Additional Training | All CNAs

C.P.R. and Y.O.U.

Sep10

2

C.P.R. and Y.O.U.

Posted by Patricia Ramsey, RN on Sep 10, 2014

C.P.R. and Y.O.U.

Do you have to have your CPR certification to take the state CNA test? No. CPR (also known as Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) certification is not required for the CNA test – but there may be questions on the written exam that deal with emergency care. Getting your certification in CPR and First Aid can provide the knowledge that makes these questions easier to answer. However, most employers DO require CPR and First Aid certification before you can begin work. In most healthcare facilities, everyone who works with patients must be familiar with emergency procedures. That’s because there is no way to know when a patient is going to have a medical emergency – and there are not always nurses hanging around when that happens. If there is a nurse in the area, the nurse will handle the emergency. But if not, handling the emergency will be up to you until a nurse or other medical professional arrives. Here’s a story to illustrate why this is important: Mrs. Hopkins is in the hospital and scheduled to be discharged tomorrow. She was being monitored for blood pressure issues but has been well-controlled on new medication. Your nurse assigns you to perform some tasks while she goes to lunch. When you enter the room to take Mrs. Hopkins’ vital signs, you notice that her husband (a visitor) is pale and sweating profusely. He groans loudly, grasps his chest and loses consciousness. Your nurse is not around and you don’t know what to do. You leave the room to go find another nurse and by the time you return, the patient is unable to be revived because CPR was not started immediately. This person died – in a hospital and surrounded by medical professionals – because you did not take appropriate action. How sad! Because of this, everyone who works with patients should have basic CPR and First Aid certification to master the skills that allow them to act quickly in an emergency until someone more qualified can be summoned to help. But where can you get CPR and First Aid training? First of all, most facilities do not accept online-only CPR certifications. You need to have your skills evaluated by a professional to make sure you have mastered the proper technique. Most facilities require certification through a reputable agency such as the American...

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And your next course should be…

Sep10

2

And your next course should be…

Posted by Patricia Ramsey, RN on Sep 10, 2014

And your next course should be…

So you have your CNA certification and you want to know what your next step should be. There are so many courses out there, which one is right for you? Should you take an EKG course? Get certified in Phlebotomy? Take a Medication Assistance (commonly called “Med-Tech”) course? Obtain a Home Health Aide certificate? Go back to school for Medical Assistant? Enroll in a nursing program? Well, the simple answer is…where do you want to work? What is it you want to do with your career? You need to have a general idea of what setting you want to work in to know what the logical next step might be for your specific journey. While no education is wasted and it will always benefit your career to take as many certification courses as possible, a focused and direct approach will serve you better – and save you time and money. We have created the following chart to give you a general idea of which courses might be important in each healthcare setting. This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but will provide a good starting point. Feel free to explore other certification options, based on your interests and experiences. Healthcare Setting Certification to Consider Nursing Home Alzheimer’s Training Mental Health Facility Safety Training (Seclusion and Restraint) Home Health Care Home Health Aide, 4 hour Medication Assistance Private Duty Home Health Aide Assisted Living Facility 4 hour Medication Assistance Hospital EKG, Phlebotomy, Nursing Program Walk-In Clinic/Outpatient Facility EKG, Phlebotomy, Medical Assistant Doctor’s Office EKG, Phlebotomy, Medical Assistant School Clinic 4 Hour Medication Assistance Jail EKG, Phlebotomy Private Duty Home Health Aide, Alzheimer’s Training No one can know your interests and abilities better than you, so you are the best person to decide your own career path. But this will get you started in the right direction, by knowing what certifications may be useful in each setting. Please remember, these certifications may not be REQUIRED for employment in these settings, but they may provide additional employment or advancement opportunities. Many of these certification courses can be obtained online. 4YourCNA offers online certification courses for those in the medical field. These courses are low-cost, easy to complete and offer immediate certification with no additional testing required. Many courses have free demos that allow you to access up to half of the course...

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Home » Additional Training

C.P.R. and Y.O.U.

Sep10

C.P.R. and Y.O.U.

Posted By Patricia Ramsey, RN on Sep 10, 2014 in Additional Training, Job Tips | 2 comments

Do you have to have your CPR certification to take the state CNA test? No. CPR (also known as Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) certification is not required for the CNA test – but there may be questions on the written exam that deal with emergency care. Getting your certification in CPR and First Aid can provide the knowledge that makes these questions easier to answer. However, most employers DO require CPR and First Aid certification...

Read More

And your next course should be…

Sep10

And your next course should be…

Posted By Patricia Ramsey, RN on Sep 10, 2014 in Additional Training, Job Tips | 2 comments

So you have your CNA certification and you want to know what your next step should be. There are so many courses out there, which one is right for you? Should you take an EKG course? Get certified in Phlebotomy? Take a Medication Assistance (commonly called “Med-Tech”) course? Obtain a Home Health Aide certificate? Go back to school for Medical Assistant? Enroll in a nursing program? Well, the simple answer is…where do you want to...

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CNA to PCT – Easy as 1-2-3!

Sep09

CNA to PCT – Easy as 1-2-3!

Posted By Patricia Ramsey, RN on Sep 9, 2014 in Additional Training, CNA Jobs & Settings, Main | 2 comments

You have been roaming the jobs boards and see lots of openings for PCTs in the hospital, but very few CNA jobs listed. So, what exactly is a PCT and how can you get those jobs? The first thing you have to know is that a PCT (which stands for “Patient Care Tech”) is a CNA. Yep, that’s right, you are already halfway there if you already have your CNA certification. A PCT is being used more often in acute care clinical settings...

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