There are many ways to get trained as a CNA. Some of these Nursing Assistant trainings are more hands on, effective, easy, and time consuming than others. An easy way for a potential CNA to get trained is through online courses. This like any other program has its pros and cons.
The positives about obtaining your CNA training online are many. For instance if you have a busy day life with kids, work, or ect. you may not have time to attend traditional classes because they require you to work around their schedule. With an online study course you have to keep up with your workload but when (meaning what time of day or which days) you study and work on these things can work around your busy schedule. You will still be required to have your tests or assignments completed by a deadline so you need to be aware of those and turn things in on time. However when you do those things in the week before they are due is completely up to you. This is good for people looking to change careers but still need to keep their job till they get CNA certified. Its also good for those who are stay at home moms looking to get training and still have time to watch their children in the day. This type of training is nice for many people who’s schedule needs flexibility.
Another positive of getting your CNA training online is that if you are not good with learning in a traditional classroom setting you may be a better learner online. Many people tend to drift off or tune things out when they are learning through a classroom or lecture. However, with an CNA training online course the student is free to learn at their own pace in their own way. You don’t have to ask questions in a classroom full of people and risk embarrassment if you didn’t get it the first time or on the opposite end you don’t have to spend hours going over something for someone else who hasn’t got it but you do. Also you are free to learn at your own pace without distractions.
Although there are many positives to learning online there are also a few negatives. First of all if you need trained on certain equipment this is impossibly with online training. You may see a picture of it but you will not learn with the actual equipment. Many courses reccomend volunteering at a hospital to get this hand’s on training. However this is often not a possibility because of one’s schedule which led them to seek online CNA training in the first place. However many people learn just fine without actually using the equipment but seeing it in a picture only.
Another Negative is you don’t have the hands on and instant feedback aspect that you get with traditional Nurses Assistant training. For instance you will not be able to take some one’s blood pressure and have the teacher explain what you are doing wrong if you can’t get it. Nor will you have the feedback from the mock patient you are taking a temperature of or other hands on things you will need to learn. This may not give you a real idea of what your actual job will be like. For instance what is it like to move someone from a wheelchair to a bed or ect. This may be alleviated by volunteering however. In some cases if there is another person in your home you can also practice these things on them if you can get your hand on some equipment you may need if any.
Many CNA online training programs require some clinical training. If this is the case then these negatives will be gone. Most of the hands on clinical training would be volunteer or able to work around your busy schedule.
With all these things in mind, online CNA training is a great way to go for many people. There are positives and negatives with any way you decide to get your CNA training. However, if you need a flexible schedule where you are free to work at your own pace then consider getting your CNA training online.
