Question: Becoming a certified nurse assistant?

CNA questions

Do I have to take general studies before taking a CNA class at DABCC in new mexico?
What is required to be a cna?
Is it possible to work 6-8 hours instead of 12 hours? (No babysitter right now)
I have a tear in my lower back/disc would this job be okay to do once I start getting into it would I be able to do this? I need a job and LOVE working with people
What would the pay be for the lowest?
What would my responsibilities be?
No needles?

Answer:

I got my CNA when I was a junior in high school in a weekend class. Getting your CNA certification is very easy. You just learn basic medical skills.

I can't tell you what your schedule will be like because each nursing home has their own way of scheduling. Usually there are three 8-hour shifts everyday that need to be filled when I was working.

CNA work is hard on your body. You are going to have to help a 200-lb patient get up and walk to the dining room. You'll have to move a patient from bed to bed (with the help of others) who can't move themselves.

Pay when I was working was 8.00 an hour, but that was like 5 years ago when minimum wage was $5.00 an hour.

You are responsible for getting patients up, dressing them, bathing them, getting them to the dining room or feeding them, passing out meds, making sure the residents are comfortable and safe.

I never had to deal with a needle myself, but I did have to see them on occasion. You WILL have to treat and apply medicine to bed sores everyday. I highly suggest you do a google search for decubitus ulcers before going to CNA school. Applying medicine to protect patients from infection when they get decubitus ulcers are a big problem you'll work on everyday.

CNA is a hard job on your back, especially if you work at a nursing home & sometimes a hospital can be just as bad. I don't know about New Mexico, but here in Tennessee you can take a course to become a CNA...it usually only takes a few weeks then you have to pass a state test. A lot of nursing homes are short staffed and offer the program free of charge at the nursing home if you agree to work for them, so I would check around before I paid for the course. CNA's are responsible for helping the patients with daily living activities, like bathing, changing clothes, brushing teeth...etc. Also taking vital signs and reporting issues to the nurse. It is a very rewarding job but a very physically demanding one. The pay here is usually about $8-12 an hour depending on your experience and where you decide to work.