CNA instructors have a major role to play in the community as they help in training Nursing Aides. Nursing Aides are the professionals closest to patients and intervene for them with doctors and Registered Nurses (RN’s).
CNA instructors are RN’s who are responsible for teaching courses for Nursing Aides. One may wonder how to become a CNA instructor.
For this, one must understand their main duties. Their main duties are preparation of lessons, evaluation of students, and maintaining school records. Typical places of employment are private employers, career training organizations, and community colleges.
CNA instructors divide most of their time between the classroom and the school office. Their main responsibility is to teach students and conduct basic administrative tasks. Some instructors may be employed full-time by post-secondary institutions, but others may work part-time along with nursing duties somewhere else.
Career needs
For entering this profession, the instructor must have a bachelor’s or associate degree in nursing. RN certification is vital along with the licensure needs of each state. Also, most states mandate 2 years’ experience as an RN with 1 year in a long-term aged care facility. Instructors need important skills like critical thinking, clear communication, and skills of instruction.
Steps in the career
- Attend school for nursing
Every state stipulates that a CNA instructor must hold the credentials of an RN. The two most common modes to accomplish this are by passing a 4-year BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) program or a 2-year program of Associate Degree in Nursing. To enter these programs, a basic nursing certification may be necessary, like a CNA program.
Such programs need specific requirements in subjects like Physiology, Anatomy, Microbiology, and Chemistry as well as Pharmacology, Clinical Nutrition etc. After completing any of these programs, students can sit for licensing exams.
2. Acquire Licensure
All states need nurses to have graduated from an accredited nursing school and pass the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination). After passing this exam, nurses can flaunt the designation of RN. Apart from this basic stipulation, every state might have its own licensing needs for CNA instructors. CNA instructors must have RN licensure, which is unencumbered with no pending records or disciplinary action. One must prepare for the exam using study guides.
3. Practical experience
Every state has mandated some level of experience for CNA instructors, usually 2 years. Certain states also require RN’s to have worked at least 1 year in an aged nursing care facility to become CNA instructors. RN’s can also gain experience in hospitals/ doctor’s clinics/ schools etc.
4. Train the Trainer Course
Most states dictate that RNs should finish a Train- the- Trainer course before taking up teaching duties. Such courses are both federal and state requirements. Typically, they vary from 15 to 25 hours in length, spread over consecutive days or weekends.
5. Gain Employment
Work for CNA instructors can be found in technical-vocational centres, nursing care institutions, municipal health centres, and community colleges. Those who are more ambitious can study further for doctoral degrees in various specializations.
In sum, the answer to the query ‘how to become a CNA instructor’ is that one must gain an undergraduate degree, licensure as RN, and attend a Train-the-trainer program as well as gain 2 years of practical experience.
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