To meet the diverse needs of students, many colleges and universities utilize web-based classrooms. A Certified Nursing Assistant, also known as a Certified Nurse's Aide, is a vital part of the health care team. CNAs assist patients with the activities of daily life, like bathing, wheelchair transfer and feeding, when medical conditions prevent patients from completing these activities for themselves. CNAs are also trained in measuring vital signs like pulse, blood pressure and respirations. Students seeking training as a CNA now have the option of taking the nursing theory portion of their coursework online.
The Online Classroom
The online classroom is where the book-learning regarding medical ethics and patient care takes place. Students read required text selections. To enhance the learning process, many colleges offer audio and video presentations. Discussion boards and chat forums, open only to students enrolled in the course, facilitate communication and the discussion of elements of patient care.
Online Skills Preparation
A crucial part of a CNA training is learning to perform the skills necessary to complete patient care duties competently and to be able repeat them for the certification examination. Videos delivered online can prepare and familiarize students with many aspects of patient care such as bathing, vital sign monitoring and safe wheelchair transfer. However, every state's board of nursing requires the student to attend a designated number of laboratory hours where students can practice the necessary skills under the supervision of a registered nurse educator.
Online Testing
Routine classroom tests are a part of the training process for CNAs. Online course delivery systems, like Blackboard, have testing areas of the web site where students take multiple-choice, matching, short answer and essay examinations. Most tests are computer graded and results may be available instantly.
Clinical Hours
While students can prepare for the clinical environment with online study, the clinical portion of training must be completed in person. Every CNA student must attend approximately 40 hours of training in a clinical setting. Long-term care facilities and hospitals are often utilized. Students are paired with working CNAs or nurses to complete their studies.
Certification Examination
Students may be able to register and pay for CNA certification examinations online. However, CNA candidates must go to the testing site to take the written and skills evaluations, often with two forms of identification. Read through the certification examination guidebook, which will be provided during the test registration process.
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