Certified Nursing Aide Training Programs for Caregivers

Certified Nursing Aide training was created as a federal law to require a consistent level of training for nursing assistants working in nursing homes, hospitals and care facilities. The federal law mandates a minimum of 75 hours of training in a classroom setting approved by the state’s health department and includes clinical hours of training.

Clinical training means the student will shadow someone who already has their Certified Nursing Aide license. Certified Nursing Aides are also called Certified Nursing Assistants and C.N.A.’s and Ohio refers to their C.N.A.’s as S.T.N.A. which means State Tested Nursing Aide.

Explore the costs and admission requirements for C.N.A. training in your state. While the minimum is 75 hours, many states require 85 to 120 hours of training which can be completed in a part-time or full-time course. Most programs can be completed in 1 to 3 months. Financial aide and grants and tuition reimbursement are also available as more C.N.A.’s are needed.

Senior caregivers can take online caregiver training to be certified for the basic training skills outlined by the industry and then when ready, take a C.N.A. course.

Review C.N.A. courses in your state and request C.N.A. school admission information to begin your research to become a C.N.A. You may also take a sample C.N.A. Practice test to review the information you will be taught. You may also apply for a caregiving job to be considered for part-time and full-time professional caregiver positions as senior care companies are constantly hiring to meet the demand for senior care.

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What are a caregiver’s job duties?

Senior caregivers provide many, many services to seniors. Anyone entering the senior care industry quickly learns there are a wide variety of caregiver jobs and caregiver job duties. Sometimes it can be a surprise to learn that professional caregivers must meet certain certification standards by taking training courses meeting state requirements. Then the caregiver must pass a competency test to verify their knowledge.

Caregiver job duties include the following:

  • Assisting with Activities of Daily Living (often called “ADL’s – see, senior care has hip abbreviations too. Definition of ADL = basic activities you do each day, such as getting up and showering, getting dressed, eating your meals, taking your medications, scheduling appointments, doing laundry, grabbing your mail….you get the idea – anything that can be difficult to do when you have health and mobility issues that limit your capabilities.
  • Personal Care: bathing and toileting assistance
  • Transfer and Mobility Assistance
  • Meal Preparation and Assistance
  • ADL assistant with bathing, dressing and grooming
  • Medication Reminders
  • Appointment Scheduling
  • Errands
  • Companionship
  • Maintaining Daily Care Notes
  • Specific tasks for Medical Conditions
  • Engaging in Physical and Mental Activities

Caregivers may begin caregiver training in the basic skills with an online course and continue learning by reading books and watching movies to understand how caregiving can be a unique journey for everyone.

 


Professional Association of Caregivers Code of Ethics

Professional Association of Caregivers members agree to follow these ethics as senior caregivers:

  • I will always treat my clients with kindness and respect.
  • I will always arrive at the client’s home on time, preferably 5 minutes before the start of my scheduled hours. If I might be late, I will immediately call.
  • I will follow the Plan of Care each day for my client.
  • I will maintain a clean and organized home for my client.
  • I will never leave my client unattended. If the relief caregiver is late I will immediately call the Care Manager.
  • I will address my client by their last name unless they invite me to use their first name.
  • I will honor the client’s right to privacy and confidentiality, including their identity, address, and telephone number.
  • I will keep my religious beliefs, political choices, or personal issues private and likewise respect my client’s beliefs.
  • I will call 911 immediately when there is a medical emergency and then call my senior care company office or Care Manager.
  • I will not engage in financial transactions nor intimate relationships with a client or family member.
  • I will never use alcohol or illegal drugs as a professional caregiver.
  • I will only use my personal mobile phone for calls and texts during rest or break periods.

Join Professional Association of Caregivers