Certified Nursing Assistant
What Is CNA Licensing? CNA licensing separates a Certified Nursing Assistant from other patient care workers, such as orderlies and nurse aides. CNA licensing certifies a nurse assistant's competency in a range of patient care tasks, allowing a person to pursue a career as a Certified Nursing Assistant.
CNA Licensing
A Certified Nursing Assistant works in nursing care facilities, hospitals and mental health care facilities, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov. A CNA helps care for physically and mentally ill patients. A CNA also works with individuals who are injured, disabled or infirm. Nurse assistants without a CNA license can perform only limited patient care tasks and cannot be hired at certain facilities. Certified Nursing Assistants can tend to a range of patient needs and have career opportunities at more health care facilities.
CNAs who work for employers reimbursed by Medicare must pass a competency test that covers a wide range of areas. The National Association for Home Care and Hospice offers voluntary certification for CNAs. All states require CNAs to be licensed. State and federal regulations require nurse assistants in certified facilities, such as nursing homes, to pass CNA licensing classes and exams, usually within four months of being hired.
Education for CNA Licensing
The federal government guidelines for a Certified Nursing Assistant require a prospective CNA tot complete a minimum of 75 hours of state-approved training and pass a competency evaluation. Any person who passes the program and a background check for criminal activity is then known as a certified nurse's assistant (CNA) and is placed in the state registry for nurse aides. State-certified facilities may hire only nurse assistants listed in the state registry.
Job Outlook
CNAs held about 2.3 million jobs working in nursing homes, healthcare facilities and mental health institutions. Of this population, 29% worked in hospitals. Of these, 52% worked in nursing homes and residential care facilities. Approximately 47% of CNAs working in psychiatric care worked in hospitals, mostly in psychiatric and substance abuse settings.
Franklin County Schools offers Allied Health I & II courses that students can take to prepare them to sit for the CNA exam. In 2009, seven students sat for the exam and received their CNA licenses. We are proud to offer such a program where students are “work ready” when they leave high school.
CNA Licensing
A Certified Nursing Assistant works in nursing care facilities, hospitals and mental health care facilities, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov. A CNA helps care for physically and mentally ill patients. A CNA also works with individuals who are injured, disabled or infirm. Nurse assistants without a CNA license can perform only limited patient care tasks and cannot be hired at certain facilities. Certified Nursing Assistants can tend to a range of patient needs and have career opportunities at more health care facilities.
CNAs who work for employers reimbursed by Medicare must pass a competency test that covers a wide range of areas. The National Association for Home Care and Hospice offers voluntary certification for CNAs. All states require CNAs to be licensed. State and federal regulations require nurse assistants in certified facilities, such as nursing homes, to pass CNA licensing classes and exams, usually within four months of being hired.
Education for CNA Licensing
The federal government guidelines for a Certified Nursing Assistant require a prospective CNA tot complete a minimum of 75 hours of state-approved training and pass a competency evaluation. Any person who passes the program and a background check for criminal activity is then known as a certified nurse's assistant (CNA) and is placed in the state registry for nurse aides. State-certified facilities may hire only nurse assistants listed in the state registry.
Job Outlook
CNAs held about 2.3 million jobs working in nursing homes, healthcare facilities and mental health institutions. Of this population, 29% worked in hospitals. Of these, 52% worked in nursing homes and residential care facilities. Approximately 47% of CNAs working in psychiatric care worked in hospitals, mostly in psychiatric and substance abuse settings.
Franklin County Schools offers Allied Health I & II courses that students can take to prepare them to sit for the CNA exam. In 2009, seven students sat for the exam and received their CNA licenses. We are proud to offer such a program where students are “work ready” when they leave high school.