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CNA Courses

A CNA program or course enables you to enter the healthcare field within a couple of months. Nurse aide curriculum is divided into theoretical and practical sessions. The theoretical sessions are conducted in the classroom while the practical sessions are carried in the hospitals and clinics under the supervision of experienced medical professionals. The duration of the nursing assistant course varies in different institutes and states. However, you can complete the program within 6 to 12 weeks.

Curriculum of Theoretical Nurse Aide Classes

Medical vocabulary, terminologies, administrative duties, a range of motion exercises, etc., are some of the topics that one can expect to cover in the CNA Program. Some other subjects covered in the program are as follows:

1. Resident’s Right

In this subject, you learn to provide privacy and confidentiality to the patients, resolve grievances, ensure security of the patients, promote resident’s right, and maintain their personal possessions.

2. Medical Protocols and Procedures

This subject is taught to the students in order to enable them protect themselves in case of any mishappening.

3. First Aid

It’s essential for a nurse aide to have knowledge of injury stabilization and CPR. You get acquainted with the methods of maintaining hygiene and sanitation, proper disposal of the syringe, and correct way of making medical equipments infection-free.

4. Documentation

In this subject, you are imparted with documentation skills, and you learn to prepare reports of the patients.

5. Ergonomics

This subject covers information about how to adjust hospital beds, use wheelchairs and other medical equipment, move or turn the bed-ridden patients. Nurse aides can protect themselves and patients from injuries by using correct ergonomic processes.


6. Nutrition

A healthy diet is vital for early recovery. Since nurse aides have to meet the nutritional needs of the patients, they must have knowledge of the nutritional value of the diet.

7. Communication Skills

The job of certified nursing assistants involves interacting with the patients, family members, doctors and other nurses. Therefore, an especial focus is given to the development of communication skills in the aspirants.

8. CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a life-saving skill that every CNA must possess. This skill enables the nurse aides provide a helping hand to the sufferers during emergency cases.

9. Basic Care

You learn to provide basic care to the terminally ill patients, record vital signs, recognize abnormal changes in the functioning of the body, and take care of the resident’s needs. You are taught to groom, feed, bathe, and dress the patients.

10. Human Anatomy

It becomes easy for the nursing assistants to provide care to the patients if they have knowledge of the structure of the body. After studying this subject, CNAs get all the essential information of the human body.

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Curriculum of Practical Nurse Aide Classes

Aspirants learn the following skills during clinical session of the program:

  • Washing hands and wound dressing.
  • Prevention of infection and bed sores.
  • Putting on and removal of the PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).
  • Collection of samples (blood and urine) for the diagnostic test.
  • Preparing the patient for surgery.
  • Moving, bathing, exercising, grooming, and feeding the patients.
  • Shifting a patient to the wheelchair from bed with the help of a transfer belt.
  • Measurement and recording of pulse rate, respiratory quotient, temperature, and blood pressure.
  • Positioning the patient sideways.

Optional CNA Program Courses

Some CNA Program programs are designed to enhance your knowledge and fortifying your candidature in front of prospective employers. These optional coursework are:

1. Non-Medical Curriculum

Apart from medical knowledge, certified nursing assistants are also supposed to possess clerical and interpersonal communication skills. For this purpose, you can undergo non-medical coursework which includes time management and organization course, anger management course, communication skills, and accounting.

2. Specialty Program

You can opt for specialty program course in case you want to work in any specialized medical field like pediatric or geriatric. Boosting up your knowledge and skills in less common areas will help take your career to new heights.

3. Continuing Education

Once you acquire nurse aide certification, it is essential to complete continuing education of specified hours in order to keep your CNA license in active status. It will be beneficial if you wish to pursue more education than the minimum required credit hours.

4. Personal-Advancement Program

Once you hold command on basic-level nurse aide curriculum, you can go for a voluntary program course from an online program. Several generalized and specialized courses are provided by these online programs.

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