As the demand for Certified Nursing Assistants grows, so does the need for qualified instructors to train them. If you’ve been involved in the healthcare field for a while, you may be ready to expand your career a bit and become a CNA instructor. There’s a lot to do in order to become an instructor, but if you’ve been working in this field long enough, you’re probably already halfway there.
To begin with, you have to be a licensed registered nurse. RNs already know the role that a CNA plays in patient care as well as what their responsibilities are because they’re usually supervising them. Most states require you to have not only an RN license but also at least 2 years of actual work experience in the position of an RN.
Becoming a CNA Instructor
In addition, you must be experienced in caring for elderly people. Most CNAs work in nursing homes or assisted living centers, which means that they need to be taught the correct way to care for this age group. For that reason, most states require CNA instructors to carry at least 1 year of experience in caring for the elderly.
The next thing you’ll need to do is pass a CNA Instructor training course. All CNAs are required to master the same skills in caring for patients, so some states have created their own CNA Instructor courses. When you’ve successfully completed this course, you’ll have the skills and knowledge needed to be a CNA instructor and become licensed.
Just like you have to be licensed to be employed as a CNA or an RN, you also must be licensed to become a CNA instructor. To obtain that license, you’ll need to submit an application to your state’s board of nursing. You’ll also need to include the amount of the licensing fee as well as proof of having met the state’s requirements in order to become licensed. In some states, you’ll need a background check as well as agree to be fingerprinted.
It may all sound like quite a bit of work to go through, but once you’ve done it and come out on the other side, you’ll find that you’ve entered into another rewarding aspect of working in the healthcare field.