Certified Nursing Assistant Training in Connecticut

Healthcare is one of the largest industries in Connecticut, employing administrative staff, healthcare providers, administrative, and people in dozens of other professional roles. Nursing is one of the largest specialties within healthcare, spanning all education levels and making up a huge portion of the state’s healthcare employment.

By becoming a certified nursing assistant, you can start a rewarding career that makes life better for patients and paves the way for future education in the field of nursing.

What is a CNA?

If you’ve ever worked in healthcare, you may already know what a nurse’s assistant does. In short, CNAs do the vast majority of routine tasks in healthcare settings. They take on the responsibility of feeding patients, giving them medications, assisting with range of motion, and helping them ambulate.

With the right training, you can explore different healthcare employment settings and job openings.

How Can I Become a Nurse Aide (CNA) in Connecticut?

How do you get your foot in the door in the world of nursing and positively influence patients’ lives and healthcare? It’s simple: complete a short CNA training program, master important patient care skills, and pass Connecticut’s required exams.

From there, you can become licensed and begin working. Learn more about your options now by contacting CNA schools in Connecticut.

What Kind of CNA Training Do I Need in Connecticut?

Although nurse’s assistant training programs are considerably shorter than other healthcare training options, you do have to follow a strict process to legally work as a nursing assistant and apply for jobs at Connecticut facilities.

Discover how you may become a nurse’s aide by reaching out to nurse assistant training programs today.

Getting Into a Certified Nursing Assistant Program in Connecticut

When compared to other healthcare careers, CNAs need relatively little training to get started. Most Connecticut programs are designed to be finished in six to eight weeks, so you may start working in a matter of months, rather than years.

Admissions requirements are fairly basic across the board. Programs don’t often require extremely high grades or previous experience in healthcare, although you should have a high school education and a desire to work in healthcare.

Admissions Requirements for CNA Programs

High school diploma recommended but not required; some programs do accept current high school students
No history of criminal activity that disqualifies you from working in healthcare
At least 18 years of age
Physical exam
Negative TB skin test
Negative drug screen

Application Documents for CT Nurse Assistant Training

Application
Application fee
References
Authorization to perform a background check and criminal history check
High school transcripts
Accuplacer scores, if relevant

CNA programs are very accepting, which makes it easier for a greater variety of people to get started in the nursing industry. If you can begin a nursing aide program without any previous experience, you may develop the necessary skills and get the chance to fill a very important role in Connecticut healthcare facilities.

CNA Training in Connecticut

By the time you finish your six to eight weeks of training, you should have no difficulty answering the question “What is a CNA?” Connecticut nursing assistant programs divide your time between hands-on clinical practice and classroom learning, ensuring that you can talk about healthcare with the appropriate language and terminology.

It also gives you plenty of time to develop the clinical skills that today’s employers look for in job applicants. Your course may have a cohesive curriculum, rather than separate courses, since you only need to spend 100 hours in a CNA program. Of these 100 hours, at least 24 of them must come from clinical experience.

Your education must cover the following topics in a fair amount of detail.

CNA Classes in Connecticut

Communication and interpersonal skills
Channels of communication
Reporting mechanisms
Infection control
Safety and emergency procedures
Promoting resident independence
Residents’ rights
Vital signs
Measuring and recording height and weight
Residents environment
Death and dying
Abnormal changes in body function
Grooming and dressing
Toileting
Eating and hydration
Proper feeding techniques
Skin care
Transferring, positioning, and tuning
Responses to resident behavior
Psychiatric disorders
Self-care
Confidentiality

CNA Certification as a Prerequisite for Nursing School in Connecticut

Why do Connecticut nursing schools require CNA licensure? Even if you don’t plan on working as a CNA while earning your nursing degree, it is essential to earn your CNA certification by meeting CT state CNA requirements. Working in different areas of healthcare may help you become a better nurse.

CNAs are indispensable to Connecticut’s healthcare facilities, and as a nurse, you must appreciate what they contribute to your facility. By earning a nursing aide license, you may come to understand what your patients need to get more out of each day and how much work it takes to keep patients healthy, clean, fed, and rested.

Of course, you can also use your nursing aid certification to start your nursing career while working toward an RN degree. By working part-time as a CNA, you can connect with working nurses, ask questions about their careers, get advice for nursing school, and become as comfortable as possible working with patients with different needs.

Paying for a CNA Program in Connecticut

You may find that certified nursing assistant training programs are significantly less expensive than other healthcare career degree options, which is another one of the main benefits of working in this field. However, you may still be looking for ways to minimize your out-of-pocket expenses and save money on your education.

You may have a greater variety of financial aid options if you’re attending nursing school, since more federal funding is set aside for Associate’s degree students and Bachelor’s degree students than vocational certificate students. It is still worth your time to apply for federal aid, state aid, and private scholarships. The more you start building connections with employers and associations now, the more it may benefit your career for years to come.

Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a great first step, since federal grants do not have to be paid back. From there, you can start a wide-sweeping scholarship search via Peterson’s, which makes it easy to keep track of deadlines, submit applications from one site, and get updates on new scholarships and grants. Through the Connecticut Nurses Foundation, you may be able to apply for scholarships that look at your academic performance.

Working as a Certified Nursing Assistant in Connecticut

All the work you put into your nurse assistant training is for one goal: to become a nurse’s aide and seek employment in Connecticut. Your clinical experience is an excellent introduction to working as a nursing aide, but you should still do research on different work settings, career paths, and schedules to ensure that you choose a work setting that suits you.

CNA Requirements in Connecticut

The most significant requirement for certification is your CNA classes in Connecticut. Education is essential to the licensure process, since attending an accredited CNA certification program shows that you’ve gotten the same education and hands-on practice as every other CNA applicant in the state.

Your application documents are sent to the Connecticut Department of Health, which maintains the Connecticut Nurse Aide Registry. However, it doesn’t stop there. You must also take the Connecticut Nurse Aide Exam, which has a written multiple-choice section and a practical skills section. The written portion of the test includes 60 questions. In the practical skills section, you must successfully carry out the requested tasks while meeting all of the requirements for each task.

The testing fee in Connecticut is $118. After you receive your initial license, you have to renew every two years. During each renewal period, you must work as a CNA for at least eight hours.

Where are the Best CNA Jobs in Connecticut?

Where do you want to use your newly gained nurse assistant skills? If you’re like most nurse’s aide graduates, you may get your first job at a nursing home. Nursing homes are the largest employers of CNAs in many parts of Connecticut, and the skills you practice in this setting may be applicable to hospitals, clinics, and many other facilities.

Most healthcare facilities staff CNAs 24 hours per day, so you may be required to work second or third shift. First shift positions are often very desirable and may be hard to come by in some parts of Connecticut. If you work for a clinic, you may have a more traditional schedule. In an emergency room job, shifts may also be random and include nights, holidays, and weekends.

Common Work Settings for CNA CT Graduates

Assisted living facilities
Group homes
Nursing homes
Day programs for adults with disabilities
Physical therapy centers
Rehabilitation centers
Specialty clinics
Medical/surgical wings

Hiring Requirements and Expectations of Nurse Aides

A current CNA license and placement on the Connecticut Nurse Aide Registry
Positive references from course instructors and clinical supervisors
Open schedule availability
Freedom to commit to 40 or more hours per week
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
Independent work skills
Ability to work as part of a cohesive healthcare team

What Does a Nursing Assistant Do in Connecticut?

The work duties of a nurse assistant may vary slightly from location to location, but they have more in common than they have things that set them apart. No matter which CNA position you choose, you are required to follow the scope of practice laid out by the Connecticut Department of Health.

You may not do curative work for patients or work against the directions of a physician or nurse, unless their instructions would cause you to violate your scope of practice or ethical boundaries. A good rule of thumb is to only perform tasks in which you have been fully trained, both by your facility and in your CNA training program.

Certified Nursing Aide Duties

Helping nurses with patient intake and paperwork
Documenting a patient’s initial condition and medical needs
Administering medications
Reporting any changes, especially unusual changes, to supervisors
Assisting clients with toiling
Feeding clients and setting clients up with tube feeding
Documenting patient care and vital signs
Helping residents with hydration needs
Providing assistance to nurses and physicians as requested
Maintaining a client’s environment
Cleaning and doing laundry

How Much Does a CNA Make in Connecticut?

In Connecticut and other New England states, salaries tend to be significantly higher than national averages. You may benefit from a higher potential income in Connecticut, particularly if you are willing to work in an underserved part of the state. There may also be benefits that come with working overnight or weekend shifts; quite a few employers offer a shift differential that encourages CNAs to sign up for overnight shifts.

Across Connecticut, the average salary for a CNA is $31,890 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017). In a handful of areas, average salaries are higher. Bridgeport nursing assistants earn a mean income of $33,160 per year (BLS, 2017). In the New Haven area, the average salary for a nursing assistant is $33,460 per year (BLS, 2017).

National demand for nursing assistants is on the rise, which is the case for many nursing careers. By the year 2024, the Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates a 17% increase in job openings for nursing assistants (2017).

Important CNA Resources in Connecticut

How can you make the most of your certified nurse aide career? One of your main priorities early in your career should be networking. You may have a bit of a learning curve if you are new to the field of healthcare, and it may take some time to adjust to the demands of this industry.

Connecting with nurses and nurse assistants may give you a chance to learn from their experience and accomplish more during every shift. If you join local groups as a student, you may even be able to apply for scholarships and grants.

Now that you know what it takes to become a nursing assistant in Connecticut, it’s your turn to make your move and learn more. This could be the perfect time to explore a caregiving career. Connecticut has seen a boost in nursing home construction as the state’s large baby boomer population needs more and more care (Hartford Business, 2017).

Find the right nurse aide training program in Connecticut for you now by contacting schools in your area.