Certified Nurse's Aid

robynnelpnstudent · Nov 11, 2008

Now some things that you said simply do not make sense...If you went through nursing school, you should have passed the CNA level. I know at my school, we actually get our CNA and CMA licenses as we are going through the course. I have worked as an EMT Basic before, and when I registered and got licensed with the NREMT, I did not have to have any CNA experience, and when I applied for a CNA job, I never had to have any EMT experience or CNA experience. Maybe I am just misunderstanding, in which case, please straighten me out....lol I have a lovely clinical tomorrow, and had one early this morning as well, so excuse me for misunderstanding if that's what this was. Anyways, hope you are able to figure out this issue. :yawn:

foreverLaur · Nov 11, 2008

I am not in nursing school nor have I ever been in nursing school. I will graduate in March with a BA in Psychology. The only health care experience I have is a lot of shadowing and volunteering in an ED.

I opted to do the EMT-B course because it is more relevant to wanting to do emergency medicine as a PA. However, every job in my area requirse you to be a CNA to function in this position. The EMT-B curriculum more than prepared me for the job but without having passed the certification exam, I can't work.

I bought the book for the CNA course and it wasn't anything I didn't already know. It seems my only option is to waste more time and money on the CNA corse and learn nothing new just to sit for the exam...

picurn10 · Nov 11, 2008

are you sure it's 1600hrs? in my area it's 16hrs of clinicals, plus about two weeks of courses. As a nursing student I can take the test for CNA now that I've completed my 16hrs of Long Term Care clinicals. Most people I know who are CNA's, took their training in a couple of weeks, it cost a few hundred dollars, and that was it.

I do have a friend who is a PCT and also a CNA and nursing student and she's said that PCT is very involved and if she hadn't worked for a while as a CNA she'd have been lost. I don't know.

foreverLaur · Nov 11, 2008

are you sure it's 1600hrs? in my area it's 16hrs of clinicals, plus about two weeks of courses. As a nursing student I can take the test for CNA now that I've completed my 16hrs of Long Term Care clinicals. Most people I know who are CNA's, took their training in a couple of weeks, it cost a few hundred dollars, and that was it.
I do have a friend who is a PCT and also a CNA and nursing student and she's said that PCT is very involved and if she hadn't worked for a while as a CNA she'd have been lost. I don't know.

In Ohio, there are three ways to become a CNA

1. Take a course and then take the exam. Since I am still a full time student who works 25 hours per week, my only option is to take the 5 credit hour, 10 week long course ($400). The short term classes require too many hours to per that I can not fit in with my school and/or work schedule.

2. Work 1,600 hours in a CNA position (without the certification obviously)

3. Be a nursing student having completed some clinicals

Also, at all the hospitals I have looked at, the position title is Patient Care Associate or Patient Care Technician and the educational requirements are a high school diploma or equivalent and to be a CNA.

amjowens · Nov 11, 2008

I'm in NS, and needed to get my CNA for admission. I live in Ohio, and took a course to earn my CNA. I plan to be a NP, so I understand your desire for health care experience.

In health care, as in most other professions, there are certain "hoops" through which you must pass in order to move forward. When I took my nurse aide course, I felt as though I was taking a step backward. Now that I'm in nursing-doing my clinicals and finally precepting this semester-I see that I want to know as much as I can about caring for my patients. I count my CNA experience as valuable, and I'm thankful for the practical skills I was taught. Often it's here-in the "menial" tasks-that I find I can provide major immediate care to patients. I hope I never get too high and mighty for these tasks, as I've had my some of my best patient interactions during these times!

I didn't learn a lot about the CNA-type tasks while in NS, so I now appreciate the basics just in case a patient is in need of care. I'm not, nor will I ever be if I can help it, the kind of nurse who turns my nose up at certain aspects of patient care. I think every nurse should be required to earn their CNA, as this role helps one to realize the aspects that our patients have to deal with that we might choose not to see when we get to our eventual career goals.

The best and most respected advanced practice nurses I know of have gotten to where they are by the step-by-step route, gaining valuable experience on the way. The most valuable experiences, unfortunately, are had in those areas that don't carry with them much immediate return. I think this is why volunteer and experiences like nurse aide work says so much about character to many admissions committees, as it really speaks if you're willing to overcome the social and physical challenges of some of these tough jobs/experiences. Good luck.

foreverLaur · Nov 11, 2008

If I didn't already have the CNA knowledge, I would have no problem taking the course. It is the fact that I do have the knowledge so I would be paying for a course and taking 10 weeks of my time to take a course in which I would learn no new material (especially since I bought the textbook and already reviewed it)

*sigh*

The lady I spoke to said Ohio has the most strict rules. Boo Ohio! Maybe I'll just move to Texas :)

If I move to a state that lets you take the CNA exam without any prior course or experience and then move back to Ohio, would it work? Is the CNA license transferable to any state?

caliotter3 · Nov 11, 2008

It is a short course and is the only barrier to getting those jobs that will give you the experience you want, so go ahead and get it out of the way. It won't hurt you. You have to contact the certifying authority in your state to find out their policies for accepting a CNA certificate from another state. Seems like it would just be easier to get it over with where you are at. Good luck in your plans to become a PA.

foreverLaur · Nov 11, 2008

Well I was planning to relocate to Texas anyways, but planned on finishing up licensing requirements here in Ohio. However, it would be nice to maybe just contest the CNA exam in Texas and work as a CNA in Texas. However, it would be nice to know that I could come back home and still be a CNA.

CuriousMe · Nov 11, 2008

So, as an EMT-B you were taught to do Bed Baths, transfer patients and put support hose on patients? That's the kind of stuff they taught in my CNA class.

Seems you would spend a lot more energy trying to buck the system on this one. I think just taking the class is your best bet.

I get that you feel like you're qualified, but obviously the BON doesn't....and unfortunately, only their opinion counts.

foreverLaur · Nov 11, 2008

So, as an EMT-B you were taught to do Bed Baths, transfer patients and put support hose on patients? That's the kind of stuff they taught in my CNA class.
Seems you would spend a lot more energy trying to buck the system on this one. I think just taking the class is your best bet.
I get that you feel like you're qualified, but obviously the BON doesn't....and unfortunately, only their opinion counts.

Yes - the EMT-B class was slightly longer than the average one because they include extra things like that because they realize that a lot of people who do EMT-B end up working in a CNA type of role. That was why I chose the EMT-B over the CNA course.

I called the Ohio Board of Nursing who referred me to the Ohio Department of Health (they do the Nurse's Aid thing in Ohio) who referred me to the national testing agency. She told me that Ohio is the strictest state in terms of who they will allow to sit for the CNA exam. In almost every other state, they would thing I am qualified - just Ohio doesn't. Looks like I picked the wrong state :)