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The continuing education for all healthcare personnel will ensure that these workers are updated on the current knowledge as well as techniques in caring the patients. Certified nursing assistants are required by the federal law to have a minimum of 12 hours continuing education every year in order to receive re-certification. In fact, in California, all the certified nursing assistants are required to complete 48 hours on their continuing education in a span of two years; 12 hours of which should be in a year and 24 hours can be taken through online. On the other hand, the state of Florida requires also the CNA’s to complete 24 hours of continuing education in 2 years. Thus, it is important to check the nurse licensing board found in every state in order to know the requirements needed for re-certification as well as the number of hours for continuing education.
Requirements for CNA’s Continuing Education
All certified nursing assistants have a scope of duty which they are responsible. If you plan to be a CNA, you will learn the comprehensive procedures and details during your initial certification training. This will equip you and make you confident while on the workplace. The continuing education courses of CNA are intended to expand and update your knowledge about the procedures. Few examples of these continuing education courses are as follows:
- HIV/AIDS
- Resident rights
- Avoiding medical errors
- Emotional support to patients
- Elderly patient care
- Record documentation
- Latest medical procedures
Institutions that offer Continuing Education for CNA Courses
Several hospitals provide a continuing education through their in-service departments and this makes it advantageous for employees especially when they are employed in one of this institutions. Most of the courses being offered are connected to the needs of the hospital in order to be helpful in work and enable the CNA to put into practice his/her learning in the classroom. At times, self-study courses are included in the pay envelopes in order for the nursing assistants to study on their own. There are some hospitals that allow the non-employees to take part on the training for free in case there are slots available.
Community colleges as well as nursing schools are also providing continuing education units so try to check it with your local schools. The institution or school where you obtain the nurse’s aid training can be a good venue to start and teachers can most likely recommend the best source of continuing education.
Moreover, the Red Cross is another institution that provides continuing education. The courses that the organization provides emphasizes on CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation as well as emergency preparedness. There are also online courses available in order to make the education convenient to some students. Most of the online courses are affordable, providing unlimited hours for the whole year in around $20 to $30.
If you wished to change your career path in some way, taking the continuing education can be very helpful. If you happen to be employed in a residential care facility and you prefer to be in an acute hospital, look for courses that have specializations in your work.
Whenever you completed any course for CEU, you will be given a certificate. Meanwhile, if you took an online course, a certificate will be given also but you have to print the certificate. Keep all the records for the continuing education you have taken in the last two years. When the time for renewal of certification comes, you will not be having a hard time filling up the application. You will be required to place all the title of the courses you took, the government issued numbers, dates, number of CEU, names, address, and contact numbers of the institutions where you take the course. Always create a plan on your continuing education several times in order for you to be prepared with the renewal of certificate.
The Philosophy on Continuing Education: Why it is Important
Now that we have known the requirements on continuing education, let us try to look on the goals and purpose of these CE courses. As stated by the Journal of Continuing Education in Health Care Professions, CE courses are created in order to provide the healthcare workers with the latest and well research content. Through this, certified nursing assistants will be able to utilize it in their day to day routines of work.
Since there is an increasing demand of CNA in America and there is a need to maintain the workforce, CE can help monitor the changes in the important factors that are relevant to the healthcare career.
- Concerns on Safety– As a certified nursing assistant, there is a possibility that you will be exposed with hazardous chemicals and aside from that, you should also be aware on the techniques related to lifting and transferring of patients. It is up to you whether you want to stay informed on the updated and safety precautions by means of continuing education. CE will help you protect in any unnecessary injuries.
- Advancements in Medicine – A lot of scientists these days are working hard in order to find cure on several diseases. There are varieties of new studies as well as results that have been released in order to change the old school notion in most clinical procedures. Taking a continuing education will give you a chance to stay informed and at the same time, enables you to take new procedures.
- Licensing Changes – Since there are changes in medical procedures, there will also be a change in the requirements for licensing and certification. Maintaining the requirements for continuing education will help you in any way especially that your certification is always updated.
- Infectious Diseases -Every year, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC in U.S. is publishing information in newly discovered illnesses. Taking the continuing education will give you a lot of knowledge in treating the patients well as protecting them from unknown illnesses.
Special Considerations
The continuing education for CNA has been present for quite a long time. Professional healthcare workers consider this is an integral part in the entire nursing plan. With the latest technology these days, institutions that provide continuing education have created online CE courses which will be very convenient to several CNA’s.
The state may require all CNA’s to take the continuing education but it will be very beneficial to the healthcare professionals in the long run. Certified nursing assistants will be able to professionally maintain their duties without harming the patients. It is their responsibility to be a lifetime student when in the medical field. Hence, adhering to this kind of philosophy will enhance your professional confidence and somehow assist you or your patients during your CNA career.