Help With Cna Training!!!

allele, LPN · Jul 1, 2005

Our LNA's (as they're called in New Hampshire--they're officially called licensed nursing assistants, apparently it gives the board more jurisdiction over them) perform all the usual duties that a CNA/LNA training course teaches you (ADL's, vital signs, bedmaking, etc.) and most of them also take a phlebotomy course provided by the hospital and they take blood, take EKG's, take a class to read cardiac monitors (most of our monitor techs are LNA's), they check blood glucose, basic dressing changes, and the list goes on and on. A lot depends on the facility you work at and your state laws. Take leopold's advice though and call your state board of nursing to find a CNA program. Good luck!! One piece of advice though....try to get a job in a hospital (not knocking nursing homes, I LOVED my job as an LNA in a nursing home!), you can try different units and learn SO much!! If you're interested in the geriatric population (a great area, I used to love just sitting and talking to my elderly residents when I had the time) then a nursing home is a great place to work and they may even train you to be a CNA if you agree to stay on for a certain amount of time once you're certified. Best of luck!! :)

nursemax · Jul 1, 2005

That is what I am doing. I just completed a 3 week classroom course at a local Tech School that also has an LPN program. The other 3 weeks is working at a facility to gain 100 hours of on the floor work. The place I found to work is called Carriage Square here in Saint Jo, MO. I complete my hours while getting paid at the same time. They also have the ability to give you your state board exam at this facility by computer once you have gotten your hours. I just had my orientation Monday and worked 3 full days during the day as that is when you learn the most. I did everything in the book my first day. LOL Shaving, Bathing, Feeding, Turning, Moving, Taking them to activities. Making Beds, on and on. I start graveyards this weekend from 7pm to 7am. Sat-Sun night. I will complete my 100 very quickly at this rate.

While I decided like you, what the heck to take this course while waiting to get into my LPN program in March I found out that very soon the state of Missouri will require becoming a CNA first before being able to apply for LPN/LVN school. :uhoh3:

So you may as well.

Working as a CNA is hard work. It will definately let you learn if you really have what it takes to be a nurse.

Best of luck to you as I know you will be wonderful.:Melody:

:nurse:

Maxine

casi, ASN, RN · Jul 2, 2005

What a CNA can do depends on state, facility, and title. In my state of Minnesota, most aides are certified as a Nursing Assistant/Home Health Aide. The home health aide title has a little clause in it stating that aides can do what facility or agency trains them to do. I'm currently working as a Home Health Aide and I am able to do things that a NA wouldn't be doing in a nursing home because I have a little bit extra training. Like I'm facility trained to pass pre-set up meds to residents in my Assisted Living Facility. Otherwise in Nursing Homes they hire Nursing Assistants who are certified as Trained Medication Aides, who can do med passes.

Where you see a lot of the blood draws and IV starting is in Hospitals. Some hospitals will train their aides in phlebotomy. The only place I have heard of IV's being started by aides is in the ER. Some Nursing Assistants (with experience and sometimes extra certifications as EMT or ERT) can get jobs as ER Techs. They get to do a lot more down there.

To sum it up CNAs do a lot of the grunt work, but it's amazingly awarding and worth it! :)

I would take the CNA course, it will give you the edge to get into Nursing school if you already have expeirence, plus it will also give you an introduction to what you'll be doing as a nurse so you can make sure it's what you really want.

I would definately suggest taking the course in a classroom setting.

Nurse_Peachie · Jul 2, 2005

I teach a CNA-HHA course at a Vo-Tech School. The program is approx. 3 months, 6-8 hours a week. It's very informative and you will gain knowledge of basic terminology, anatomy, vital signs, hands on skills... techniques that you will use every day of your life as a nurse.

I feel that as a nurse and as an instructor, that taking the Certified Nurse Aide/Home Health Aide program before your nursing program begins is a very wise investment.

I wish you luck and years of happiness in your career!

Peace :coollook:

Peach

L&Dnurse2Be · Jul 3, 2005

I'm a CNA. It took 4 weeks of class including clinical time. Not sure of the exact hours. The state exam in Texas was demonstrating on actual patients in a nursing home. I had Vital signs, changing an occupied bed, and mouth care of the dependent patient. If you passed the demonstration part, you were allowed to take the written exam. I work in a hospital setting. We do bathing, accuchecks, VS, ADL's, phlebotomy, foley's, DC IV's etc. Our nursing manager said if she had two graduate nurses applying for a staff nurse position and one had CNA experience and the other did not, she would choose to hire the one with CNA experience. It just helps you to learn how to interact with patients, other nurses, and doctors of course. It has been a great learning experience. The pay really stinks for such hard work. Well, not always hard, but you really do work. No slacking off! I would definately take the classroom course. I just don't think you can get the experience you need in an online course. Good luck in your quest. I feel being a CNA has prepared me for nursing school.

Hey guys.... I went to myschool's advisor today and she told me that since I had a whole year before I start Nursing school that I should take a CNA course and get some experience. I never even thought about doing that before. But since I have a year off I thought why the heck not. I would appreciate it if anyone would give me information on what I should do. Should I take an online course or a classroom course? How long is the program usually? What is the pay like? Is it really worth it? Would hospitals hire me? Thanks for your replies

CTRNstudent · Jul 3, 2005

Thank you for all your responses. This has been so helpful. I felt a little dumb asking the question "what does a CNA do?" but I'm glad I did. . Most CNA courses in CT seem to be fairly short, I think I can handle taking the course along with my pre-req. classes.

L&D it seems like you do so much as a CNA, I imagine all that will change is your title, $ and opportunities.

ava'smomRN · Jul 4, 2005

i too say go for it. i have been a cna for two yrs and i have been working at a hospital for one year. i love it and i get to learn so much every single day. a lot of the nurses will show and explain procedures to me which i think is great. at my hospital you can also take phlebotomy which qualifies you to work in the er as a tech. on the floor i do adl's,vitals. ekgs, and other things that may be delgated like takings out iv's, foleys, changing iv fluid bags, etc. again, you should definately go for it, you will have so much experience whne you start school and i think this experience will also give you more confidence when you walk into your first clinical. also if you work as an aide/secretary you will learn a lot about routine tests, meds, procedures, etc for certain diseases/disorders