I have compiled a list of frequently asked questions, and the answer that I think is correct. If you see something here that looks whacked, let me know and I will see to it that it gets changed, or at least I will offer a second opinion type thing.
Q: How do I become a CNA?
A: Becoming a C.N.A. is not as difficult as one may think. Every state is different in regards to amount of time required in training, testing , etc. For information on specifics, you can either contact the State Nursing Board, a list can be found here, or you can join my club and ask around there. To join the club, simply visit and click on the “Join this club” link. There are people from every state there, so it is a wealth of information. I digress though. Below see the steps for beginning your C.N.A. quest.
First you will need to be trained. This can happen at a proper school, such as a Community College, or specialty school, or some states allow “on the job” type training. My suggestion is to call a local hospital or long term care facility and see if they will train you. Often they will require you work at their facility for X amount of time in exchange for the training. Often they will pay for the State test too, which is a chunk of change, I think mine cost around $80. The only bad thing about doing it this way, is that if you breach the contract (you quit early) they require you pay back your training.
After training, you will need to take the state test. This is usually done at a specific place and a specific date. I know that I had to drive quite a distance to take my test, at the time I lived in a small town, and the test was being given at the Community College, about 35 miles away. I worked for almost two months after my training was complete before being tested. Typically your trainer is responsible for arranging for you to take the test, as well as paying for it. All you have to do is show up and pass the thing.
The last thing you have to do is wait, and wait and wait. Finally after several weeks, a State issued certification will arrive at your address, sometimes suitable for framing. By now you have your whites or scrubs and are merrily going about your C.N.A. duties.
Q:How do I transfer my certificate from one state to another?
A: I have no clue. However, If you visit my links page, you will find a list of State Nursing Boards. They will know how to go about getting certified in thier state
Q: How do I find a good long term care facility or hospital in which to work?
A: There are a few ways to tell if a LTC facility is a good one or a bad one. Here are just a few ways to tell
Check Medicare's site. Here you can see how a facility did on their latest State inspection. Of course this is not always an accurate way of judging a home, but it will give you a baseline.
One of the best ways to find out about a LTC facility is to ask around. Agency people go from place to place, so ask some of them what they think of the place you want to go to work for. Now, sometimes you might get a "Negative Nellie" who will say that EVERY place is terrible, and to stay away. This is why you need to ask several people.
Go to the facility and pick up an application. How does it smell? Every place has the "aroma" just some places have it worse than others. If it is REALLY bad, it could mean that the staff habitually has no time to take out the trash because they have too many other things to do and not enough people to do it with.
Go during a "busy" time. Say around 1pm. Look at the faces of the care givers. Do they look harried and frazzled, or do they look happy? Are there more call lights going than should be? If there are a lot of call lights, it could mean that the residents are SO used to the place being short staffed that they feel they have to use the light for normal afternoon activities (going to bed, get a change, etc.) Of course, you will have to be the judge of this-the more experienced a CNA you are, the better you will be able to judge the call light thing.
Find out where the CNAs go on break, and ask them what they think of their workplace. Again, you may encounter a "Negative Nellie" or two, but it is a good idea anyway.
Q: Is the State CNA test difficult?
A:That is all a matter of opinion. You can test yourself using practice tests here and find out what you think. You will need to have Adobe Reader (free) installed on your computer. You can download it from the link on in my links page.
Q:How do I become a member of your club if I don't have a Yahoo account yet?
A: Well, I am working on a step by step help page, but it is not up and running yet. Until such time, if you have problems joining, e-mail me.
That is all for now, however, if you have another question that you think needs to be here, e-mail me and let me know! I will see to it that it gets up promptly, if not sooner.
