Everything You Wanted to Know About CNA Programs in Houston
If you are considering the choice to pursue a career as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), you have an exciting and rewarding career ahead of you. There is hardly anything more rewarding and self-fulfilling than the satisfaction you will receive from truly helping someone who cannot do for themselves that which you can easily and competently do for them. In order to become a CNA, you must be licensed by the state of Texas and you get that licensing by completing one of the accredited CNA programs in Houston which provide both nurses’ aid classroom and actual on-the-job training. Consolidated Nurse Aide Training Institute is the only Texas state-accredited nurse’s aide exam location in Fort Bend County and your best choice for professional and comprehensive CNA training.
What does a CNA do?
Responsibilities of a CNA include obtaining vital signs, height and weight from patients. A CNA works under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in many different health care settings including medical offices, assisted living facilities, senior living residences, nursing homes, in-home health care, hospitals, hospices, schools, day care and urgent care facilities. Patients may require assistance with getting dressed, bathing, meals and personal hygiene which they can no longer do themselves. It is the job of the CNA to assist the nurse in charge with these tasks.
How do you train to become a CNA?
CNA training for nursing assistants consists of two parts. The first part is the classroom phase which includes lectures and instruction as well as audio and video learning modules. Your classroom time is also spent watching demonstrations of the proper procedures and ways to care for patients’ specific needs. This classroom training sets a good foundation for the next phase of your training which is the in-clinic portion.
Your in-clinic training involves working directly with patients in a health care facility. You will be taught and guided under the direction of a primary nurse assistant instructor who is a Registered Nurse. Your training group is ten students or fewer and you will receive personalized instruction and guidance that will put the knowledge you gained in the classroom to practical use. You will practice and refine your skills during the in-clinic phase so that you become not only proficient, but will also prepare you for the state certifying exam that is required for licensing.
Your training will cover the care of adults, babies and children and is comprehensive in nature so that you will have the tools to be successful working in a variety of medical care facilities and settings. There will be reading assignments and periodic knowledge assessments in the form of quizzes and tests.
In addition to practical medical care, there are other aspects of health care that your training will include. These range from legal issues such as patient rights and the roles and responsibilities of the medical health care team to learning about infection control and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). You will learn how to properly communicate with patients and other staff members and the proper procedures for documentation required by the facility and the state. The curriculum also includes learning proper medical terminology and the safe use of medical equipment.
Preparing you for the Texas State Exam
The state of Texas requires licensing for Certified Nursing Assistants. In order to obtain the license, you must pass the state qualifying exam which is divided into two parts. The CNA Training Institute has trained thousands of students who have successfully passed the Texas exams. Our curriculum is designed to prepare you to take both the written and practical portions of the exam. You will need to be able to demonstrate to the state evaluator that you are knowledgeable and proficient performing the skills you learned and practiced during your training. The evaluator will make sure you follow proper procedures such as those for infection control. You will need to demonstrate that you know and employ the correct techniques for patient safety and privacy. You may be asked to show how to move a patient, bathe a child or take a patient’s blood pressure.
The CNA Training Institute will help you schedule your exam after you complete your training. You will receive a diploma for completion of the course and you will receive your Texas state license after you pass the state exam.
Choosing among the best CNA programs in Houston
You have options when it comes to training to become a certified nursing assistant. To make the best choice, you should consider the following:
- Is the training accredited?
- Does the course include both classroom and in-clinic training?
- Are the class sizes small enough to provide for personalized instruction?
- Is the cost of the training reasonable and affordable?
- What is the total time commitment to receive training?
- Is there job placement after graduation?
The answer is “yes” to all these questions at the CNA Training Institute in Sugar Land. Why not call today to find out how soon you can start on a new career in health care that is personally and professionally rewarding!