A Nursing Assistant Certificate can help you find employment in hospitals, skilled nursing homes, home health agencies, and more. This certificate allows you to assist medical staff by providing direct care to patients. The Washington State Department of Health requires a certified nursing assistant to work in a variety of settings, including clinics, hospitals, assisted living facilities, and adult family homes. The state requires a minimum of six months of nursing experience, and many nursing assistants begin working as soon as they complete their training.
A CNA degree program will prepare you to administer basic patient care and supervise licensed nursing personnel. Students will learn how to provide care while adhering to legal and ethical standards. They will practice basic bedside nursing skills and learn about HIV/AIDS. Clinical experiences will take place in a skilled nursing facility or acute care facility. Upon graduation, students will be able to apply for jobs as a certified nursing assistant or a licensed practical nurse.
The cost of a Nursing Assistant Certificate will vary from state to state, and will depend on the type of certification you are pursuing. However, some states offer free training. Once you’ve graduated, you’ll need to pay for an exam and administrative fees. Fees will vary by state, but you can expect to pay around $1000 for the entire program. To help you with your costs, federal financial aid is available. Accredited schools meet a stringent set of education standards. You can look up a school’s accreditation status at the U.S. Department of Education’s website.
Certified nursing assistants can work in a variety of settings. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the vast majority of CNAs work in hospitals, assisted living facilities for geriatric patients, and private doctors’ offices. Alternatively, they can work in hospices, home health care agencies, and urgent care centers. The list of possible employment options is endless. If you’re interested in becoming a certified nursing assistant, it’s important to find a training program that meets your requirements.
While most training programs are offered on a part-time basis, there are some exceptions. For example, in the Wenatchee campus, the class typically meets from 9am until noon, although some classes may begin earlier or end later. For Omak campus, however, the hours are slightly different. For students who enroll for the program during the summer, they should avoid scheduling other classes during the course of NURS 100 because you will need time to get to the site. In any case, it is important to check with the state occupational licensing and survey agencies to see if the requirements are waived.
CNA training programs may include a combination of online and in-person courses. Some programs may require a few credits online and others may only require a few weeks of hands-on experience. In many cases, the coursework for a nursing assistant certificate program will include all the coursework necessary to pass the state certification exam. The cost of such a program is often low compared to the cost of getting a degree in nursing. The CNA certification will help you land a job as a certified nursing assistant.