What Is A Cna And What Do They Do
Certified nursing assistants are front line patient care professionals who perform vital care responsibilities for patients. Typically, nursing assistants work in hospitals, retirement communities, physician offices, community care centers and nursing care facilities. Some are employed by family members for their loved one, making in-home visits to provide companionship and physical care for their patient.
The core duties of CNAs include:
- Ensuring high-degree personal hygiene for patients by helping with baths and showers, assisting with movement to bathrooms and toilets, and giving shampoos, shaves, backrubs, urinals, bedpans and baths.
- Providing daily living activities such as feeding patients, serving meals, ambulating, positioning and turning patients, and providing nourishment and freshwater between meals.
- Maintaining patient stability through prompt checking of vital signs and weight, recording intake and output volumes, and testing urine.
- Ensuring patient comfort by applying appropriate materials and resources, transporting patients, answering patient calls, and reporting observations and changes to nursing supervisors.
- Documenting activities by completing forms, logs, records and reports.
In terms of job security Amidst the economic turmoil, the healthcare field is the least affected since healthcare is an indispensable component of the economy.
Do Employers Care If You Earn Your Nursing Degree Online
An accredited degree is always reputable no matter how you earn it.
Southern New Hampshire University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education and the nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education .
SNHU nursing programs are offered in an online format. Given nursing is a hands-on practice profession, our nursing programs will require certain hours of clinical practice be completed at an in-person location, and you can combine the key competencies and skills gained in person with the convenience of an online classroom.
This is especially helpful for those already in the workforce, which “the majority of our students ,” said Lisa Urban, associate chief nursing administrator. “They’re already registered nurses and come to us to complete their bachelor’s degree and/or master’s degrees.” The flexibility of online classes makes balancing your work, home and academic life possible.
Workplace Violence Prevention For Nurses
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Each module in this CDC training course helps nurses recognize and prevent violence in the workplace. Participants learn to recognize risk factors, identify behavioral warning signs, and carry out a workplace violence prevention program.
The self-paced course consists of 13 15-minute modules and lasts approximately three hours in total. Modules examine the consequences of workplace violence, risk factors, and prevention strategies for organizations and nurses alike.
Participants earn 2.4 contact hours upon completion.
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Best Practices In Nursing Documentation: Writing Effective And Legal Proof Notes
- Offered by: Lorman Education Services
- Format: Videos, audio files and reference manual
- Eligible for college credit?: No
- Learn more: Best Practices in Nursing Documentation: Writing Effective and Legal Proof Notes
This course gives nurses invaluable instruction on how to ensure that medical records are complete and accurate. Specifically, students learn the purpose of medical documentation, the impact privacy laws have on how nurses document patient information and how medical records are used as evidence in court cases. In addition, this course dives into the consequences of poor documentation.
Can I Complete An Online Nursing Degree Without Clinicals
Online nursing programs complete classwork 100 percent online, with the practicum capstone hours accomplished in your local area. Clinicals are an essential part of most nursing programs, as they allow you to apply your knowledge and gain hands-on skills. Many of GCU’s online nursing programs contain a clinical practicum and an evidence-based capstone course, which are designed to help put your knowledge into practice. At GCU, the Office of Field Experience can help you set up your clinical/practicum experience.
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Can I Complete The Nursing Degree Fully Online
All nursing degrees require some form of direct clinical experience or practicum that allow students to demonstrate achievement of clinical competency at the baccalaureate or masters levels. Therefore, both ground and online nursing programs at GCU require clinical or practicum experience. For many online nursing programs, students complete their clinical requirements in their local community. Many students find that these experiences not only enhance their knowledge of leadership and public health but also lead to meaningful change in their local health organization or community. Contact the Office of Field Experience to learn more about the specialized support offered to GCU students completing their nursing clinical experiences.
Nail Your Admission Interview
The interview is a chance for the applicant to sell themselves. Nursing program committee members want to know why a student would make a good nurse and be a positive representative of the program.
Get used to this kind of pressure because youll face it again after youve earned your RN license if you apply for nurse practitioner programs or other advanced degree programs.
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Traditional And Accelerated Bsn
- To apply, an applicant must attain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above for prerequisite courses.
- A minimum grade of C+ is required in each prerequisite course.
- Designated prerequisite courses marked with an asterisk must be completed within 7 years of beginning the program. This policy does not apply to an applicant to the RN to BSN program who has been working in nursing or enrolled in a nursing program for the previous year prior to starting the program. Please read policy for details.
What Nursing School Is The Easiest To Get Into
While no nursing school is easy to get into, if you’re looking for a nursing school that allows you to begin quickly, WGU is a great fit. Current RNs can apply today and get started as soon as next month. WGU doesn’t have extensive requirements, prerequisites, or entrance examsmost current RNs will find the application straightforward and simple.
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Cna Classes & Programs
Certified nursing assistants provide important basic care services, including feeding, bathing, and grooming patients, and taking vital signs. A valuable member of the patient care team, CNAs are also known as “nursing aides” or “nursing assistants” and generally work under the supervision of registered nurses or licensed practical nurses . Becoming a CNA is a great entry point to a career in the nursing profession, and there are a large number of CNA training programs nationwide for aspiring nursing aides to choose from.
Are You Prepared To Study Nursing Online
Just because a nursing program is offered online doesnt make it any easier than if you attended on-campus. Truth is that the biggest challenges facing students studying online are:
- Carving out the time alone to get study work done
- Staying motivated and driven to complete work
Studying from the convenience of your own home is not for everyone. If you work a job and have a family youre likely to be studying late at night, early in the morning, on weekends or even holidays to make sure your school-work gets done. It takes commitment and drive, mettle that many people simply dont have for the long haul. So consider the pros and cons carefully before you automatically think online is easier and somehow better.
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Will My Previous Courses Meet The Golden Four University Requirements
If you are unsure if the courses you have completed meet the university requirements, you can usewww.assist.org to double check. This website lists all the California Community Colleges and all transferable courses at those colleges. This is a very helpful resource for checking your Golden Four prerequisite classes.
To double check a course on www.assist.org, follow these steps:
If you need more guidance using www.assist.org, the website has a tutorial which will walk you through the process of checking your courses. Click the following link to access the tutorial: ASSIST Tutorial
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How Much Are Online Nursing Programs
Online nursing degrees can be a very affordable option. When you add in the possibility of scholarships or grants, you could reduce the cost even more.
At Southern New Hampshire University, earning your bachelor’s degree in nursing costs $320 per credit, but you may be able to transfer up to 90 credits and lower the cost 45 credits for your RN license and 45 from previous educational experience. Should you transfer in all 90 credits, it could cost you only $9,600 in tuition to earn your BSN.
For a 39-credit master’s degree, you could transfer up to 12 graduate credits, with the remaining courses being $627 per credit.
You can also have a conversation with a Student Financial Services counselor to develop a plan to find the best way to make your education affordable whether that’s through financial aid or the creation of a customized payment plan. SNHU also offers a discount up to 30% for active-duty service members and their spouses.
Alumni from community college partners and employees of partnered organizations also receive tuition discounts.
Kristina Libby ’17 is able to give back thanks to the affordability of her bachelor’s degree at SNHU. “I literally was shocked,” she said. “I ran to my husband with my computer and I said, ‘Look, look, we can do this,’ because all of the programs around here at the state schools, we would have had to take out a second mortgage. It was not possible and Southern New Hampshire University was affordable.”
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Can You Become A Nurse Online
As much as colleges recognize the benefit of online learning, it is not entirely possible to become a nurse online. This is because of the clinical aspects involved. You can complete a nursing degree online, however, you will still be required to fulfill clinical hours in-person, at a patient care or lab facility.
All states have a clinical hours requirement for new registered nurses , though this will vary depending on your local licensing board. In Connecticut, for example, its required that 50 percent of total contact hours in a first-time nursing program are completed in:
- Supervised, direct patient care experiences
- Direct, observational experiences
- Simulated experiences appropriate to the program outcomes
- Laboratory experiences for the acquisition and practice of clinical nursing skills
The goal of the clinical requirement is to ensure that new nurses walk away with hands-on, practical experience in their field of work. They will have direct experiences with patients and how to handle situations they may encounter on-the-job. They have the opportunity to put their learnings to practice in a real-life medical setting. This, in turn, has a major impact on the success of nurses down the road, and cannot typically be fulfilled in an online environment.
Online Nursing Programs In California
California offers several accredited online nursing programs. California State University – Dominguez Hills offers both an online RN to BSN and an online MSN program and is one of the most affordable colleges for nursing. The State of California also offers two alternatives to obtaining a degree in order to become a registered nurse: the Licensed Vocational Nurse 30 Unit option, which is not recognized by most other states, and the Military Corpsmen to RN option through which military personnel can earn an RN license if they have completed RN-level education and have clinical experience.
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Grade And Gpa Requirements
Applicants to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program must earn a grade of C or above in all pre-nursing courses and have a cumulative college GPA of 2.5.
Content on this page is provided as a quick reference for planning. All official course descriptions/degree requirements/admission standards/program learning outcomes/etc. are published on the Undergraduate Catalog site.
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High School Classes That Prepare Students For Nursing School
First, you need to ensure that youre on the college path. Many high schools will have two different paths, each with different class requirements: the college path and the technical path. Since you will be going to college to complete a degree , you need to choose the college path. This will ensure that you take all of the necessary math and science classes, and you wont have to take any remedial courses once you get to college.
Next, you want to take as many sciences courses that you can. Most will be required anyway, but take courses like biology, chemistry, and any other sciences courses. Most colleges or technical schools will require those same courses to be taken at the college level. By taking them in high school, you will familiarize yourself with some of those important concepts.
You should also take any type of health science courses offered at your high school. While every high school may offer different courses , here is a list of courses youll want to take :
- Medical terminology
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How Long Do Online Nursing Programs Take
On average, earning your Associates Degree in Nursing takes up to two years. Depending on your previous educational background, getting your BSN degree online can take anywhere from 12 months to four years, while online MSN degrees usually take around 2 years to complete.
When it comes to online learning you can also opt for an accelerated program, which lets you earn your degree faster. Granted, this type of program is more challenging, but if you are looking for the fastest route towards your degree, this may be a worthy option to consider. Also, if you already have a Bachelors Degree in an unrelated field and wish to switch to nursing, that might also shorten the duration of your studies.
The Nightingale College online nursing programs are specifically designed to be completed in a fairly short amount of time, while also holding onto the highest standards of nursing education. Generally, this is how long it takes to complete each online program at our college:
Read more about how long it takes to complete nursing school.
Homework & Course Schedule
When it comes to online nursing programs, youre entirely responsible for how you choose to manage your time, place of study, and schedule. One problem online learners face is procrastination, so now is a great time to work on your planning and organization skills. Otherwise, doing your homework and following course materials will prove more difficult.
A good tip is to take the time to review the syllabus. This will help you understand the class format, the requirements, and also the expectations you have to meet. Thus, it will be easier to devise a schedule that works for you and no assignment will find you unprepared.
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Do Online Nursing Students Need To Come To Campus
No. The College of Nursing offers distance learning degree programs at the bachelors, masters and doctoral levels, as well as undergraduate and graduate certificates.The vast majority of these online nursing degrees and certificates will not require any visits to campus. The handful that do, only require one or two visits throughout the whole curriculum, and students are provided these dates far in advance to help them plan.
How Do Viruses Cause Infection
American Nurses Association
This online course is a collaboration between the ANA and Project Firstline, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Training Collaborative for Healthcare Infection Prevention & Control. Nurses can earn 0.75 continuing education credit hours for completing this course. The opportunity to earn credits expires June 8, 2025.
The online course reviews the current science of viral infection and how this applies to nursing practice. Learners refresh their understanding of how viruses cause disease and how to use this knowledge to prevent infections.
American Nurses Association
This course offers four hours of continuing education credits. The credits expire on December 15, 2024.
The course consists of a set of four podcasts from nurses and organizations addressing health equity. This includes a nurse practitioner describing how to recognize the signs of human trafficking, experts in preventing Black maternal mortality, a pandemic start-up that offers health screenings for people experiencing homelessness, and a chief diversity officer on partnering with faith-based organizations. Participants can learn about how to establish practices that promote equity.
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Where Can I Work Once Ive Gotten My Cna Certification Online
The main reason most people seek out their CNA certification is to find a good job. While most people pursuing their license realize that having their CNA is a great way to land employment at nursing homes, long-term care facilities and medical centers, there are many other opportunities as well, including opportunities to work as a CNA specialist, or programs that offer the opportunity to go from a CNA to a registered nurse or as a licensed practicing nurse . What may seem like a simple step to take some online courses as a CNA can lead to numerous opportunities for higher pay and greater responsibilities in the healthcare field.
Now is a great time to explore a future career as a CNA and break into the healthcare industry. The online programs listed above are just a few examples of the many options, so be sure to continue researching until you find the online CNA classes that best suit your individual needs. In the meantime, you may want to try one of our free CNA practice tests to see how much you already know about the position.