CNA Classes in Utah

CNA Classes In Utah

Pursuing a career in the healthcare field is a difficult decision to make. Of course, most careers these days require years of studying and thousands of dollars. In these tough economic times, spending for education is not a priority to some people so a great alternative would be short term courses with fewer expenses. This is where CNA classes in Utah comes in.

The health care field in the state of Utah is acclaimed as one of the fastest-growing job markets of medical industry, providing an enormous range of job opportunities for prospective Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).

The duties of a CNA is to carry out routine checks that involve checking the vital signs of patients, taking their blood pressure, ensuring they have meals, bathing and dressing, changing their bed linens, offering support to doctors, operation and maintenance of medical equipment, as well recording patient’s progress.

There are several community colleges, vocational schools, private agencies and some nursing facilities in Utah that are approved by the Utah Nursing Assistant Registry (UNAR) and will prepare the students for the competency exam.

Basically, becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant in Utah is relatively easy. There is no need to graduate from prestigious institutions. All you need is a high school diploma, be 18 or older and a GED. If you qualify for these three major requirements, you can start a new career in the medical field.

The CNA classes in Utah will take 75 hours to complete and this includes classroom sessions and clinical training. Make sure to take the Utah state approved CNA program so that you will be eligible to work as a CNA in Utah. If you choose a facility that is not accredited, you will not be allowed to take the certification exam and you just wasted a lot of your time and money. CNA training programs will cost around $800 to $1000 and this is definitely affordable compared to other medical courses.

CNA Requirements in Utah

Students in Utah must have a high school diploma or a GED. During the training programs, a student learns how to monitor the condition of patients, to report those changes, how to control infection, safety measures and emergency procedures, taking vital signs, communication and interpersonal skills and other basic nursing care skills.

Trainees are required to take at least 80 hours of CNA training that include classroom instruction and a clinical internship, with courses can be found throughout the state, which have been developed by the Utah Department of Health and meet federal regulations. The primary purpose and goal of education is to supply trainees with the required abilities to effectively complete the Nursing Aide training and competency examination and to provide high quality service throughout their nursing career.

CNA Certification in Utah

The State of Utah’s Division of Occupational and Professional Licensure requires of prospective nursing assistants be passed successfully the Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP) Examination and then to be added on the Utah Nursing Assistant Registry. The examinees take a multiple-choice test, which checks the technical understanding, and the second part is a skills assessment, in which candidates demonstrate the clinical techniques they acquired and teaches students workplace ethics and behavior.

The exam includes the fields of public safety and emergencies, roles and responsibilities, personal care, infection control, health care, communication, basic nursing skills, disease processes and restorative care.

Certifications must be renewed every two years in Utah, and CNAs are required to work 200 hours during that time period.

When you decide to become a CNA, there will be a four step process involved:

  1. The first one is finding a school wherein you will be trained on the basic nursing skills needed in the area.
  2. Second is the exam wherein you will be tested on your knowledge and skills. Passing the exam means that you will become certified that is why it is important to review everything you have learned prior to it.
  3. Third is the background check, wherein you will submit yourself for a criminal record check and fingerprinting.The state of Utah requires all CNA’s to have a clean criminal record and if you have one, it will disqualify you from practicing the profession.
  4. Fourth is the registration. As soon as you passed the exam, you will have to register in the Utah Nurse Aid Registry. Employers will not hire you if your name is not placed on the Registry list so make sure to check it.

After completing all these four steps, you can now work as a Certified Nursing Assistant. There are a number of facilities that needs CNA’s so this will give you several options. If you are tied up with a certain facility because of the grant or sponsorship you availed, you can have a job right away. Working as a CNA entitles you for a great career in the medical field. You can even proceed to LPN or RN if you want to advance your skills and earn even more.

CNA Salary and Job Outlook in Utah

CNA Salary in Utah 1

Starting a career as a CNA will allow you to earn around $23,960 annually on average and you can even enjoy the dental and health benefits that your employer will offer you.

A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) may work in any setting and is usually employed in healthcare facilities such as long-term nursing homes, hospital, hospice, clinics, home health agencies and physician’s offices if is supervised by a licensed nurse (LPN, RN) and is performing nursing or nursing-related services. The Intermountain Medical Center, Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, University of Utah Health Care and Saint Mark’s Hospital are some of the medical facilities that offer possibility of employment for CNAs in Utah.

CNA Work Experience in Utah