- 1). Volunteer in a local nursing home. This hands-on experience will help you decide if becoming a certified nursing assistant is right for you. The Education Portal, a resource for finding education sources, lists this as an important step in becoming a CNA. Although you won't be doing the work of a CNA, you will be able to see their daily duties and get a more realistic picture of the field. CNA's often do the "dirty work" that nurses don't have to, especially in a nursing home environment.
You need to be able to lift heavy weights, as you will lift patients. You should also be able to stomach being around bodily fluids that have to be cleaned up daily. CNAs have a very rewarding job but also a very hard, stressful job. Seeing it firsthand can help you know for certain if this is what you want to do. - 2). Check into all online resources before deciding on a school. You can choose to go directly to a school's website and check out their classes, such as the Health Care Training Center to see a wide variety of resources available to help you find the right online program for you. The Health Care Training Center has an online tool that allows you to input your requirements and it will return to you a list of resources that will help you get your degree.
- 3). Determine your state requirements for certification. Each state has different requirements concerning classes and testing for certification. Nursing Assistant Central has links to every state that describes what a CNA can expect in their home state. Some states allow certifications to be transferred while other states require that you take the test for their state. It is important to know what your state requirements are so that you aren't wasting your time going in a direction that is opposite what your state requires.
- 4). Continue taking classes to better your education and further your career even after you are certified. Staying abreast of new and improving techniques in health care and showing that you are committed to your career can help you make upward moves if that is what you desire. You might find you want to continue with your education and become a full nurse. Being a CNA first will help you decide that and continuing classes will help you achieve it.
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