Also, what is the average salary to start. I would like to work in a Nursing Home, is this the right certification for me? Thank you to all that answer!
Just wanted to add some extra information and ask for more help…I live in So. California. What I would really enjoy doing is the arts and crafts/enternainment job that I have seen in Nursing homes and on Psy. wards. I don’t even know the name for this position, what the training is or salary?? Anyone that can help me with that I would be so grateful and I thank all of you that have been so kind to answer my first part of the question which I am still interested in doing. 
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The average salary for a CNA where I live is $10, it might be higher where you are, this is the job you want if you want to work in a nursing home. It doesn’t take long, just a few months.
all nursing homes that accept medicare part A have the ability to offer training themselves if they chose to.
medicare reimburses all their cost to do so from training materials to the instructors salary.
to be a Certified Nurse Aide you must take a class and do the clinical time which involves 40 hours of class room studies and 35 hours of clinical time. you then must be scheduled for, take and pass a state licensing exam that includes a written test as well as a “skills” test. this testing must be completed within 120 days of your completion of classroom work. you are allowed to take the test three times if you fail to pass it the first time. you are also allowed to work as a CNA during the 120 day period. each state has it’s own licensing and registry for CNAs but the laws are all governed on the federal level for those who are employed in any healthcare provider who accepts medicare part A payments.
you can also go to a community college or vocational school and pay for classes to become a CNA.
if you feel like you would like to become a CNA apply for a “helpers” position at a nursing home. they generally pay less but you will be able to observe what a CNA does and it will help you decide. if the nursing homes in your area do not hire helpers ask about volunteering.
helpers or volunteers can do some of the things a CNA does except they can not do actual patient care. they can not transfer from bed to wheel-chair but can push the wheel-chair once the patient is in it. they can not, dress, toilet, bath, walk or assist in any ADL but they can watch and learn as well as pass ice and water, make beds, play games, talk, stock supplies for the CNAs and once trained they can assist in feeding.
4 to 6 months and they make anywhere from 22 to 29k per year. Learn more at PureMedicalJobs.com
I am a CNA / Medical assistant. I only went through 6 Weeks of school for my CNA. IMedical Assistant is 9 months but when I went for my MA it was only 6 months .
You do not go to school for a CNA. You take a 2-6 week course (usually at a nursing home, sometimes a hospital). Most places pay you to attend the classes. You take a test and receive a certificate from the state that allows you to work as a CNA. Starting wage can be 7-12 dollars per hour generally.
You cannot become a nurse any way other that attending college, but being a CNA gives you a chance to understand more about the health care field.
In Indiana: Pay is between $9-$15 and it takes 3 weeks of training.
You can become a CNA by taking a short course usually between 4-8 weeks. I’ve been a CNA for over 20 years. I went back to school 5 years ago and became a PCT (patient care technician). My reason for going back to school was to get out of the nursing homes. They are horrible places for CNA’s to work. The pay is pathetic and the nurses will treat you like you are the lowest form of life. Seriously, the nurses will make your life miserable. My advice to you is spend the extra time 6-8 months to become a PCT, this will give you advanced skills to work at a hospital. There will be less lifting, better pay and more respect. I’m in school right now to become certified in phlebotomy. This will give me more opportunity for advancement in and out of the hospital. If you don’t have the time or money to pursue a nursing degree PCT is the way to go. Good Luck: )
It sounds like what you are intersted in is an Activity Director, not a CNA. Cna’s are the backbone or ‘pack mule’ of the nursing home….lol I like to say its ‘all of the work and none of the pay’. CNAs are the personel responsible for nearly all of the hands on care, grooming, and feeding of the patients. The do not administer medication, update medical records or provide wound treatment. Otherwise, everyting tends to land on them…lol.
An activity director organizes the activities, coordinates games, is responsible for bringing in entertainment, and sometimes decorating the home/ rooms for the holidays. I am in Texas, and the certification for it is obtained for a few hundred dollars and a few weeks of class at most community colleges. Check with community colleges or even better, go to a nursing home, ask to speak with the activity director, and find out first hand! Heck… they may even be willing to hire you as an assistant, or you may decide to volunteer first before deciding to start class.