Advice

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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Hey everyone!

I'm in my first semester of my ADN program and I'm also a resident aide at an assisted living facility and I had a question. Where I live (florida) you don't have to have training to test for your CNA, it's recommended but not required.. My question is this, should I try taking the test without waiting for this semester to end (then I'll have officially learned everything you learn in training)? I love working as a RA but I need to make a little more money and the only way to do this and stay in healthcare is to become a CNA but between work and school I can't go to a 2-4 week class..

Thanks in advance!

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Specializes in LTC.

Have you looked into what would be on the test to gain certification? Are these things you know? Are they things you're comfortable with?

I know in Minnesota CNA courses they teach you what you need for LTC and very basic Home Care. The skills you have learned in Assisted Living may be VERY different than what the state is looking for in CNAs. I think the big variable would be the level of care your residents need.

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I found the CNA brochure online that tells every single skill that you 'may' be tested on and breaks down the steps that the exam proctor will be looking for and there are only a few things that I haven't learned but I'll be learning them in the next few weeks at school...

Where I work there are a few residents that need full care. My thought on it was, we go to our nursing home assignments in a 2 weeks so the last of the things I haven't learned, I'll learn!

Thanks!

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Hi Karabear! I live in FL also and took the CNA exam as a challenger (no official training). If you look through the list of skills that you may be tested on online and are comfortable with them, go ahead and send in the stuff to take the test. Out of the 7 of us there the day I tested, I think all 20 skills were given in some combination. Guaranteed... the three you want the least will be the three you get (bizarre how that worked in our group that day)! The written part is very much like the samples they give online (definitely print out and go over the online practice test... VERY similar). The day I took the test there were 7 of us total. 6 were taking both parts and one was retaking a failed clinical portion. I was the only one who had not taken a class... 4 of us passed both parts, one passed clinical and failed written, one failed clinical and I have no clue about her written portion and the girl who was retaking clinical failed it again. I did my hands-on training by spending a couple of days on an LTAC unit and we went through the entire skills list to make sure I had seen or completed all of the tasks on the list. If you read through the skills and pay close attention to what it says they look for you will be fine (esp if you are already working as an RA and in nursing school). Feel free to PM me if you have questions! :)

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Karabear,

Look for the book on Nursing Assistants by Mosby. It had a lot of helpful information. There are also books available with test prep questions. Although I had training beforehand, these two books really helped me out.

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Specializes in LTC.
I found the CNA brochure online that tells every single skill that you 'may' be tested on and breaks down the steps that the exam proctor will be looking for and there are only a few things that I haven't learned but I'll be learning them in the next few weeks at school...

Where I work there are a few residents that need full care. My thought on it was, we go to our nursing home assignments in a 2 weeks so the last of the things I haven't learned, I'll learn!

Thanks!

Eeep! I didn't realise you were in a nursing program too. If your in the program I'm sure you'll do wonderful on the test.

Also a lot of hospitals will hire students after their first semester of nursing school as NA/PCAs/Techs/whatever title they wanna give you... at a higher rate of pay too. That might be something you're interested in as well.

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That's what I figured..

The only problem with Tech positions is the hospitals around here start you out after your first semester as a PCT 1 at 8.45/hr and where I work (with no experiece) I'm at 8.5/hr

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Specializes in ED, MS, CC.

I'm an ADN student working as a tech at a local hospital, going into my second semester, I started at 10/hr with no previous exp. The hospital also offers classes so I can boost my salary to as much as 15/hr (monitor tech, unit secretary) So good luck, if you take the test!

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