I once polled the members of the Nursing Assistant Central Message Board, asking them whether becoming a Nursing Assistant is something they would recommend to people. About 90% said yes--despite the many negative aspects of the job.
To be a Nursing Assistant, you MUST have compassion and a desire to help people. It is not an easy job, but it is rewarding. New CNA's often find themselves overwhelmed at the workload and the pace. When things become challenging, the people who stick it out are the ones who have a heart of compassion for the people they are caring for.
To some, being a Nursing Assistant is 'just a job'. It pays the bills and nothing more. These people are easily recognizable in the workplace setting. This fact comes across through behaviors such as laziness and attitude problems. It's the patients who suffer for some people's wrong career choice.
Patience is an absolute necessity, along with some level of maturity. As a nurses aide, you will be faced with situations on a daily basis that test your patience and coping ability. (facing verbally/physically abusive patients is an almost daily occurance in most nursing homes)
Strong communication/interpersonal skills are highly desirable in this position, and an ability to work well with others. While the previous statement sounds like a cliche and also describes the desirable qualities for any job candidate, nowhere are these traits more crucial than in the healthcare field. Teamwork is an absolute neccessity--so if you are a person who prefers to fly solo, being a CNA might not be the career for you.
On to Becoming a CNA...
The process of becoming a Nursing Assistant varies greatly, depending on where you live and the type of environment you'd like to work in.
Quite often, local healthcare facilities will advertise in the newspaper, offering 'Free' or 'Paid' (be paid while you learn) CNA classes. These classes are offered, usually, to interested candidates with no prior medical experience.
I became a CNA through a class taught at a local nursing home. Other CNA's choose to attend classes at a Community College or the Red Cross. While these classes generally last longer than classes offered through a healthcare facility, the down side is that you will have to pay anywhere from $300 to $600 for training.
Being a nursing assistant is very much a job in which most of your skills and knowledge will come through hands on care, rather than in a classroom. If you are going to make your decision on where to attend classes based on more classtime or more comprehensive study, keep in mind that CNA's learn to truly be CNA's once they get out on the floor, working with patients. The skills that you will need to perform your job as a CNA will be taught in any class you attend, due to the fact that at the end of your training, you will then have to take a State Exam to recieve your certification.
If you are in high school and you're considering becoming a CNA at some point in the future, try to take some extra science classes, such as Biology and even Chemistry. While the CNA classes normally do not delve into the Sciences at great length, having some basic knowledge will help you understand more of the terminology and treatments you will witness once you become a CNA.
The first step to becoming a CNA is finding a program suited to your needs. If you are applying at a heathcare facility offering free classes, be sure to check to 'fine print', as some facilities require that you commit to work for them for a certain length of time after you become certified. If you are hired at a healthcare facility, be prepared to submit to a background check (criminal) and a drug test. These are usually mandatory for all healthcare personnel.
Through a healthcare facility, classes may run anywhere from two weeks to six weeks of full time training. Through the Red Cross or a Community College, classes may run for up to six months, depending on the schedule.
At the end of the classes, you will be scheduled to take a State administered Test to become certified. Some places will allow you to work, upon completion of your CNA training, up to four months after classes without your certification. (I worked for three months before taking my test).
