Nursing School Programs

CNA Training to become a Certified Nursing Assistants provides hands on care to those who are unable to care for themselves. This includes bathing, dressing, feeding and toileting patients, among other things. The C.N.A. ensures the safety and comfort of patients entrusted to their care. They are primarily under the direction of a nurse, and as such, are responsible for carrying out duties as assigned by the nurse, as well as reporting changes in a patients physical or mental status to the nurse. Certified Nursing Assistants can be found working with the elderly, or with children...and every age in between!

To become a Certified Nursing Assistant, or 'C.N.A'., most states require a training class and certification. This training class varies in length, depending on where you enroll. The Red Cross has a reputable C.N.A. training class. ( The price may vary in your area, contact the Red Cross for more information). Enrollment in most training programs does not require previous experience, and some do not require a high school diploma.

Often, long term care facilities will offer paid training classes. These classes generally are held on site, and the classroom time lasts, on average, two weeks. The facilities that offer these training classes usually include this information in a classified advertisement. When applying for a job at a facility advertising free training classes, be sure to read the fine print. Some facilities require that you commit to work for them for a certain length of time after acquiring certification.

The C.N.A. training classes are generally taught by a Registered Nurse. The classes cover a broad range of topics, ranging from how to bathe a patient, to positioning a patient properly. You will learn about abuse and neglect, how to feed and dress a patient, proper body mechanics for lifting and turning patients. Usually, the teacher will also touch on topics such as recognizing depression, dealing with dementia, infection control issues, and catheter care. There is much to learn, and the classroom time is generally split into two parts; facts and textbook learning, and hands on care.

At the end of the training class, a test will be administered to determine competency. This test consists of two parts, written and clinical. The written test is made up of basic caregiving questions, all of which should have been covered during the classes. The clinical test consists of performing five nursing duties under the watchful eye of the person administering the test. (This person is usually a highly qualified RN sent from the State). The duties you may be asked to perform can be anything from giving a bedpan to weighing a patient. The important thing to remember, during this test and always, is patient dignity. Some of the things the person administering the test will be looking for is whether you wash your hands properly, and whether or not you remember patient dignity by knocking on the door, pulling the privacy curtain, and explaining each procedure to the patient before performing it. In a real life caregiving setting, these are all important factors and will contribute greatly to your success as a C.N.A.

LANDSTUHL REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, Germany - As a Wounded Warrior in transition, Jennifer Trenkelbach saw a long-term opportunity and seized it.

As a result, the Army specialist is one of 12 volunteers to graduate from what is believed to be the first American Red Cross Nurse Assistant Training Program offered at a Military Treatment Facility.

While assigned to the Warrior Transition Unit in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Trenkelbach's mission is to heal from a foot injury while a determination is made whether she will be able to remain in the Army or transition to civilian life. Trenkelbach hopes to remain in the military, but her newfound nursing skills will provide the opportunity to explore other career opportunities in the event she transitions to civilian life.

"I've always wanted to get into nursing, and it also gives me a chance to volunteer," Trenkelbach said during the final week of the four-week course consisting of 168 hours of classroom and hands-on experience. The course was developed and taught by Red Cross officials, nurses and education specialists at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.

And much like her career as a Soldier, Trenkelbach said she likes the aspect of working her way up from the ground floor as a nursing assistant. Colonel Roy Harris appreciates her work ethic and the valuable role that Trenkelbach and her fellow volunteers will assume at LRMC and other military treatment facilities and civilian hospitals. Harris began his medical career as a civilian orderly and is now Chief, Clinical Nursing, at LRMC.

"A certified nursing assistant is an integral person in providing total patient care," Harris said, noting the role CNAs provide in patient care includes feeding, bathing, taking vital signs and transporting patients throughout the hospital.

The CNA program is ideal, Harris said, because it helps encourage nursing assistants to become nurses and it helps provide more time for nurses to focus on their primary responsibilities.

"I hope they become volunteers here at LRMC and build on what they have learned," said Harris. So does 1st Lt. Melanie Silva, an Army nurse who helped provide training to the corps of volunteer students.

"Having an extra set of hands available as we coordinate the flow of the floor is a huge help," said Silva.

That was the end state that Susanne Harlandt had in mind when she conceived the innovative training program as station chief for the American Red Cross at LRMC -- fill an ongoing need for certified nursing assistants and help family members at the same time.

"We see this as a win-win-win situation for all concerned," Harlandt said. "The family members gain new skills, the hospital gains new skilled volunteers, and the American Red Cross gains an ability to promote its mission of Red Cross nursing." She plans to offer the CNA course twice each year.

Historically, Red Cross nurses have provided assistance during times of disaster and conflict, beginning with the 1888 yellow fever epidemic and the 1889 Johnstown flood. Red Cross nursing has also had a major role in the historical evolution of nursing and nursing leadership in the United States. Red Cross nurses, including Jane Delano, Clara Noyes, Julia Stimson and others have played strategic roles in the development of American nursing.

Today more than 30,000 nurses are involved in paid and volunteer capacities at all levels and in all service areas throughout the American Red Cross. To continue the growth of this mission, the Red Cross unveiled the CNA program to train participants in basic nursing assistant skills with the hope that the students would develop a keen interest in nursing and continue on to become nurses.

The American Red Cross Nurse Assistant Training Program, consistent with federal requirements, was designed with input from educators, caregivers and long-term care industry representatives from across the United States. The course content provides consistent guidelines enabling students to provide quality care for people in the health care system. Students are required be active in the learning process, which emphasizes experiential learning through didactic, laboratory and clinical means.

Students at LRMC were ideal candidates for the program, said Lt. Col. Patricia Born, educational director at LRMC. The volunteers were typically older, brought more life experience and were motivated to learn.

This course has typically been offered through civilian Red Cross chapters in the U.S. The typical curriculum focuses primarily on long-term care; however, at LRMC many of the patients include Wounded Warriors injured in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom who are often at LRMC for only a few days before continuing to the U.S. for extended care. Since their needs and type of care are different from patients in long-term care, the course material was supplemented with specific training to meet those unique needs.

The course was taught by 14 staff LRMC nurses and included 168 hours of instruction followed by 40 hours of clinicals, where each student was able to gain hands-on experience in several areas of the hospital - to include the Medical-Surgical Wards, Pediatric Clinic and Emergency Department.

Once finished, the students received a certificate of completion and a card indicating they can perform duties as a Certified Nurse Assistant. Many of them have already been placed into an area of the hospital as a Red Cross Volunteer. When the students ultimately return to the U.S. and confirm their training complies with their State Nursing Boards, they will be able to volunteer or gain employment as a CNA in a civilian medical facility of their choice. The LRMC curriculum was developed so that volunteers would meet the minimum standards of all 50 states.

Katherine Bega was previously a licensed CNA in the U.S., but her license expired, so the Red Cross program fit perfectly into her plan to become recertified and begin work as a volunteer at LRMC.

For Chris Steed, the CNA program was also attractive as a family member living overseas. "I felt it was a good opportunity to expand my horizons. I'm interested in nursing and this is a good stepping stone," said Steed.

If you are interested in pursuing a career as a nurse you may find yourself confused about what nursing prerequisites will be necessary to enroll in nursing school. The answer depends not only on the field of nursing you decide to pursue but also the individual program requirements of the nursing school you apply to.

Individuals with no prior nursing experience often enroll in a certified nursing assistant (CNA) program because it has no prerequisites. The CNA program allows students to begin their training from the ground up. Once certification is acquired, individuals can enter the workforce as a nurse's aid and gain valuable experience in the health care field. There are several options for advancement and higher nursing education from this starting point.

Some people prefer to bypass the CNA and proceed directly to a licensed practical nurse (LPN) program. Many schools only require a high school diploma or GED to enroll in their LPN courses, however, some institutions are now requiring a completed nursing assistant certificate (NAC) prior to admission to the school. Unlike the CNA program which can be completed in a timeframe of 8-12 weeks, the LPN program generally takes 12-24 months to complete depending on course load per semester.

Individuals who choose to go acquire a traditional bachelor's of science in nursing (BSN) may enroll in a 4 year nursing program. Nursing prerequisites vary by school for this program. Most schools require high school English and high school Biology although some allow you to add those classes as part of your undergraduate studies. The majority of nursing schools require an ACT score of 22 or an SAT score in the 1020-1050 range. The traditional BSN is equal to any other bachelor's of science degree in it's required credits.

For people who hold a bachelor's or master's degree in a field unrelated to nursing, there is the option of attending a 2nd degree nursing program, provided that the nursing prerequisites are met. Known as accelerated BSN or fast track BSN, this program is offered at many of the top nursing schools and accepts the first bachelor's degree as the general education requirements for the BSN program. This allows the student to attend only the nursing portion of the BSN program. Prerequisites for an accelerated BSN program include Chemistry, Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology and Psychology, as well as a previous GPA minimum of 3.0. Prospective students should check with the desired school to find out if there are any additional prerequisites for acceptance into the program.

Nursing school programs at universities, colleges, and institutes are addressing a number of issues, particularly ways to modify their curricula in order to increase the success rate of their students. As cited in our article, "Why Is There A Nursing Shortage?", health care facilities and hospitals are finding it more and more difficult to retain their employees, particularly their nurses. Furthermore, those interested in seeking a career in health care, i.e. nursing, are dwindling in numbers. In order to address these declines, nursing schools programs, particularly at universities, are seeking new and more innovative ways to attract nursing students. In other words, nursing school programs must improve in order to better prepare their nursing students to pass the national licensure examination.

In order to become a registered nurse in the U.S., it is first necessary to pass the National Council License Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Currently, the average national pass rate of this exam is 87%. Nursing school programs employ various methods to prepare their nursing students for the national exam, including administering the Evolve Reach Exit examination (formerly the Health Education Systems Incorporated, or HESI), which can accurately gage the probability of a student's success or failure of the NCLEX-RN. Because it is graded and scored, it serves to evaluate the nursing student, prior to taking the actual exam. However, it does one more thing; it also measures the quality of the curricula and overall nursing school program.

It is interesting to note that nursing school programs and nursing education as a whole lacks any formal type of standardization. An individual interested in a career in nursing may pursue any of a variety of nursing school programs in which they can earn an associate degree, a baccalaureate or bachelors degree (BSN), or simply a diploma issued by a non-degree granting nursing school. In fact, most nursing school programs base their curricula on current practice at the hospital - if applicable, accreditation standards, and regulation requirements. Yet, it is not unusual for faculty to sometimes base some of their curricula on a particular area of personal interest. Needless to say, this could be potentially detrimental to a nursing school student, particularly if critical information is overlooked or neglected - information necessary to pass the NCLEX-RN.

With a nation wide nursing shortage, nursing schools are beginning to feel the pressure.

There is simply too much demand, and that demand is forecast to increase.

Nursing school programs have a limited number of slots available, and during the 1970's and 1980's many nursing programs closed.

In the early 80s the situation began to turn around. The population began shifting as baby boomers began to start considering their retirement. Nurses had left the nursing field in droves and the older nurses suddenly had no one coming in to take their places when they retired.

Nursing school administrators had been predicting the shortage, but it wasn't really considered serious problems at that time.

Partly as a result of fewer nursing schools, and the ever-increasing demand, there is a worldwide shortage of qualified nurses. Without nurses, the entire health system will collapse in the US.

Online nursing schools have stepped in to help and they may be one of the best ways to turn around the nursing shortage. Online schools make it easier to get that nursing degree. These online nursing programs are accredited programs and your degree can secure a high paying nursing job for you. Unlike some careers where having a degree still does not guarantee a job , when you have your degree from an accredited nursing school, employers will be beating a path to your door to hire you.

There's a critical need for nurses to fill nursing jobs now. A problem in the medical field today is that many hospitals have a lot of nursing jobs available, but not enough applicants with the right qualifications. There is a growing need for nurses, and nowadays great benefits and a high salary is waiting for nursing students as soon as they get out of school.

Someone who is interested in becoming a nurse can expect to earn close to twenty dollars an hour. There are also many other benefits that nursing students can look forward to including having some of their student loans taken care of and being able to choose their own hours.

If you're looking for a job that pays well and has great benefits, being a nurse just might be for you. Be sure to check out this informative article about nursing jobs.

Going through a nursing school program and becoming a RN is a wonderful opportunity to help others in the medical field. Making a living at being a nurse is rewarding in itself. Job opportunities are at the most demanding as we are in need of good men and woman to become nurses and help others who need help, who are ill, and in hospitals. We need nurses in nursing homes, hospitals, schools, doctors offices, hospice, mental institutions, and many more places. A child with Cerebral Palsy - even a mild case in which the child can walk - needs good nursing care. There are hundreds of thousands of children and adults needing ongoing medical care.

Work maybe hard at times and days maybe long sometimes but the reward as a nurse and taking care of someone else is like non other.

Finding a good Nursing School is the first step. A good place to start would be to search your community or City or State you live in - both offline and on the Internet Compare schools around the country and world. Look into financial Aide or any kind of Government Assistance. Look into the school's accreditation.

Teachers and instructors who care and have a good background or work history can be the best instructors. You should be able to learn this from the school itself.

Put in the effort and you will find yourself in rewarding job at the end of Nursing School. There are also many Online classes offered and again make sure these are accredited schools.

Some nurses travel to where needed which is always a good thing to know if ever needed somewhere they do not have enough nurses at the time or need more for any such reasons.