Before sitting for a CNA certification test you must undergo a 120 hour nursing aide program approved by the state’s Board of Nursing of Arizona. Nursing assistant training programs that are approved by the State Board of Nursing are offered in community colleges, nursing facilities and private companies.
To work towards meeting the Arizona board of nursing education requirements, high school students interested in pursuing careers as CNAs are therefore advised to start attending CNA classes while still in high school though applicants will be required to be at least 18 years of age.
In the state of Arizona, CNAs work under the supervision of registered nurses. Essential and direct patient care is provided by the qualified CNA in different settings such as; long term care facilities, assisted living homes and other related facilities. Generally , areas like utilizing proper infection control practices, `medical terms, CPR, essential clinical nursing skills and topics related to this are covered in CNA classes .
In a span of twelve weeks or less, a typical CNA program should be complete and certification by the examination will be listed immediately after the training program. It goes without saying that it is possible to join the existing and fastest growing field of health care as a certified nursing aide in a very short period of time. An average annual salary of between $17,200 and $30,600 awaits qualified CNAs in the state of Arizona.
Here are some of the basic requirements that residents looking to work legally as CNAs in Arizona must meet:-
1. Successfully complete state approved CNA training programs
2. Pass the test the state approved competency examination
3. Pass a criminal background check which normally includes the submission of finger prints among other legal requirements for background history checks
If you had previously undergone training programs in other States and emerged successful, and went ahead to work as an approved nurse aide in that state, you can petition the Arizona State Board of Nursing to waive its in-state requirements. Further, if you have attained a nursing degree from a recognized institution of higher learning, you may petition to have some of the educational requirement waived.
Characteristics of Arizona training programs
Although all training programs are state-approved, they can differ based on the training service provider. The discrepancy is however very minimal, as there are some important areas that must be covered. These include lessons in:-
- Acute care
- Emergency care
- Rehabilitation
- Infection control
- Rights of patients
- Medical ethics
Students work with patients in a long term care facility putting in place the skills they learn in class under the supervision of registered nurses. After successful completion of the program, then students may qualify for employment as a Certified Nurse Aide in any facility across the State of Arizona.