Do you need "C" to work as CNA??

[Curious1alwys, BSN, RN]

This may seem like a stupid question, but do you need to be certified to work as a CNA? I took the nurse assisting classes at my local community college, but never got certified. I am scheduled to enter nursing school in July. Could I come out of Block 1 in nursing school and get a job as a CNA without the certification? I notice that almost all the jobs in the paper say "CNA" and not "NA".At this point, I wonder if it is still worth it to get the certification since I know you can work as an extern after Block 2. Would home health aide or caretaker be my only option??

Thanks for answering!!

Janice

[Slobgob]

Yeah, you need to be "C"ed... lol

However, in most hospitals... after you finish your first semester of nursing school you can function as a CNA.

[Chad_KY_SRNA]

I am not sure which state you are in but in Kentucky you must be a Certified Nurse Aide before you can enter any nursing program in the state. It helps to weed out the flakey people who don't belong in nursing. As far as I know its that way in most places. You may want to call the college you are thinking of attending or calling the state Board of Nursing and asking them what is required in that area.

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

I think Illinois is moving in that direction too. You have to be certified to be able to apply for nursing programs.

[FROGGYLEGS, LPN]

In this state you can work as a CNA at a particular facility for a certain length of time (90 days I believe) without the certification. In order to do that you must have training that is equal to or greater than that obtained in a traditional CNA class. You have to pass the exam during the 90 days to continue working.

I did this when I was in nursing school. I had to show proof of training from the school and I think my instructors signed something attesting to my training.

The facility I am with currently does this. We have CNAs on this 90 day thing that aren't certified. They are from other states, nursing school, or past CNAs that have let their certification expire.

[RN4NICU, LPN, LVN]

I am not sure which state you are in but in Kentucky you must be a Certified Nurse Aide before you can enter any nursing program in the state. It helps to weed out the flakey people who don't belong in nursing. As far as I know its that way in most places. You may want to call the college you are thinking of attending or calling the state Board of Nursing and asking them what is required in that area.

I thought that requirement was the exception rather than the rule. It certainly wasn't required where I went to school, nor am I familiar with more than a handful of states that have this requirement. Then again, I did not know it was required in KY either. Is that a new requirement?

[Chad_KY_SRNA]

It's been the rule for at least the last five years. I have been told this from the time I started the Health Sciences classes at the local vocational school when I was a freshman in high school. I think it is an excelent rule and have seen so many people who didn't belong in nursing run out of a few of my patient rooms when the $hit literally hits the fan.