This thread is for those of us who are enrolled in a CNA course right now, and/OR will be certified between March and April. Here is where we rant, network, and/or brag about the way our course (s) are going, our experiences finding a job after our course/internship is completed, and what our plans are for the future (Nursing school, etc.).
We started this topic in another thread, lets keep this going! :heartbeat
Here is a little YouTube humor for all of us potential CNA's. A typical day in the life of a Certified Nursing Assistant:
Today was our last day at clinicals I'm going to miss that place. Now its on to deciding what I'm going to do. In Maryland a CNA can work in most places but if you want to work in a LTC facility you have to be licensed as a Geriatric Nursing Assistant & take a written & skills test. But if I decided to not go that route, all I have to do is pay for a background check,fingerprints & a fee to the BON & I'll be a CNA. I wanna work in a hospital but idk if I could walk into one with absolutely no experience & expect to be hired on the spot. So I might take the GNA test, but we probably wont be able to take it until March 21. The good thing is is that our program instructor will practice with us for 4 days before the test so we will have no problems with passing. So idk what I'm going to do right now lol.
Miiszkim I had no idea you were in Maryland too. What part if you don't mind me asking? I'm in Baltimore. Where did you take your course? I had no idea that to work at an LTC you had to be licensed as a GNA, I thought that all you needed was to be certified as a CNA. I guess I should check out the MD BON website. Is the GNA test so different from the CNA test? Goodluck with everything.
Miiszkim I had no idea you were in Maryland too. What part if you don't mind me asking? I'm in Baltimore. Where did you take your course? I had no idea that to work at an LTC you had to be licensed as a GNA, I thought that all you needed was to be certified as a CNA. I guess I should check out the MD BON website. Is the GNA test so different from the CNA test? Goodluck with everything.
I'm in Bowie. I took my class at Nurse One,Inc. Its a private program in Lanham. Anyways with the CNA license, our final test in the class was considered a CNA competency test & that's it. I can now go to the Md. BON & submit my application & pay all the fees ( license fee,background check, & fingerprint fees) and then I'll have my CNA license. With a CNA license you can work virtually anywhere a CNA is able to work, except a nursing home. That's why you need a GNA license too. The GNA test is two parts- written & skills. You have to perform 5 different skills (one of them is def. hand washing) & I think the written test is like 75 q's but I'm not too sure.
I took my state exam and am not feeling good about it. The written was okay, there were a handful of questions that I had to think/educated guess because I didn't remember covering them. The skills got me, I missed a few steps in transfer to wheelchair so I'll have to see if it costs me the whole test. I will know about this time tomorrow whether I'll be repeating the skills test.
I took my state exam and am not feeling good about it. The written was okay, there were a handful of questions that I had to think/educated guess because I didn't remember covering them. The skills got me, I missed a few steps in transfer to wheelchair so I'll have to see if it costs me the whole test. I will know about this time tomorrow whether I'll be repeating the skills test.
Good luck & let us know the results!! I'm nervous for my GNA test but at least at the end they let us know in a few minutes after we finish if we pass or fail. I'm going to my BON on Friday & submit all my stuff for my CNA license. Hopefully that doesn't take long but their website says that they are backed up with processing the background checks & everything:banghead:
just wanted to post an update. i am gearing up for my second day of clinical tomorrow and am hoping for a better experience than my first! i wanted to share this link i found on a different thread that has info for cna's
aside from this, i wanted to share some tips i have received from my instructor, some different threads and a few rn friends on their opinion about cna work.
1. be very careful on patient transfers - my instructor said that back injury is rampant among cna's and nurses and cna's often perform the most back breaking work, so focus on your body position - back straight - use the legs- and ask the pt on site for instruction and tips once you start a job. also, she said that you should always ask for help if needed- do not be heroic and use the available equipment - apparently its widely under used!
2. use the ppe liberally - a lot of minor infections can be avoided and don't let a facility dissuade you from using it.
3. a few of my rn friends say that being a cna at a ltc is much more demanding and a heavier patient load than a hospital or al - so snuff out the hospital jobs if you can!
4. ask about tuition assistance for those continuing on to adn or bsn - but check contract carefully and request a buy-out clause - may be cheaper than staying if offered a better job elsewhere.
5. carry vicks for bad smells - a few dots under nostrils should help a lot with foul odors.
that's is so far - will post more as i learn/hear them!
questions for everyone - what made you deicide to become a cna - anyone going on to rn - anyone have any tips?
look forward to hearing from all of you and good luck to all on the exams!
Hi everyone! This is such a great place for information and encouragement. I start CNA classes tomorrow:yeah:. It is a 4 week course, 8am-5pm. The final is March 26th and if I pass I can take the state board exam March 28th. I am excited and nervous at the same time. Our class will be rather small, the lady I spoke with said no less than 6 people and no more than 10. When I signed up, I was number 7. My plans are to become a CNA, work at a long-term health care facility 11pm-7am and eventually attend a local community college to get my LPN training. Looking forward to reading and sharing.
Hi everyone! This is such a great place for information and encouragement. I start CNA classes tomorrow:yeah:. It is a 4 week course, 8am-5pm. The final is March 26th and if I pass I can take the state board exam March 28th. I am excited and nervous at the same time. Our class will be rather small, the lady I spoke with said no less than 6 people and no more than 10. When I signed up, I was number 7. My plans are to become a CNA, work at a long-term health care facility 11pm-7am and eventually attend a local community college to get my LPN training. Looking forward to reading and sharing.
Resa
Good luck! Small classes are soo much better because the instructor gets a chance to really know you.Our class had 11 but it was still a good size & I enjoyed it.
So, I had to work Sunday evening and we left early because the snow had started and we knew the storm was coming. I had no idea it was going to snow so much, usually it just passes us over or it's very light, nothing too serious. I didn't realize it was that bad until I got to my neighborhood (there are lots of side streets, most don't get plowed), the street was completely covered and the snow was packed onto the ground. I was doing about 5 mph and lost control of the car and slammed into a curb. I knew I had definitely screwed something major up, I was sure I had bent the axle. Anyway, I went to the mechanic today and luckily I hadn't bent the axle like I thought but there was still $1200 worth of damage!! JUST GREAT!! Now I have to dip into my already depleted savings AGAIN. I am so bummed. Hopefully my insurance company will pay for this and I'll just have to pay the $250 deductible.
That story had nothing to do with CNA courses or graduation but I had to vent, this hasn't been the best day. Buuuuut, I got a call from the admin. asst. at the local CC and they have an opening in the Venipuncture course. I'm signed up to take the MSMT course and I thought the CNA module was first but the admin. asst. said it didn't matter what order I took the course in. Sooo, I get to start class earlier than I originally thought (the first class wasn't supposed to start until 3/24). It's not the CNA part of the course but I'm just excited about finally being able to go back to school and learn something new. The first day is 3/9 and it's every Monday, Wednesday, and every other Friday from 6pm-945pm. YAY!! I'm very excited and just wanted to share my good news.
Hope everyone else is doing well in their course(s) and clinicals. :)
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I knew I had definitely screwed something major up, I was sure I had bent the axle. Anyway, I went to the mechanic today and luckily I hadn't bent the axle like I thought but there was still $1200 worth of damage!! 
JUST GREAT!! Now I have to dip into my already depleted savings AGAIN. I am so bummed. Hopefully my insurance company will pay for this and I'll just have to pay the $250 deductible. 
YAY!! I'm very excited and just wanted to share my good news.
Shante1985
29 Posts
Miiszkim I had no idea you were in Maryland too. What part if you don't mind me asking? I'm in Baltimore. Where did you take your course? I had no idea that to work at an LTC you had to be licensed as a GNA, I thought that all you needed was to be certified as a CNA. I guess I should check out the MD BON website. Is the GNA test so different from the CNA test? Goodluck with everything.