CNAs are important members of the healthcare team. They generally work under the direction of supervisory staff within a healthcare facility.CNAs work closely with patients on a daily basis to provide essential care such as checking vital signs, making up patient beds and assisting patients with tasks such as personal grooming. They can also assist doctors and nurses with basic medical procedures. The program emphasizes care for all types of patients. Special attention is devoted to the aging process, including identifying the physical and emotional aspects of aging and helping patients achieve and maintain optimal well-being at any age.
Our comprehensive and balanced classes for students interested in becoming CNAs consist of two components that must be successfully completed in order for a student to graduate.

THEORY:

1. Fundamentals and introduction to concepts including roles and responsibilities, ethics, patient communications, anatomy, and physiology.
2. Safety: controlling infection, preventing injuries, responding to emergencies.
3. Providing care: vital signs, positioning/transferring, restorative care, environmental comfort, and rest, grooming and cleanliness, preparing meals and fluids, admissions/transfers/discharges.
4. Special care situations for specific illnesses- dementia/cognitive changes, end-of-life care, infants/children, home care.

CLINICALS:

Upon successful completion of the theory of this course. Students begin the clinical training component of the program, working directly with residents of a long-term care facility under the supervision of a licensed nurse who has been certified as a Certified Nursing Assistant Instructor. Some of the skills students will perform with the assistance of their fellow students and instructor includes personal care (bathing, feeding, and grooming), positioning the patient, transferring the patient, and taking vital signs such as blood pressure.

CNAs are qualified to work in a variety of settings, including:

• Hospitals
• Rehabilitation centers
• Assisted living facilities
• Medical offices
• Home healthcare