Prepare for the Certified Nursing Assistant Exam

Prepare for the Certified Nursing Assistant ExamPursing a certificate as a Nursing Assistant isa very exciting adventure. The curriculumgenerally lasts from four to twelve weeksdepending on the requirements in your state.Federal regulations require a minimum of seventyfive hours of training. You Nursing Assistantcourse will be composed of classroom training,practicing what you learned on mannequins andeach other, and clinicals that involve workingwith actual clients in a medical facility underthe supervision of a Registered Nurse.Upon completing your certification, you will be

required to take the Certified Nursing AssistantExam. Most states require you to sign up for thetest within ninety days of completing all coursework. Your program is set up to specifically teachyou the fundamentals you will need on the job aswell as to pass the exam. It is yourresponsibility to ask for clarification of anyareas you are unsure of prior to taking theNursing Assistant exam.While the Certified Nursing Assistant Examrequirements will vary from state to state, mostare very similar in structure and content. Thetest is made up of two parts ?written and clinical.The written portion of the test will containquestions about basic concepts and procedures.Your course textbooks and class notes areexcellent studying resources.The clinical portion of the exam requires you todemonstrate anywhere from three to five NursingAssistant skills you should have mastered during

your program. You will need to perform theseskills for a state examiner who will be watchingyour every move. These skills involve handwashing, privacy, dignity, providing a bed pan,re-positioning a patient in their bed, grooming,taking a patient 抯 temperature, and completinga linen change with the occupant still in the bed.While hand washing, privacy, and dignity may allseem like common sense areas to many of us, theyare very important. Since most communicablediseases can be eliminated by proper hand washing,this skill is absolutely necessary. Providing allpatients with privacy and dignity are thecornerstone of any area of the medical profession.They are relevant to the many duties of NursingAssistants.Most people are very nervous about this portionof the test, but practicing correct processedduring your program and on your own will help yoube prepared. Forming study groups with classmates

is an excellent way to practice for both thewritten and clinical portions of the test. Thereare also study guides available and onlinepractice tests.The state examiner understands that exams arestressful and make people nervous. They will bewatching to see how you react under stress andpressure because these skills are also importantfor Nursing Assistants to acquire.Passing your Nursing Assistant exam is veryimportant. Some employers will hire you once youhave completed the program, but you must provideverification that you also passed your state examwithin a specified timeframe to maintain thatemployment. Most states will allow you to find outright after the exam if you have passed or not.You will have the opportunity to retest if you don抰 pass the first time. There are rules regardinghow many times you can take the test, the lengthof time between each testing, and the cost to

retest. These things all vary by stateguidelines.PPPPPWord Count 556