Pros And Cons Of A CNA Certification Online

| Friday, March 4, 2011
By Kenny Chang


If you are hoping to become a CNA, a certified nursing assistant, you might be considering a CNA certification online. In some instances this might be quite acceptable, but if you are hoping to land a well paying job at a large medical facility with perhaps some room for advancement, you might want to research all your options before making a decision.

Up till recently there were really no formal education programs. Nurse's aides needed no training for their first job but most probably they had a structured type of orientation where they spent a few days learning the duties of their job and finding their way around a large hospital setting.

As time went on, medical laws changed and privacy issues were brought to the forefront. Nurse's aides were upgraded to what is now a CNA, and formal training and educational programs were started at high schools and colleges and even private instructional centers. Courses lasted anywhere from a month to nine months depending on where you went and how much practical experience you were given.

There are two vital parts of this type of curriculum. One is classroom study where you learn theory, and the other is literally on the job training where you get hands on practical experience working in a medical setting, usually a hospital or nursing home.

And this is the major problem with any of the online CNA training programs. You don't get the hands on experience you need to really know your job. Some of the large educational facilities have managed to provide a type of web based learning where students would be required to attend scheduled classes and events using various online programs and web cams

All the coursework in the world can't replace what you will be lacking in practical experience. If you are hoping to land a good job in a large hospital or rehab facility, you might be out of luck when it comes to job interviews. These facilities need people who have been fully trained in every area, and if you don't have what they are looking for, you'll be out of luck.

Just remember - you can pass your program with an A and you can ace your state exam, but if you haven't mastered all the hands on tasks you'll be responsible for mastering your first week on the job, you might be forced into taking extra courses to give you the practice you didn't get the first time around.

Job hunting also needs to be considered. You might pass your finals with straight A's, and you might pass your test exam with no problem the first time around, but without the level of practice that most reputable hospitals demand, you might find it difficult to graduate from a purely online program and land a great job.




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