How to Become a CNA?



Every health care professional who wants to become a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) has to complete a CNA training program and successfully pass the state CNA certification exam.

In order to be prepared for the state CNA certification exam every prospective Nurse Aide needs to go trough a CNA training program and to participate in CNA Training Classes. By participating in a CNA training program prospective health care professionals gather all the knowledge and training needed, and all the techniques required to become a CNA are shown to them. Information about CNA training programs can be found through community colleges and medical facilities, including hospitals. Many states also provide Red Cross Certified Nursing Assistant Training Classes.

The length of the training depends on the program and generally the prospective Certified Nursing Assistants are taught by a Registered Nurses (RNs). CNA Training Classes can be run for two weeks, with additional month or more of practice CNA training to follow, depending upon the facility that runs the training program.

During the CNA training classes the prospective CNAs are introduced to the basics of the CNA job, but because of the nature of this career, the skills level improve when the nursing assistant starts to provide actual care giving and gain more confidence, after the training is completed and permission to practice as a certified professional is gained after successful CNA certification.

The CNA certification test consists of two parts – written and clinical.

The written part of the test is for the prospective Nurse Aide to prove the knowledge gained in the field during the training program completed, and the ability to provide competent help to patients and report correctly patient’s condition to the nurse or doctor in charge. For the clinical part of the exam, the students often are asked to bring someone with them to the test and this person will act as a model for the student to demonstrate clinical skills on that have been learned during the CNA training program participated.

There are a lot of qualities needed to become a Certified Nursing Assistant and they are very similar to the ones needed in nursing. The prospective Certified Nursing Assistant should be extremely patient, extremely caring and in many cases willing to do some physical activities.

No matter what qualities the prospective CNA has there is one that is the most fundamental of them all and the lack of which is a sure sign for wrong career decision – THE DESIRE TO HELP PEOPLE AND GIVE CARE, and there is no CNA Training class for this!

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