Certified Nursing Assistant Classes and Courses Overview
Majors Overview January 9, 2013Certified nursing assistant courses or programs are usually offered via associate degree and certificate programs for nurses and nursing assistants. Admission criteria to these programs include background checks after which students are taught to take care of patients and their basic needs, including feeding and bathing.
Nursing Course Basics
Many certified nursing assistant programs include courses that cover the fundamentals of nursing. Coursework in many certified nursing assistants’ programs involves an introduction to various health-related subjects, especially relating to the role nursing assistants play in the overall process of nursing, as well as the ethical and legal issues that are relevant at this patient-care level. Once they have completed the course, students have a clear understanding of how certified nursing assistants contribute to the nursing process.
Physiology and Anatomy Courses
During the certified nursing assistant program, students become familiar with basic facts about the human body and how it functions; they also recognize the different ways the human body responds to specific medications. The course gives the students a good foundation in which they can build on their knowledge with continued education and become licensed nurses or specialize in some other area in the field of healthcare. Courses in physiology and anatomy help familiarize students with the human body and help them understand why certain medical procedures are necessary.
Description of Certified Nursing Assistant Program
Aspiring certified nursing assistants must complete 260-hours in the graduate program from an accredited school as required by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA). These courses are remarkably uniform in the way they deliver their training. Prospective nursing assistants can use the course as a mode of preparation for their certification examination. They are expected to have sufficient expertise in technical skills that enable them to perform some emergency procedures, use charts to track patients’ progress, and take vital signs. The program also covers ethical, legal and social issues that may arise from the provision of prolonged health care by certified nursing assistants. The course helps graduates develop an exceptional bedside manner by imparting knowledge on rehabilitation, resident care procedures, and patients’ rights. Majority of certified nursing assistant courses provide graduates a foundation that prepares them to get admitted to registered nurse (RN) and licensed vocational nurse (LVN) programs.
