How to become a CNA
How I did it: I took a class at a local community college in Eugene, OR, with clinical sessions at long term care facility and hospital.
I have to stress that this is not the only way of going about this. There are often local nursing homes which with waive the fees of the program if you commit to working for them for a year. If you do not see them advertised on Monster, Jobing, or Craigslist, make a list of local nursing homes and ask if they offer these internships. If they don't, ask if they hire caretakers (which do not require any certs) or if they know of a home that has a program.
States, such as Oregon, sometimes offer reimbursement for people who commit to two years of long term care work. Check with your state nursing board to see if these are available to you.
Lessons & tips: Be compassionate. Be understanding. Never become annoyed. Never take away someone's control over their own care. Never gossip with other people on your staff about residents and correct those that do. Lead by example. Utilize every moment. Never let your ego get in the way of saying "I don't know" or "I can't do this" at the risk of someone's well being.
Resources: Allnurses.com is a really great resource for everything from where to buy cheap scrubs to how to move your way up the career ladder. Also, my state nursing board's website directed me to the program I went through and helped me plan my next career move.
