Being one of the largest starts in US in terms of population, NY City has a very huge and diverse health care industry that needs the dedication of Certified Nursing Assistants to get the job of caring for the sick and needy done correctly. Needless to mention, if you want to be a CNA in New York, you will need to undergo a certified nursing assistant training so you can be competent enough for the job.
The good thing about a state as huge as New York is that you got lots of options when it comes to CNA training courses that you will need to undertake in order to be a certified CNA fully competent for the job. As is with any other course, it is advisable to seek out classes for CNA that are within easy reach by public transport or car, but also those that fit your schedule should you decide to continue working as you study. Here are some steps to take in order to be a qualified CNA in New York.
First things first, for you to become a licensed CNA in NY so you can work legally in a long-term health care facility or a nursing home, you will need to do the following:-
- First you will need to attend a CNA NY training program which is approved by the state
- Sit and pass a competency exam
- Apply so you can be put in the New York State Nursing Home Nurse Aide Registry
- Note that if you have a CNA certification from a different state, or if you already have your graduate or undergraduate nursing degree, you can always apply for reciprocity from the NY State Department of Health. This reduces your need to start afresh a New York CNA program
NY CNA Program Requirements
If you have no background education on nursing and want to become a certified CNA in the state of New York, you have no shortcut but to attend a state-approved certification training course. The state requirement is for a program to have a minimum of 100hours of training, but generally it will take 130 hours of complete training, combining classroom work and practical, supervised clinical experience. You should expect to cover courses in:-
- Anatomy
- Basic nursing skills
- Physiology
- Mental health needs
- Personal care Skills
- Cognitively impaired resident care
- Resident’s rights
- Restorative services
Apart from the classroom training, a typical CNA program also entails supervised practicals where a student works in a long-term health care facility under the supervision and guidance of a tutor.
There are so many legitimate programs for CNA, most of which are publicized, however, you should be wary of a program that claims to offer fully certification online since currently New York does not approve of such programs hence you might end up wasting your time and money.