the appropriate way to turn a patient over and assisting a patient into every position from supine to lateral. CNAs also must learn the proper way to help patients walk to avoid falls, and aid them in performing basic exercises designed to preserve or enhance range of motion.

Of course, these lessons are but a tiny component of the training for CNA certification that each and every would-be nursing assistant must acquire, but they are enough to give any onlooker cause to wonder at the wide range of know-how which we expect from these important health care providers. From understanding how to offer the basic necessities of hygienic care to knowledge of fundamental first aid and CPR, training for CNA certification helps to clarify just why nursing assistants are so essential to successful patient treatment.

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