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Important Facts about CNA Requirements

A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is a paraprofessional in health care that does basic nursing care to acute and chronically-ill patients, under the direct supervision of a registered nurse (RN) or a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) or a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). CNAs, by description, mainly work as a second-hand of a registered nurse, assisting them in mundane and basic nursing procedures such as vital signs taking, assisting patients in their activities of daily living (ADLs), or simply being there to listen with empathy to patients and their significant others.

However basic is the work of a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), they are a vital part in the health care industry. There is a saying that the greatest registered nurses started as CNAs. Being a CNA is a great stepping stone in a health care career, especially those who prefer a low-cost and fast-track education that can allow them to work immediately with a substantial salary.

What are the requirements for admission to a CNA Program?

A CNA Program can be typically completed in a span of six to twelve weeks, depending on the training program per institution. A CNA Program practically has minimal admission requirements.

For most institutions, they require their applicants to be at least a high school graduate who could present a high school diploma or a GED. However, there are also institutions that do not necessarily require a high school completion for as long as you can do simple math calculations, can write in English satisfactorily, and have good verbal communication skills. You must be able to take and pass a TABE or Test for Adult Basic Education examination. This is to test the minimum skills required which were stated earlier.

In the United States, there is an age requirement for you to get certified and employed as a CNA. For most states, you must be at least 18 years old to be a enrolled at a CNA Program. However, some public high schools offer nursing aide courses as part of their elective classes, and students who wish to pursue a career as a CNA can opt to take these courses as early as they are 16 years of age. You might want to check your state requirements as to CNA training education programs and certification.

What are the requirements for CNA Certification?

The requirements for certification for CNAs may vary by state. However, the basic requirements are that you have completed the coursework for a CNA Program, and have passed a written competency examination after the completion of the training. You must also have passed preliminary screenings by the state such as background checks and medical examinations as a supplement to the basic requirements stated above. Once certified, you are already licensed by the state to work as a CNA.

It is important to take note that the certification must be renewed annually, thus you must take vigilance to comply with this so as not to let your certification deemed null. Some states also require CNAs to have continuing education requirements. To be at the more practical side, CNAs can opt for CNA bridge programs to become LVNs, LPNs, or RNs to serve for the continuing education requisites, and at the same time giving yourself the chance to advance in your career and upgrade your educational attainment.

The requirements stated above are just the stepping stones for your career as a Certified Nursing Assistant. However short the period of training is, you must be dedicated to complete all required skills and coursework in order to become a successful CNA.