TAG | passing the Certified Nursing Assistant Exam
So you have completed your CNA classes, and all that is left to take is the state-administered nursing assistant examination. Although you don’t need a degree to become a certified nursing assistant, you have to pass the nursing assistant exam to become certified and get a job in the medical field. Any test could be terrifying but with a bit of hard work and preparation, you can easily pass your CNA examination without difficulty.
What can you expect with the CNA exam? Your exam is composed of two parts—written and clinical. The first part would test how much you’ve learned and understood the concepts presented and taught to you inside the class. It covers questions on the following topics, specifically on anatomy and physiology:
• Nervous System
• Signs and Symptoms of common ailments
• Respiratory System
• Cardiac Review
• Proper Medication
• Psychological Processes
• Blood and Urine Values
• Developmental Milestones
• Organ Functions
• Burn and Wound Care
The second part which is the clinical part forms the bulk of CNA exam. Nursing assistant students often are nervous about the clinical portion because of the direct and careful observation by the state examiner. But knowing what to expect can help you to be less intimidated and just focus on what is at hand. Normally you’ll be asked to perform anywhere from 3 to 5 patient care skills such as taking vitals, changing bedpans or linens, repositioning and grooming patients, or taking temperature. Here are more skills test the examiner might ask you to perform:
• Handling Difficult Patients
• Posture and Body Mechanics
• Transferring Patients
• Ambulating Patients
• Mastering ADLs
• ROM of a Patient
The clinical portion takes around 20 to 30 minutes, and you might be asked to demonstrate up to five specific skills. Sometimes the clinical exam would require you to bring your own volunteer or patient so be ready with one, just in case. One important thing that would really impress the state examiner is to demonstrate proper hand washing before you perform the first nursing assistant skill. Proper hygiene and cleanliness are two crucial factors when working in any position in the medical field. Even if the state examiner does not ask you to wash your hands, do so voluntarily and automatically.
Your CNA classes play a huge role on what your test results would be. With the intense training you would undergo together with the basic concepts you would learn in class, you will be able to sit through the exam with ease. It’s especially helpful if before the exam you take time out to practice each skill you’ve learned a number of times. It’s the surest way to pass and even excel in the CNA clinical exam.
Salary is an essential factor that an individual should consider before entering any career. A Certified Nursing Assistant’s salary scales are among the fastest growing compared to other fields or jobs. As the demand for CNAs increases all over the country and even around the globe, the salary ranges are being adjusted to meet the growing needs. Ever since the shortage of registered nurses to fill the positions, opportunity for nursing assistants has grown.
If you wish to become a CNA, you’ll find a wide range of benefits and considerable compensation waiting for you. Most certified nursing assistants earn somewhere around $20,000 to $30,000 annually. However, there are some who earn more than that. Why is there such a large difference in the pay range?
As with any job, experience and education count. It all boils down to how many years of experience a CNA has. Gaining practical, on-the-job experience is a sure way to gradually earn higher pays or wages. The companies or organizations he had worked for also play an important role in determining a CNA’s salary. Education and school also matter. But the level of experience is the more relevant factor of the three, as this indicates the kind and quality of work he would be able to contribute to the company. A CNA who has a considerable amount of experience under his belt has almost the same experience and knowledge as a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse. The only difference is the medical training to support that experience. And employers are willing to pay more for a more experienced CNA.
The companies or organizations he has worked for is also a significant factor. CNAs generally work in so many institutions. You can find CNAs working in hospitals, hospice, medical offices, nursing and retirement homes and even private homes. Each of these institutions or employers have different requirements and pay levels.
Nursing assistants must be state certified through before he can demand an increase in paycheck. Becoming a certified nurse assistant may already provide a salary advantage compared to salaries for nursing assistants who are not certified. He must first train and undergo CNA classes, whether in traditional classroom setting or through an online nursing assistant class. A regular CNA education and training lasts between six to twelve weeks. It could take longer depending on how much experience you need. If we take into consideration how an employer thinks, the longer the training, the more benefits the employer would get.
There are other ways to increase CNA salary or to take it a step further. Having further education could ultimately make a huge difference when it comes to discussing CAN salary and possible promotion.
So you have decided that you wanted to get a career in nursing, but where do you begin? The best way towards your goal would be to attend Certified Nursing Assistant or CNA classes and then go up from there.
Being a CNA requires technical skill and significant experience. A CNA takes care of routine tasks, in order to give Registered Nurses (RN) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) more time to do certain tasks that only they can perform. CNA are the ones that interact care for the patients directly in the way of assisting them with activities of daily living. These activities include feeding, bathing, assistance with moving about or exercise, repositioning bedridden patients, dressing wounds, as well as preparing and transporting the patients towards the examination, surgery or treatment rooms.
After completing the CNA classes and internship hours, healthcare aides should proceed to take the CNA exam, in order to get certified.
The CNA exams are intended to test potential CNA’s competency on the fundamental concepts and basic skills of being a nursing assistant. The exam has two parts – practical and written.
The written exam is fairly straightforward. This should not be a problem if you had been paying attention to your CNA classroom trainings and have been reviewing your books and manuals. The written exam focuses on basic medical procedures and concepts. Enrolling in a good CNA school will ensure you receive proper training and provide you with everything you need to pass this test.
The practical or clinical part of the exam may prove to be a little trickier than the written part, as this will involve testing the examinee on how to apply the lessons taught under training.
The examinee is usually asked to bring a companion with them, who will act as a model. During the exam, the examiner will ask for the examinee to demonstrate three to five practical skills that he/she should have learned during training. Examples of these skill sets include the proper way of washing hands, grooming the patient, repositioning the patient, respecting the patient’s privacy, changing the linen of a patient’s bed, holding the bedpan or taking the patient’s temperature.
The whole process will be observed carefully by the examiner and the examinee should be careful not to leave anything out of the demonstration, such as forgetting to knock on the patient’s door or washing of the hands. The examiner may also ask the examinee practical questions give them situations to find out how the potential CNA will react to high-pressure situations.
As long as you keep calm and make sure to think through the skills sets you are asked to demonstrate, then passing the CNA exam should be a breeze.
