How to Pick the Best CNA School near Fort Shafter Hawaii
Now that you have made a decision to practice in the medical field as a certified nursing assistant, it’s time to begin the process of finding CNA training programs near Fort Shafter HI. After you have attained your certification, you will be starting a gratifying career in one of the fastest growing positions in health care within the Country. Although it may well seem like a challenging endeavor, it’s important that you select the ideal course to obtain the proper training and education. Many prospective students begin with the two most basic qualifications, which are the location of the school and the price of tuition. You might also be contemplating whether to attend CNA classes on campus, or enroll in an online CNA program and attend them at home. More on that option later. But completing your due diligence prior to picking a program requires far more than comparing the price or location. Such factors as accreditation and the reputation of the school must similarly be taken into consideration. We will be covering those subjects along with a few other questions that you should be asking before you enroll in a CNA school. But to begin with, let’s discuss a little bit about what a nursing assistant does and the kind of training and credentials that are available.
Click Here to Get Free Information on CNA Schools Near You!
The Job of a CNA
Certified Nursing Assistants perform many functions in the Fort Shafter HI hospitals, practices and other healthcare facilities where they are employed. Per their title, CNAs are not licensed by the state but instead are certified. Since they are not licensed, they perform under the direction and supervision of either a licensed LPN or RN. And as nursing assistants, their prime job role is to help the licensed nurses that they work under. Their responsibilities are many and diverse, and in a hospital setting may include:
- Furnishing basic care to patients
- Checking patient’s vital signs
- Maintaining a record of patient’s health status
- Bathing and dressing patients
- Serving and assisting patients with meals
- Transporting patients to other areas
CNAs might also work in Fort Shafter HI nursing homes or long term care centers. In those environments, nursing assistants are more engaged in helping patients with their Activities of Daily Living (ADL). ADLs are characterized as routine activities that the majority of people carry out daily without assistance, for example eating, dressing, or using the restroom. Nursing assistants usually develop more of a bond with these patients since they often reside in the facilities for prolonged periods of time. Often, they can end up being the channel between the patient and the balance of the medical staff because of their relationships with their charges. Consequently, the CNA’s knowledge can be a significant resource for planning the proper care and treatment of long term care patients.
CNA Courses
In contrast to some other licensed nurses, certified nursing assistants do not need to earn a college degree. CNA instruction can be obtained at community colleges or at Fort Shafter HI vocational or trade schools. The length of the training can take anywhere from 1 to three months, resulting in either a certificate or a diploma. Within the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act, students are mandated to have at least 75 hours of instruction, 16 of which have to be clinical or “hands-on” training hours. Keep in mind that this is the minimum amount of instruction required and every state has its specific requirements. So it’s crucial to make sure that the training program you enroll in not only complies with the federal requirements, but also those for the state where you will be practicing. One recommendation is to contact the health or nursing board for your state to make sure that the training is state approved. As well as the training, each state mandates a passing score on a competency test for certification. Depending on the state, there might be additional requirements as well.
CNA Online Programs
Enrolling in CNA programs online is growing into a more popular way to receive training and acquire a certificate or diploma in Fort Shafter HI. Many schools will require attendance on campus for a component of the training, and virtually all programs call for a specific amount of clinical rotation hours performed in a local healthcare center. But since the balance of the training can be accessed online, this alternative may be a more accommodating approach to finding the free time to attend college for some students. Pertaining to tuition, a number of online CNA programs are cheaper than other on campus options. Even additional expenses such as for commuting and study materials may be minimized, helping to make education more easily affordable. And a large number of online programs are accredited by organizations such as the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Therefore if your work and family obligations have left you with little time to work toward your academic goals, perhaps an online CNA program will make it easier to fit earning a certificate into your hectic schedule.
What to Ask CNA Training Classes
Once you have chosen which nursing program to enroll in, along with if to attend your classes on campus or online, you can use the following pointers to start narrowing down your choices. As you probably realize, there are many CNA schools and colleges throughout Hawaii and the United States. So it is necessary to lower the number of schools to choose from so that you will have a manageable list. As we previously discussed, the site of the school along with the expense of tuition are most likely going to be the primary two things that you will take into consideration. But as we also stressed, they should not be your sole qualifiers. So before making your final selection, use the following questions to see how your pick compares to the other schools.
- Accreditation. It’s a good idea to make sure that the certificate program along with the school is accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to helping confirm that you get an excellent education and employment in the Fort Shafter HI area, it may assist in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are often not provided for non-accredited schools.
- Certification Preparation. Certification criteria for CNAs vary from state to state. For CNA certification, passing a state specific exam is required. Some states require a specific number of clinical hours be completed, as well. It’s imperative that the school you are enrolled in not only provides an exceptional education, but also preps you to comply with the minimum certification standards for Hawaii or the state where you will be practicing.
- Reputation. Visit internet rating services to see what the evaluations are for each of the schools you are considering. Ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews as well. Additionally, check with the Hawaii school certification or licensing authority to check out if there are any complaints or compliance issues. Finally, you can contact some Fort Shafter HI healthcare organizations you’re interested in working for after graduation and ask what their assessments are of the schools as well.
- Graduation and Job Placement Rates. Find out from the CNA colleges you are looking at what their graduation rates are as well as how long on average it takes students to complete their programs. A low graduation rate may be an indication that students were dissatisfied with the program and dropped out. It’s also important that the schools have high job placement rates. A high rate will not only confirm that the school has a good reputation within the Fort Shafter HI healthcare community, but that it also has the network of relationships to help students attain employment.
- Internship Programs. The most ideal way to get experience as a certified nursing assistant is to work in a clinical setting. Virtually all nursing degree programs require a specified number of clinical hours be completed. A number of states have minimum clinical hour mandates for certification as well. Find out if the schools have associations with nearby Fort Shafter HI hospitals, clinics or labs and help with the placing of students in internships.
CNA Classes Online Near Me Fort Shafter Hawaii
Selecting the ideal certified nursing assistant program is potentially the most important phase to launching a new career in the medical care industry. There are a number of factors that you must take into account when choosing a nursing school. These aspects will be prioritized differently depending on your existing career objectives, obligations, and economic status. As we have emphasized within this article, it is critical that you select a CNA college and a certificate program that are each accredited and have exceptional reputations within the healthcare community. One of the reasons you stopped by our website was due to an interest in CNA Classes Online Near Me and an interest in getting more information on the topic Nursing Assistant Program. However, by using our list of qualifying questions, you will be able to develop a short list of schools to pick from so that you can make your ultimate selection. And with the right degree and training, combined with your hard work and ambition to succeed, you can become a CNA in Fort Shafter HI.
More Nursing Aide Locations in Hawaii
Fort Shafter
Fort Shafter is in Honolulu CDP,[1]City and County of Honolulu, Hawai‘i, extending up the interfluve (ridgeline) between Kalihi and Moanalua valleys, as well as onto the coastal plain (as Shafter Flats) at Māpunapuna. Fort Shafter is the headquarters of the United States Army Pacific, commanding most Army forces in the Asia-Pacific region with the exception of Korea. A portion of the area is also known as the Palm Circle Historic District and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and has been further designated as a U.S. National Historic Landmark. It is also known as Palm Circle or 100 Area. Palm Circle covers an underground command center.
Fort Shafter has been home to the senior Army headquarters in Hawaii for a century. Construction began in 1905 on the ahupua'a of Kahauiki, former Hawaiian crown lands that were ceded to the United States government after annexation. When the post opened in 1907, it was named for Major General William Rufus Shafter (1835–1906), who led the United States expedition to Cuba in 1898.
Palm Circle was laid out as a cantonment for an infantry battalion. The barracks and officers' quarters were arranged around a parade field ringed by Royal Palms. The 2d Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment was the first unit stationed at the new post.
Business Results 1 - 10 of 21
12 Reviews 
34 Reviews 
37 Reviews 
2 Reviews 
1 Reviews 
14 Reviews 
14 Reviews 
10 Reviews 
6 Reviews 
3 Reviews 