CNA Classes in Florida – CNA Training & Classes

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is a position that allows candidates to enter the field of health care. The career of a nursing assistant is a good selection especially in Florida, because of the great demand for medical staff.

It has been projected that the health care industry will boom to 20-30% in the next few years. The increasing demand of healthcare professionals all over the world particularly in United States is considered to be the highest category of employment. Registered Nurses, Certified Nursing Assistants and other health care professions are very much needed in several institutions like hospitals, nursing homes, long term care facilities and many others.

Starting a career in the healthcare field can be done through a CNA training program. CNA’s or Certified Nursing Assistants have responsibilities similar to Registered Nurses. They do personal care, rehabilitative exercises and feeding. Most of the CNA’s will eventually become a Licensed Practical Nurse or Registered Nurse, depending upon their decision of taking further studies. If you want to undergo a CNA training in Florida, there are numerous state-approve programs monitored by the Nurse Aide Registry. In fact, you can select any of the 355 locations around the state but you will be required to pay a certain fee close to $1,000. The fee will include expenses on the uniform, supplies and the program itself.

Florida is one of the most flexible states when it comes to obtaining a CNA license, as not requires candidates to enroll in a training program. However, even if it is not required by the Florida Board of Nursing – the CNA exam in Florida is not any easier than other states – they encourage those who will take the certification exam to undergo CNA training in Florida. It is important to note that those who failed in exams are usually those who were not able to receive good marks in the second part, which is the practical exam.

In the state of Florida there are a variety of training choices that meet the requirements of the State Board of Nursing and the federal regulations, offered through online courses, nursing schools, community colleges, vocational and technical schools, medical institutions, as well as in nursing facilities that provide free CNA training in exchange the candidate to work there for a certain amount of time.

What is CNA work really like?

Certified nursing assistants work under the guidance and supervision of licensed practical nurses (LPNs) or registered nurses (RNs), and are responsible for providing support in a variety of health care settings. They perform tasks like, administering medications, taking vital signs, observing patients and noting changes their behavior or condition, infection control, tidying patients’ room, assisting patients with their bathing and grooming needs, dressing, feeding, helping set up equipment and stocking supplies, etc.

CNA Program Requirements

The enrolling in one of the approved CNA programs in Florida opens a wide variety of career options for those who want to pursue career in nursing field. In order to apply for admission in these CNA programs, the aspirants must meet some pre-requisites, like should be at least 18 years of age; have a high school diploma or GED certificate, clean criminal record, a negative result for TB test within the past 6 months and proof of immunizations.

The Florida Department of Health is the one responsible for approving CNA training programs in the state, and all state-approved programs contain 120 hours of training, with 80 hours of classroom instruction by following a specific time schedule and 40 hours of clinical practice, usually in a laboratory or in an actual clinical facility. The courses last for 6 to 12 weeks and cover topics like, basic medical procedures, anatomy and physiology, basic nutrition, body mechanics, communication skills, personal care, infection control, patient safety and hygiene, obtaining vital signs, patient’s rights, etc.

Despite the fact that you have to spend for the CNA training program, you can also avail several grants that let you get into the training without spending a dollar. For instance, the Workforce and Continuing Education Department offers a number of CNA grants. However, you will have to work on their institution in exchange for the grant you availed once you get certified. This is a great opportunity considering that you will have a work right after the training. Most of the time, the training program for CNA’s will reach to 65 to 120 hours of classroom sessions; depending upon the facility who offered it. This number of hours will consist of classroom sessions and clinical experience with the patients and other healthcare staffs.

CNA Certification Requirements in Florida

In the state of Florida, there is a provision in which the aspirants can challenge the certification exam for CNA without enrolling in any approved program; provided that they must be above 18 years old and possess a high school diploma or GED certification. However, if the examinee fails the tests after three tries, is required to attend an approved CNA training class and then sit for the exam again.

As soon as you are done with the training program, you can take the certification examination in order to be certified. There will be a processing fee of $25, a background screening fee of $40.50 and examination fee of $93. Be sure to obtain a clean criminal record because the Nurse Aide Registry will make you ineligible to work as a CNA if you have been involved in a felony conviction, theft, abuse, or violent crime.

The Florida Department of Health oversees the whole process of certification of applicants, which administered by Thompson Prometric comprising of a written exam with 50 multiple-choice questions related to physical care of clients, psychosocial care and legal and ethical issues of nursing profession, and a clinical test which requires applicants to perform five randomly selected nursing assistant skills. Both exams are administered in English, and fee of written exam is $36 and of clinical test is $57.

Passing the certification exam means getting a better career in the health care field. The license you obtained should be renewed every two years. There will be a notification sent to you 120 days prior to the expiration of license. CNA license must be renewed every 2 years, and nursing aide must have worked at least 12 hours and in some cases 24 hours during the same period. Recertification fee of CNA licenses is $55. The candidates who are certified are listed in the records of Florida Nurse Aide Registry along with their personal information, which helps the employers get relevant required information about their prospective employees.

The best part of becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant is you can work in flexible hours and you are entitled for health and dental benefits as well as good compensation. Working in the healthcare field provides endless opportunities so make the CNA training program your first step. You will surely not regret the path you take once you become a Certified Nursing Assistant.

CNA Salary and Job Outlook in Florida

There is currently large number of CNAs working in Florida ( just under 90,000) and the growth of demand for CNAs in Florida will likely outpace rest of the country, because of the huge elderly population in the state. CNA salary in Florida ranges between $21,000 and $34,000 per year. The average salary though is around $24,510 based on the salary survey made by BLS in 2015.

The majority of training programs provide hands-on experience, as many employers look for CNAs who have some kind of work experience. Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) have the possibility of employment in healthcare and medical settings such as nursing homes, clinics, hospitals, private health care centers, public health care facilities, mental care facilities, elderly care centers, convalescent homes and long-term care facilities in the state, including the Baptist Medical Center, Broward General Medical Center, Memorial Regional Hospital, Mount Sinai Medical Center, University Hospital and Medical Center.