CNA training, what to expect?

Julie19, CNA · Apr 24, 2012

Honestly, you should be fine. You'll just be devoting more time to studies since you also have those other credits but it's nothing you probably can't handle. CNA courses teach you basic care like bathing, dressing, etc.

You could go ahead and buy yourself a stethoscope and practice taking blood pressure on friends and family. It took me a while to get the hang of it.

Good luck on everything!

IsmeAmanda, LPN · Apr 25, 2012

The main focus will be on skills.

Of course you will learn things like....respecting the resident, residents rights, residents privacy. Honestly, I found all that common sense.

Skills you learn will be like...making a bed, peritoneal care, catheter cleaning, feeding, mouth care, denture care, ambulating the resident, moving from bed to wheelchair, etc. These vary by state. In Georgia we dont distribute meds, touch things from inside the body to the outside (feeding tubes, IVs, cholestomy bags)

mindyfromcali · Apr 25, 2012

It's not that hard to take a CNA course while taking a full load of college units. That wasn't my situation, but I am a CNA so know what to expect. You will need to study the basic "skills", which aren't that hard to learn. Studying for the written exam is about as easy as studying for the driver's ed permit test. The questions can be confusing if you didn't study at all, but become common sense if you study the reasons why behind the answers. Most of the course will be clinical hours spent in a nursing home learning bedside care. By the way good job on becoming a CNA before nurse. That is great experience and you will thank yourself later :) I'm starting LVN school too in May :) Good luck in all your coursework.

WannaBNursey, ADN, ASN, RN · Apr 25, 2012

The program I went though was an intensive course that ran for a month Monday-Thursday 7am-4pm. It was held in a long-term care/ assisted living/ rehab facility, and the instructor only took 12 students per class, so it was quite a feat to even get into the program. The instructor was very strict and I would think it impossible to take college courses while going through this program. It was killer. What I see from the technical schools in the area I live in now are nothing like the program I went through in Tennessee.

amycna · Apr 25, 2012

I went through a program, kind of like the previous poster above me. It was a M-F 8-4 type program, for 2.5 weeks, plus a week of clinicals at a local LTC facility. I haven't been in school for years, so it was an adjustment, with studying and there were nights I was up til almost midnight studying. I would do it again in a heartbeat though. I am sure you are going to do great. As others have said, the CNA course teaches you basics, like ADL's, resident rights, and basic nursing skills. I'm looking to take the EKG tech course next.

Good luck to you!