Receiving a CNA training certification usually requires two months. The entire process takes three steps. First of all, a person needs to learn about the theoretical aspect of working in a hospital, clinic, or other healthcare facility. After he or she has a good grasp on the theory, it is time for hands-on experience. To ensure that a person has understood both the theory and the practical aspect, the state exam must be completed. When the exam is successfully passed, a person receives certification and is added to the Nurse Aid Registry.
Step 1: Completing at least 50 hours of theory
In order to receive CNA training certification, a person must first complete a state-approved theory course. These courses are offered by community colleges, certain schools, and they can also be taken online. The good thing about online courses is that if a person is busy one day, he or she can always make up for it the next day. Classroom courses are hard to make up, and a person cannot review them at home. The theory part is a preparation for what’s ahead – the practical courses. Before a person is allowed to work in a hospital, he or she must have the theoretical knowledge of how to handle biologically contaminated objects and what to do in specific situations.
Step 2: Completing at least 100 hours of clinical training
In order to be good at the practical aspects of a job, a person needs to be familiar with the theoretical aspect. Receiving a CNA training certification is preceded by completing a state approved practical training. This training cannot be completed online, as it is a hands-on experience. People are being taught and monitored by professionals, and they get to experience the atmosphere of working in a clinic. At this time each person can decide whether or not a job at a hospital is the correct career path. After completing 100 hours of practical training, the student is not ready to take the final exam.
Step 3: Successfully passing the state issued test
To ensure that each person has received sufficient education, the state issues a test. Some people have completed a course online, while others have done it at community colleges or specialized schools. A unified test guarantees that if a person hasn’t learned the requirements, he or she will not get a certificate regardless of where the courses were held. Passing the test is the last step to receiving the CNA training certification.
After a person is certified, he or she is recorded in the Nurse Aid Registry. This way each state keeps track of everyone that is allowed to work as a nurse aid. Becoming a CNA and receiving the certification is not hard – it can be done in three simple steps.