Copyright (c) 2010 Derek Shepherd

The need for CNAs is rising rapidly in the health care industry. Consequently, taking up CNA training has become the "in" thing among the unemployed and new graduates who want to get into the health care industry.

What the CNA does is simply to provide assistance to a full-time, licensed nurse. Among the jobs that a certified nursing assistant does is to provide for the daily health care needs of the patients, such as assisting them in taking a bath, in eating, dressing, and grooming.

The CNA is also tasked to measure a patient's vital signs such as temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure, and inform the nurse of any changes in the patient's condition. What this does is to free up the licensed nurses to do their own set of specialized jobs, and makes the whole nursing job easier for them. Jobs for CNAs can be found in places like nursing homes, long-term health care facilities, hospitals, and private residences.

CNA training is available in online and offline avenues, and some programs offer a combination of both. The entities that hire certified nursing assistants are also the institutions that more likely give these training programs. An online CNA course is likely to use videos, teleconferencing, forums, or chat rooms for teacher and student interaction purposes. Choose this kind of CNA training if you want flexibility with your time.

After a period of CNA training, the aspirant should then be required to take a CNA certification test given by the state. The test is made up of written and oral sections, and most importantly, a practical exam. For the skills exam, a student needs to prove his or her clinical skills reach the standards that the examiner is watching for.

The CNA training program should be able to equip you fully for the CNA certification exam proper, and the CNA job in real time. The training provider determines the length of time for training, which can be from two to twelve weeks.

The topics covered in CNA training courses include anatomy, physiology, chemistry, biology, nutrition, safety, infection control and basic nursing skills. Aside from that, the training will help you improve your people and communication skills for the benefit of patients.

It is true that CNA certification makes it easy for you to make that jump to being a registered nurse. Other occupations in the medical field are similarly within the realm of possibility once you gain a CNA certification.