A certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is an essential care provider who can work in a hospital, nursing home, or residential care center. CNAs are the bridge between the nurse and the patient. They assist patients with basic activities such as moving, eating, staying sanitary, and dressing. The first step to becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant is to pass the CNA state exam.
In addition to supporting the sick, certified nursing assistants support nurses and other care providers by reading patients’ temperature, checking blood pressure, or taking vital signs. While they don’t provide medical care, CNAs must undergo adequate training to gain enough healthcare knowledge to know when to call a nurse or other healthcare expert to assess a situation.
If you’re considering becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant, this career gives you the ability to grow personally and professionally within the nursing field. If you’re wondering how that could work, here are some of the major opportunities after passing the CNA state exam:
1. Opportunity to make a difference
As a registered CNA, you will provide families with essential services and performing daily tasks that patients cannot do on their own. The tasks include but are not limited to cooking, bathing, dressing, eating, linen changing, or getting in and out of bed.
Especially in this era of Covid-19, CNAs are among the frontline caregivers to patients in isolation. This position allows you to make a difference in the lives of other people.
2. Opportunity for specialization
Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant comes with opportunities to explore other areas in the nursing fraternity. You can choose to specialize in just a given area. Once you obtain a CNA certification, you can explore educational programs and careers as a registered nurse or an advanced practice nurse. These careers offer various fields of specialization such as acute care, oncology, pediatrics, gerontology, or family practice.
3. Opportunity for networking
As a certified nursing assistant, you work under the supervision of registered nurses and other qualified nurses. You can also assist a physician, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, or other healthcare professionals. Working with different personalities in the medical field creates networking opportunities. This eventually impacts your personal and professional growth.
4. Opportunity to change career easily
With an entry-level nursing certification like a CNA certificate, you can easily change your career. The certification allows you to proceed to more advanced nursing positions like registered nursing or licensed practical nursing.
Earning the CNA certificate allows you to explore other areas of nursing without committing to a degree. Importantly, as a CNA, you can easily transition to an associate or bachelor’s level nursing program.
5. Ability to care for your loved ones better
Certified Nursing Assistants gain basic nursing skills that they can transfer to caring for their family members if necessary. In the prevailing economic uncertainty and Covid-19 pandemic, your nursing skills can serve family members in quarantine. As a CNA, you can equally provide expert care for non-urgent illnesses and free up healthcare resources for seriously ill patients.
How to Become a CNA?
You can become a CNA by following these three steps:
- Earn a high school diploma or its equivalent
- Apply to a state-approved CNA program
- Complete your CNA training and education and pass the CNA state exam
At Gabriel Health Institute, we help you become a certified nursing assistant with a full moneyback guarantee if you don’t pass your state board exam by the third attempt. Visit the website to learn more.
