How to Become a Certified Nursing Assistant: Requirements for CNA Certification
Submitted by: Cheska Davenport
To those who aspire to become a certified nursing assistant (CNA), it is important that before entering the said field, they should first obtain the necessary requirements in order to become fit for the job. These include theoretical and practical education, which are provided in various community colleges, vocational schools and hospitals and other medical facilities. There are also online programs which offer courses in becoming a nursing assistant. Once they complete the course and training, they will then proceed to fulfilling the requirements of CNA certification, by means of an examination.
In the United States, CNA certification examinations are known as the National Nurse Aid Assessment Program or NNAAP. Every year more than a million aspiring nursing assistants take up the exam, which is comprised of different testing aspects, including written and oral comprehension, and technical skills assessment. The written part of the examination is usually a set of multiple choice questions, and this is where the examinee’s decision-making skills and theoretical knowledge are evaluated. The oral section meanwhile consists of basic comprehension sections, while the skills testing part aims to determine the applicant’s capability to perform the required duties and task on the job through practical demonstration.
Aside from the NNAAP, there are other 250 CNA certification evaluation and assessment programs available to persons who have already completed at least 9 months of CNA training. These exams have also been approved by the American Nurse Association of Nurse Accreditation.
Those who pass the tests are placed on the nurse aide registry of the state they live in, and they become eligible, finally, for certification.
Certified nursing assistants who work in nursing homes and other medical care centers would also have to comply with state-based requirements, aside from the general federal requirements. Some states require CNAs to take more exams in order to finally have their certification released, and these include medical, physical and drug testing, and other background check. A CNA certification is good for a year, and it has to be renewed annually in order to maintain the license to work in the said occupation.
Certified nursing assistants not only have to comply with state and federal requirements; they also have personal prerequisites to fulfill. Certain qualities are looked for in aspiring CNAs, and these include patience, both in terms of dealing with people of different attitudes and the repetitive work while on duty. CNAs should also have the desire to work on the frontlines of the medical industry, as they offer more time and attention to patients as compared to nurses and doctors.
Cheska Davenport is a career search strategist who focuses on creating power resumes and providing job search advice that aim to help individuals achieve their target goals in the job market.
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Word Count: 442 Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2010 Time: 1:29 PM
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