Signed Up for CNA Class

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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I just recently signed up for a fast track 8 day CNA class. 52 hours in class and 12 in clinicals. How hard is a CNA class? What are good websites to look at to prepare for the class information/skills wise? How hard are the skills?

I'm currently on my last week of EMT-B class. If anyone has any experience with that, how hard is CNA compared to that?

Thanks!

Shannon

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Specializes in LTC, Rehab, CCU, Alzheimers, Med-Surg.

CNA classes aren't hard, they are just a lot of work. As in, you will understand what is going on, but there is a lot to cover and a lot to do. As long as you are trying to learn you will be fine. Some people in my CNA class were there just to get it done and find a job, but you could tell that they were not passionate about nursing or helping people.

You will do fine, the accelerated class will be tough, but stick it out for those days and you will feel great after its over! And remember to have fun!

Some websites:

http://www.deptets.fvtc.edu/nursing/index.htm

http://www.nursingassistants.net/

http://www.nursingassistantcentral.com

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Wow. Thanks so much. I've tried to google sites to help but I didn't turn up much originally. I know in one thread I found CNA videos. ^________^ I wish I could find that for EMT. It will be great.

My mom is a nurse and so happy. She is hoping this will make me want to be a nurse more than a paramedic.

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Yeah, I think a lot of the actual material you learn is "common sense", it's just a matter of remembering the exact steps they give you so you can do it properly for the state test. My class was a fast track one, too, and I thought it was a breeze. Just read all of your material, pay attention, and make yourself some notecards. They help a ton when you're memorizing your skills!

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Thanks! The thing that makes me most nervous about this class is if I can absorb all this information in less than a week.

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I have been in my CNA class for a week now and I thought it would be hard but it is very easy its just common sense lol. My class is for 12 days 10 days in the classroom from 8am to 4pm then 2 days of clinical from 7am to 3pm. My class we watch videos then practice our skills on each other its alot of fun. Trust me its easy very easy.

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I dont understand how those classes work,I guess....I'm taking the class at the american red cross it is 7 weeks long and a lot more detailed,has to be,we go 3 days a week 9-4,I just dont see how it would be possible to teach all the med. terminology and abbr. anatomy etc... along with all the skills etc. in a week. but GOODLUCK and have fun!

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We get the info cause we go mon-fri from 8 to 4 where as to you only go 3 days a week I have 2 day more of learning than you. You get more info in 5 days than 3 days. The class is very very easy. Dont be nervous. Good Luck with your class. You will do very well.

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Wow! I wish my program was only a week. I'm in a CNA program in Vancouver (CNA's are called Resident Care Attendant here) and it's 6 months fulltime. Right now we have three days a week of classes and 2 days of clinicals. Next semester it will be 1 theory class with lab and then 6 week practicum. Then when that practicum is over we have 2 weeks of home support training then one week of assisted living. I think I would prefer the condensed program but I suspect they make the program longer here to justify the pay for RCA's here, which is around $18-20 an hour.

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Wow, I wish the pay was so high here!

For me, I think the condensed class was the best thing. I'm young, I had recently been in college when I took mine, and I'm a fast learner.

I can understand why some courses are longer though. Many people who take the classes are older and have not been in school for a long time, or some of them are just less educated. For those people it is understandable that the class would need to be longer and taught at a slower pace.

Ideally you'd get your choice of a "regular" class or a "condensed" class, but I guess as long as the end result is the same, it's all good.

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Wow, I wish the pay was so high here!

For me, I think the condensed class was the best thing. I'm young, I had recently been in college when I took mine, and I'm a fast learner.

I can understand why some courses are longer though. Many people who take the classes are older and have not been in school for a long time, or some of them are just less educated. For those people it is understandable that the class would need to be longer and taught at a slower pace.

Ideally you'd get your choice of a "regular" class or a "condensed" class, but I guess as long as the end result is the same, it's all good.

I think the condensed class would be better for me as well, for the same reasons you mentioned. Sometimes I am soooo bored in my class as things can move at a glacial pace because a chunk of the students are older and/or have little other education. There was a whole class about the fact that assignments had to be typed and some people freaked out because they had no idea how to use a computer. It can be pretty frustrating as I am 15 credits short of a degree in psych and most days I figure my time would be better spent reading the material which would probably take an hour instead of being at school for 6 hours. For this reason I have been absent more than anyone else in the program and it has not gone unnoticed.

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I will go to class from 8-6p. I hope they don't waste time in this class like my EMT-B class does.

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