CNA training in Fort Worth?? How's Gideon??

[Agatha]

Is anyone familiar with the CNA course through Gideon Services? Are they reputable? Does someone in Fort Worth offer a better CNA course? Guess, in short I want to know if they turn out good CNA's.

Does Tarrant County College have a CNA class? I've heard they do but only see their 2-year program. (someone at TCC is to call me back on this, but ...)

I found the DADS regulatory list of state approved certification courses and started calling only to find most places no longer offer training. One LTC referred me to Gideon, whom I'd already contacted.

I'm not looking for a short-cut, just a way to start somewhere. Currently, I teach math as a substitute. Since not working is out of the question, (just me & my empty nest here at home) working as an aide seems the best way to gain experience while completing the pre-reqs for a BSN.

TIA for all your help. Oh so many questions. (hope this doesn't count as a double post :uhoh21: , since I asked the same question in another thread, but didn't hear back yet, and I'm going to talk to them tomorrow)

It worries me that most schools suggest not working or at most working only 12 hrs/week while in school. Also worries me to pieces that 4.0's are wait-listed or turned away. Yikes!!

[Noi_817]

I'm currently enrolled at the one at Dunbar. It's an evening course 2X a week. It's $144 including books. You need to buy your own stethoscope, sphygmom, thermometer and scrubs (white only). When the course is over, they are offering CPR course for about $22. It should be a short course, maybe just a day or 2 long. The price of the CPR course is not set in stone yet. If you're interested, you can call the school for more information.

Mary,

how long is the program?? i have class tues and thurs. i will give them a call thanks.

Noi

[txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN]

Yeah, this is what I was talking about!!!

I'm currently enrolled at the one at Dunbar. It's an evening course 2X a week. It's $144 including books. You need to buy your own stethoscope, sphygmom, thermometer and scrubs (white only). When the course is over, they are offering CPR course for about $22. It should be a short course, maybe just a day or 2 long. The price of the CPR course is not set in stone yet. If you're interested, you can call the school for more information.

[TxGirl1982]

I'm currently enrolled at the one at Dunbar. It's an evening course 2X a week. It's $144 including books. You need to buy your own stethoscope, sphygmom, thermometer and scrubs (white only). When the course is over, they are offering CPR course for about $22. It should be a short course, maybe just a day or 2 long. The price of the CPR course is not set in stone yet. If you're interested, you can call the school for more information.

Anyone know if you contact Dunbar to get information on this course? or who is it you have to contact about this?

[amlaboy]

contact information

5700 ramey avenue, suite 143e

fort worth, texas 76112-7999

phone [phone]

fax [phone]

office hours: mon. to thurs. 1:00-9:00 p.m. & fri. 8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

i think their new class just started. go ahead and call for information. my instructor's name was mrs. whigham. i highly recommend her. the class was an easy a. my state test is this coming sunday, the 19th.

still no word on the cpr class but if i hear of anything, i'll post it.

they also have medication aide training but i think you have to be a cna for 6 months or so.

best of luck!

[amlaboy]

Oh, more info. My class was from August 15th to October 19th. You are allowed to miss no more than 2 days. Clinicals are either at Stonegate or Trinity Terrace, depending on your class/instructor. My group is the last to go for the exam. So far, everyone else has passed! If you have any particular questions, please feel free to ask.

[amlaboy]

Ok, more info. (Dunbar) The $144 also includes the fee for the state exam in addition to books. If you take a CNA class, save your receipt showing you paid for it. When you go work as a CNA, you can get reimbursed the cost of the tuition. See the link for Chapter 94. Specifically 94.3, Items P & Q. (page 9) Sweet! http://www.dads.state.tx.us/handbooks/lsna/94.pdf Good CNA information.

Contact the school directly for information about their class. They will let you know when "first come, first serve" enrollment is. Be early!! They only take a certain amount of students and the number of people that show up outweighs the spots available. When I went, I was there 3 hours early...6th in line. About 80 people showed up. I think they only took 30-something students. (bring a book to read) You will need to pass a background check and then classes usually start the week after enrollment.

Ok, I think I'm done now.

[TxGirl1982]

Ok, more info. (Dunbar) The $144 also includes the fee for the state exam in addition to books. If you take a CNA class, save your receipt showing you paid for it. When you go work as a CNA, you can get reimbursed the cost of the tuition. See the link for Chapter 94. Specifically 94.3, Items P & Q. (page 9) Sweet! http://www.dads.state.tx.us/handbooks/lsna/94.pdf Good CNA information.

Contact the school directly for information about their class. They will let you know when "first come, first serve" enrollment is. Be early!! They only take a certain amount of students and the number of people that show up outweighs the spots available. When I went, I was there 3 hours early...6th in line. About 80 people showed up. I think they only took 30-something students. (bring a book to read) You will need to pass a background check and then classes usually start the week after enrollment.

Ok, I think I'm done now.

WOW! Thank you for all of the great information I contacted the school and the lady i spoke with gave me all of the information I needed...so I guess I will be there early that day so I can get everything done. Were the classes difficult? How about the clinicals? Forgive me if I ask too many questions but I like to be as knowledgable as possible about something I'm about to do. Will the A&P classes I've taken already help me? Any info you'd like to share would be great. Thanks again for the info.

[amlaboy]

There was nothing hard at all about the class. If you have a basic medical background, it'll be even easier. There were some days that I actually thought it was a little too slow paced.

There are 3 clinical dates towards the end of the class. My biggest problem was remembering all the Range of Movement (ROM) positions and using 12 swabs for Dependent Mouth Care. (Which swab was for which area.) Of course, I have a really poor memory. LOL

We mostly used the book and hardly ever the workbook, so don't drive yourself crazy trying to get the workbook completed like I did...before class even started! I knew my TCC classes were about to start up so I finished the entire workbook before my first day of class, only to find out we only completed 2-3 pages of it. In the book though, be sure to do the questions at the end of each chapter.

Maybe you could share the info she gave you in this thread for others.

Good luck!!

[TxGirl1982]

There was nothing hard at all about the class. If you have a basic medical background, it'll be even easier. There were some days that I actually thought it was a little too slow paced.

There are 3 clinical dates towards the end of the class. My biggest problem was remembering all the Range of Movement (ROM) positions and using 12 swabs for Dependent Mouth Care. (Which swab was for which area.) Of course, I have a really poor memory. LOL

We mostly used the book and hardly ever the workbook, so don't drive yourself crazy trying to get the workbook completed like I did...before class even started! I knew my TCC classes were about to start up so I finished the entire workbook before my first day of class, only to find out we only completed 2-3 pages of it. In the book though, be sure to do the questions at the end of each chapter.

Maybe you could share the info she gave you in this thread for others.

Good luck!!

I don't have a lot of medical background, outside of sitting in both of my A&P classes...but I'm thinking it probably won't be that hard for me, except that I will be taking classes at TCC at the same time as I'm in the class if I can get in, so I'm going to be a busy bee those 10 weeks. I think I will definitely share the information.

I called Dunbar and spoke with a very nice lady who gave me very informative information. The next class begins tomorrow Nov. 14th which is full, but she did tell me they will have another one beginning in March. The background check day will be February 6th at 2pm, you need to have your Driver's License and Social Security Card, and the names need to match to run the background check...The cost is $144.00 classes are 2 nights a week for 10 weeks. They are offered on Monday Wednesday and Tuesday Thursday. If everything comes back ok with the background check, you will be called back to enroll in your class however the enrollment is first come first serve...So I'm keeping my fingers crossed everything will go ok and I can enroll because I want to take the Monday Wednesday classes because I have a TCC class on Tuesday Thursday. If I think of anymore information that she told me that I didn't happen to write down i will try and post it.

[amlaboy]

It's too bad that the next class is so far away but for the price, it's worth the wait.

If you want a sneak preview of the book we used, it was Mosby's Textbook for Long-Term Care Assistants (Paperback) ISBN: 0323019196. There's a workbook that goes along with it, as I mentioned.

If I'm correct, it's the "background check day" that you must show up early. Once you pass the background check, you show up in a few days to a week later and pay your money and register. At that time, you will get your books. That was not the day I had to beat the crowd, but definitely be on time. A few classes later, they will get you an ID made up to wear at your clinicals.

TCC South Bookstore sells the Sphygmo's for less than $25. Don't buy the poor quality ones at Walmart. Those have the stethoscopes and the sphygmo's as one unit. Yuck! You'll also need an oral digital thermometer. You'll need these items by your 2nd class. You'll need white scrubs by the first clinical date (Walmart.) For clinicals, shoes can be any color. Also, when you buy your sphygmo, make sure you don't buy the digital. We need to learn to how to read blood pressure on the dial ones. Your stethoscope can be any brand. Try ebay though. My girlfriend got a really nice Littman for less than $25 on ebay.

Your A&P classes will serve you well. You'll do fine!! If you can handle A&P, CNA will be a walk in the park.

[amlaboy]

Oh, I might add that on the 2nd to last class day, scouts came in looking for new CNAs with applications in hand. :)

[TxGirl1982]

Oh, I might add that on the 2nd to last class day, scouts came in looking for new CNAs with applications in hand. :)

Well that sounds like a cool thing, the scouts coming in...I wish the class was closer but there isn't much I can do I'll just be patient and wait, and the good thing about it is, that with it not starting until March I will finish around May and hopefully I'll know if I was accepted into TCC's nursing program or not, and I can start looking for job. Thank you so much for all of the information you've given me...I think I might go ahead and see about looking at the textbook so I can kind of have an idea.