CNA Information please

NurseHopeful · Feb 10, 2005

Here in PA, most long term care facilities will pay for your training. I was paid to go to class, also. My program was 125 hours and took 13 days to finish and I started work immediately after classes. In my state you must pass a test through the red cross and get certified. Test was about three weeks after class. I do not know how it works to be a CNA in a hospital setting. Hopefully someone esle can answer that for you. You may want to avoid the Nursing home setting. Look at the posts on this site under Long term and geraitric care before you. Our program cost about $600. Generally vo-tech is the least expensive option.

Alicia18 · Feb 10, 2005

In Virginia, some hospitals offer a CNA program. You still have to pay for the classes, but if you end up working at the hospital, they will reimburse you for your education.

I don't know if you'll be able to work in the neo natal ward (I personally work in a nursing home -- no babies there! :chuckle ); you might want to ask someone when you take your class.

I think it's a great idea you have starting off your nursing career as a CNA; its a good idea to start off as a CNA and later move up to a nurse if you're not sure you'll want to take the next step. I wish you lots of luck, and I hope you'll be able to find the program that will work for you.

studentrn621 · Feb 10, 2005

A few years back I went through nurse assistant training at a long term care facility and it worked out really well. After I married I moved and stayed home awhile with my children and my certification expired. To make a long story short, I recently decided to get back into nursing and wanted acute care experience. I had a very difficult time trying to find a job in a hospital because all I had was long term care experience. I decided to take a course at a nearby community college in order to become recertified and be able to work in a hospital. I know in this area there are some opportunities to work with neonatal units. It just depends on what the laws are in your state. I would check with the BON in your area. If you have more questions feel free to pm me. I plan to work as a CNA through nursing school.

cnaanswers2005 · Feb 10, 2005

A few years back I went through nurse assistant training at a long term care facility and it worked out really well. After I married I moved and stayed home awhile with my children and my certification expired. To make a long story short, I recently decided to get back into nursing and wanted acute care experience. I had a very difficult time trying to find a job in a hospital because all I had was long term care experience. I decided to take a course at a nearby community college in order to become recertified and be able to work in a hospital. I know in this area there are some opportunities to work with neonatal units. It just depends on what the laws are in your state. I would check with the BON in your area. If you have more questions feel free to pm me. I plan to work as a CNA through nursing school.

Thank you so much! what is a BON? Good Luck

studentrn621 · Feb 11, 2005

Thank you so much! what is a BON? Good Luck

A BON is the board of nursing for your state. That is how I found out about all the different programs offered and whether or not they were geared more for long term facilities or acute care. In my state there are two semesters for the cna program (it's called PCT I or patient care technician I and II). In the first semester you get classroom, lab, and clinical experience. We mostly focus on assisting with daily activies, vitals, baths. Then in the second half we learn about how to insert iv's, foley catheters, a few other things. It is a really good hands on experience if you are planning to go through a nursing program.

mom2michael, MSN, RN, NP · Feb 11, 2005

Here is the Kansas BON website

http://www.ksbn.org

Good luck!!

curleysue · Feb 11, 2005

Oh my gosh, did I read that right? $600 for a CNA class? I paid nothing, nothing. I got my CNA classes through a nursing home and didn't have to commit to work there or nothing but I did to get the required hours needed to take the state test. I cannot remember how many hours that was. After that I got a job as a CNA at a long term care retirement facility where I was trained to be a medication aide (only CNA's could train to become this). Worked there for a year. Then worked at a hospital in home hospice care and loved it. THis was all when I was 18, took the CNA class at 17. At 19 I worked in a university hospital as a float CNA meaning I floated to many different floors including Oncology, Medical/Surgical, Pediatrics, ICU and Neonatal ICU. In the Neonatal ICU the CNA's mainly stock supplies and hold babies, which is the fun part. They do hire CNA's at the university hospital to work in the NICU full time and part time I was just floating there cause one of the aides was sick but I floated there for a full two weeks and loved it. Holding the babies was the best part. Some of the nurses had two babies to care for, I guess most take one or two but not anymore that I know of unless they are really stable. Anyways, when the moms are not there and the babies need held we would sometimes do kangaroo care where you hold the baby nude against your bare warm chest, just the upper part. Nothing bad or anything. Or just held them close to you on their bellies. It was really nice to sit for an hour or two just holding babies when you have all the stocking done.

Anyways, just thought I would share my experiences as a CNA in the NICU. I guess it can happen. Good luck. Curleysue

Alicia18 · Feb 13, 2005

When you're still in high school, at least where I am, all you have to pay for are the books. Maybe that's why your classes were free, Sue.

Just a thought.

NurseFirst · Feb 13, 2005

a bon is the board of nursing for your state. that is how i found out about all the different programs offered and whether or not they were geared more for long term facilities or acute care. in my state there are two semesters for the cna program (it's called pct i or patient care technician i and ii). in the first semester you get classroom, lab, and clinical experience. we mostly focus on assisting with daily activies, vitals, baths. then in the second half we learn about how to insert iv's, foley catheters, a few other things. it is a really good hands on experience if you are planning to go through a nursing program.

holy moly. you mean start ivs--sticking needles into pts?--not spike the iv bag?? when i was a paramedic many moons ago an lvn where i worked complained because i had fewer training hours than he did, yet was allowed to start ivs, and he wasn't.

nursefirst

studentrn621 · Feb 13, 2005

Holy Moly. You mean start IVs--sticking needles into pts?--not spike the IV bag?? When I was a paramedic many moons ago an LVN where I worked complained because I had fewer training hours than he did, yet was allowed to start IVs, and he wasn't.
NurseFirst

Yeah, I mean start IVs. But that is in second semester of the course and there is a short phelobotmy course in between that last for a couple of weeks. I can't remember off hand how many training hours we have to have at the end. I thought it would be cool because by the time I'm finished I should be starting the nursing program. I could work on the weekends and get some experience.

chocolate_eyes585 · Feb 13, 2005

i am looking for more information and good advise too, This info was helpul but you guys i still dot get it. So its best to go to CNA training at a community college, rather than a tech school, What exactly is the diff though what does one offer that the other doent? And when your a CNA are you put in a certain working environent under the supervisio of just one nurse, like ogbyn,pedeatrics, surgery, or do you pretty much do everything your told to do. I have been considering these onlline programs is that a good idea? IM LOST talk to me like im 4 yrs old Im not understanding clearly