Become a part of the healthcare team

 

Covenant C.N.A School

2470 Windy Hill Rd SE Suite 445

Marietta, GA 30067

Comprehensive Training

Covenant School offers a comprehensive program that covers all essential aspects of patient care, ensuring you have the knowledge and skills to excel in your role as a Certified Nursing Assistant.

Our address is 2470 Windy Hill Rd SE Suite 445, Marietta, GA 30067. The CNA class is on Saturday and Sunday and runs on weekends from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm for 5 weeks. The next CNA starts on class July 29,2023.

For more information visit our website www.covenantcna.com or call 770-315-7430

C.P.R. and Y.O.U.

 October 24.2018

Call Today 770-573-0370

 Do you have to have your CPR certification to take the state CNA test? No. CPR (also known as Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) certification is not required for the CNA test – but there may be questions on the written exam that deal with emergency care. Getting your certification in CPR and First Aid can provide the knowledge that makes these questions easier to answer.

 However, most employers DO require CPR and First Aid certification before you can begin work.  In most healthcare facilities, everyone who works with patients must be familiar with emergency procedures. That’s because there is no way to know when a patient is going to have a medical emergency – and there are not always nurses hanging around when that happens. If there is a nurse in the area, the nurse will handle the emergency. But if not, handling the emergency will be up to you until a nurse or other medical professional arrives.

 Whoever you choose as a CPR and First Aid instructor, make sure all your questions are answered before you leave and that you are comfortable with your skill level. The worst time to figure out that you had a crappy CPR instructor is when there is a dead body at your feet and you need to know what to do about it!

What Other Jobs Can You Do With a CNA Certification?

October 24, 2018

Call Today 770-573-0370

Many people love being a CNA and view it as a goal unto itself. But others get their CNA as a stepping stone, the first rung on the ladder of healthcare success. Starting with your CNA certification gives you valuable experience, helps you get to work quickly, and allows you to understand healthcare from various backgrounds. These are invaluable benefits as you progress in the healthcare field.

So what other jobs can you do with a CNA certification? Most other jobs will require additional training or certification, but your employer may be willing to help cover tuition and other education costs. If you want to move up the healthcare profession ladder, consider these other jobs you can do with a CNA certification.

From CNA to LVN or CNA to LPN

Did you know that the biggest difference between an LVN and an LPN is the name? LVN is the term used in California and Texas, while LPN is the term used in the rest of the United States. LPNs work under the direction of RNs and doctors. They are more involved in the medical care of their patients than CNAs. As an LVN or LPN, you will be responsible for injections, dressings, vital signs, monitoring patients, and managing CNAs. LVNs and LPNs make between $24,000-48,000 per year and must complete a state-certified program and pass the NCLEX-PN, the licensing exam.

From CNA to RN

Many CNAs use the LVN or LPN position as a stepping stone between CNA and RN; others go straight back to school to become an RN. RNs work in all areas of healthcare, addressing the medical needs of a wide array of patients. They administer medication, keep records, monitor patients, and educate patients and families. The average RN in the US makes $67,930 per year. They must complete additional schoolwork and pass the licensing exam, the NCLEX-RN.

From CNA to Healthcare Management

Once you have attained your RN, you will be able to become a nurse manager. If you don’t get your RN, you could consider gaining additional education to become a nursing home administrator or geriatric care manager. Both of these positions are licensed and have different education requirements depending on your state. Working in management requires less direct care of patients, but it does require excellent leadership skills and an ability to manage workflow for multiple people.
Regardless of the path you choose to take, a taking a CNA program

and getting your certification is a great way to start gaining experience in the healthcare field quickly. Another benefit of starting as a CNA is that you can make sure that healthcare is really what you want to do before investing years of time and money into a lengthy education process.

CNA in a Hospital vs. Nursing Home

 

ByCovenant CNA School
On October 24,2018

There are a lot of places you can work as a CNA. Most CNA's start out working in nursing homes because there are so many readily available jobs. Many go on to work at hospitals or start out there. What’s the difference between working as a CNA in a hospital vs. nursing home? Read on to learn more.

Working as a CNA in a Nursing Home

Most CNAs start their work in a nursing home or other long term care facility. These jobs are demanding, but they are a great way to gain experience. Many CNAs start in these facilities planning to move to the hospital setting, but then find they enjoy working with the same patients daily. Nursing home care varies from facility to facility, but CNAs tend to be worked pretty hard in this environment. You will likely be responsible for anywhere from 12-24 patients.

What Does a CNA Do in a Hospital Setting?

CNA jobs in hospitals can be difficult to find unless you know someone, have built up some experience, or have taken the time to volunteer at the hospital. They tend to be a little slower paced than nursing home jobs, and while you may have a lot of patients at once, you will usually have more help than you would in a nursing home. But there are some unique challenges in the hospital setting, as well. As a hospital CNA, you will see different patients every day.

The turnover means that your daily schedule and to do list changes every day. Your hospital may also require additional training so that you can complete additional medical tasks like help with EKGs.
Did you know that CNAs can work in many hospital positions that may not even have CNA in the job title? Find out about the other jobs you can do with your CNA.

CNA Salary Hospital vs. Nursing Home

One of the reasons that hospital CNA jobs are so highly sought after is because they tend to pay better than nursing home jobs. According to Salary.com, the average CNA (who works in a hospital or similar setting) earns $31,487 per year. They also have access to hospital benefits which tend to be some of the best available to workers. On the other hand, the average nursing home CNA earns $26,354 per year. While they do have access to benefits, they may not be as extraordinary as hospital benefits packages.

CALL TODAY 770-573-0370

3 Ways to Advance Your Career as a CNA

By Covenant CNA School
On October 24, 2018

Congratulations! You’ve been hired as a CNA; now it’s time to show your new job your skills. Read on to learn 3 ways to advance your career as a CNA. With these tips, you’ll be climbing the ladder towards your goals.

Be Professional

Some healthcare facilities can vary in levels of professionalism, especially smaller offices. Never settle for unprofessional behavior. Dress and act according to the job you want to have, not just the job you have. You should always be courteous to coworkers and supervisors, even when you disagree. You should know what you are supposed to be doing and execute your tasks to the best of your ability. If you have questions, ask for help. Leave slang conversations, unkempt appearances, and drama at home. When you’re at work, be the best version of yourself, and you will find plenty of opportunities for advancement.

Be Dependable

Ask anyone in management what their hardest job is, and they will all tell you the same thing: finding reliable help. Show up when you are supposed to show up, and be ready to work when you get there. If you must miss work for illness or emergency, contact your supervisor as soon as possible so he or she can cover your duties. Showing up really is half the battle, but be dependable once you’re there, and supervisors will take notice. Be flexible and reliable in your execution of tasks, and you will do well.

Keep Learning

One of the most important aspects of advancing your career as a CNA is to continue learning while you work. The healthcare industry is changing dramatically, and those who take the time to stay current with best practices, emerging technologies, and new forms of care will have an advantage over their peers when it comes to advancement opportunities.

Enroll to Become a CNA Call 770-573-0370

Nurse Assistant Training - Covenant CNA School

Call Today  770-573-0370

3 Effective Time

Management Tips for CNAs

By Covenant CNA School

On October 17, 2018

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) have a lot of tasks to keep up with. The duties of a CNA are varied, and because each patient’s needs and abilities are unique, it can be a challenge to stay on track throughout your shift. Whether you are working in a hostipal or working the night shift at a nursing home, these 3 effective time management tips for CNAs should help.

Schedule Your Day

First thing’s first; you have to have a plan. Every shift will be a little different, but you need to familiarize yourself with your patients’ situations as soon as you clock in. Ask the CNA handing off your patients or look at their charts to see how everyone is doing. Prioritize your patients according to their needs. If you have just 30 minutes before breakfast, it may be better to get the half of your patients who are able to dress themselves up so they can start their day rather than spending your time with one patient. You know your patients best, and every situation will be different. The important thing is to plan it out before you start so you can maximize your time usage.

Write Things Down

A lot of new CNAs are easily frazzled. They see that Patient A has dirty fingernails on their way to take Patient B his medicine. It’s easy to let the little things you notice interrupt your schedule for the day, but don’t let them. Instead, carry a small notebook with you and add any little tasks you think of to your list of things to do. Then cross them off at a time that makes sense - like when you are helping Patient A to the bathroom.

Double Check Your Supplies

How often have you walked into a patient’s room to help him or her with a task only to realize you are missing something you need. New CNAs may enter and exit a room 3-5 times before finally having everything in place. If you need a list to help you remember what you need, make one. Then, gather everything together before you enter the patient’s room. Some CNAs even place all of their supplies for a round before they start the round to make sure they have them on hand when they need to.
BONUS: Moving fast is important, but doing things correctly is even more important. Always maintain good posture when working, and never put yourself in danger to complete a task. Ask for help when you need it. Do things correctly and speed will come.

CNAs are a crucial part of the healthcare system, and they make a positive impact on patients daily. Think it’s the right career for you?

What Can Covenant CNA School Career Services Do For You?

Getting an education is crucial to your success in the healthcare field, but what do you do after you’ve passed all the classes and all the exams? At Covenant CNA School , we provide extensive career services for all of our graduates. Read on to learn what Covenant CNA School  career services can do for you.

Placement Advisement

One of the greatest things our career services provide for students is placement advisement. These services are available to all of our graduates without additional cost. We will help you navigate the tricky post-graduation job search and assist you in locating career opportunities in the medical field.

Presentation & Networking

We have relationships with numerous healthcare employers and regularly present our graduates as potential career professionals to our contacts. Many of our students have gone on to work for these employers. We also maintain active alumni networks to help graduates connect with one another.

Career Counseling

Healthcare jobs are abundant and depending on your chosen field, you will likely have many options for placement after graduation. But how do you decide where you want to work? Would you be better in a fast-paced emergency room or a steady lab setting? We will help you assess your competencies, strengths, and career expectations to determine where would be the best fit for you.

Improve Self-Image

Searching for your first job after graduating can be intimidating. We will help you develop a positive self-image and competency so you feel prepared for the search ahead. We can’t do the interview for you, but we can prepare you to make a stellar first impression.

For more information visit Covenant CNA School at www.covenantcna.com

Why Switch to a Medical Career?

When asked what you wanted to be when you grew up, your current job is not what you had in mind. It’s time for a change, so why switch to a medical career?

Switch to a Medical Career for Job Security

Technology is changing everything, and many jobs are at risk. Automation has replaced jobs across almost every industry, but healthcare is still in high demand - and there’s a significant shortage of trained hands to fill the gap. Technology has contributed to a number of advances in the healthcare industry, but the human touch is integral to healing. As long as there are people, there will be a need for doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals to help them maintain their health. As the aging population grows, more and more caregivers will be needed to meet their needs, which means now is a perfect time to switch to a medical career.

Switch to a Medical Career to Help People

If you want to make the world a better place through your job, switching to a medical career may be the answer. Medical careers are not easy, but they are fulfilling. Depending on your role and the day, you may encounter patients who are dealing with trauma, families who are grieving, or parents celebrating a new life. No matter what role you play in the healthcare field, your actions are directly responsible for improving lives - on their best days and their worst.

Switch to a Medical Career & Start Quickly

You don’t have to spend a decade in school to switch to a medical career - unless you want to be a doctor. There are plenty of career options available that can have you helping people in less than a year. You can become a Certified Nursing Assistant, EKG Technician, Patient Care Technician, or Phlebotomy Technician.

Stop waiting to change your life. If you are ready to switch to a medical career, check out the Covenant CNA School at www.covenantcna.com.

Tips for Balancing School and Life

Going to school is like a full time job, and if you already have a job and/or family responsibilities, you probably need a little help juggling it all. We’ve got some tips for balancing school and life that should help keep you from feeling overwhelmed.

Take Care of Yourself

This may seem counter intuitive, but the most important thing you can do to keep up with your responsibilities is to take some time for yourself. Get enough sleep. Relax. Eat well. These things are imperative to keeping yourself healthy, a necessary precaution if you want to minimize downtime. Don’t neglect yourself because you are too busy or your body will rebel, leaving you unable to do anything until you rest sufficiently.

Get Organized

If you are super busy, you might know all about making lists, but how organized are you really? Do you have a physical planner, a Google calendar, and a whole bunch of stuff swimming in your head? Stop spreading it all out. Compile all of your important dates and information in one place. Whether you go digital or physical is a matter of preference, but whichever you choose, it should be with you at all times.

Plan Your Meals

Figuring out what you are going to eat (or what to feed the kids) takes its mental toll and plenty of time each day. Stop stressing about it every day and plan your meals out weekly or monthly. Take things a step further and make your meals ahead each week by bulk prepping lunches and breakfasts and making freezer meals. When you’re balancing school and life, minimizing the time you spend thinking about and preparing meals is a great way to make more time for yourself.

Put First Things First

The key to balancing school and life is knowing what your priorities are. Your job is important because it pays the bills, and your education is preparing you to pay the bills well into the future. Your family means the world to you, and you just feel like you don’t have enough time. 

With each day comes an endless list of choices, and it can be overwhelming to know you can’t do it all. You are only one person. Prioritize to the best of your ability, and remember that sometimes you will drop the ball. As long as you are doing the most important things on your list each day, you will be advancing towards your goals.

We know that balancing school and life is a challenge which is why we offer flexible classes  to meet a wide variety of schedules.

For more information on Covenant CNA School visit us at www.covenantcna.com

Top 3 Reasons To Become a CNA

 


“You can be anything you want to be,” was reassuring as a kid. Now, you’re overwhelmed by all the options. If you think you want to become a CNA, you’re probably asking yourself a ton of questions. How long will it take to become a CNA? How much money will I make as a CNA? Will I be happy as a CNA? Turns out that the answers to these questions are the top 3 reasons to become a CNA. Read on to find the motivation to get started on your new career path.

How Long Does It Take To Become a CNA?

You’re busy, and you don’t want to spend a ton of time in school - or end up saddled with the debt that comes with a long period of training. The good news is that it probably doesn’t take as long as you think to become a CNA. The training program for becoming a CNA includes in-class learning and hands-on clinical experience. When you finish the training program, you will need to pass your certification exam. That sounds like a lot, but it’s not uncommon for a student to complete training and become a CNA in as little as 1 months!

How Much Money Will I Make As a CNA?

Even though becoming a CNA doesn’t require a degree or extensive training, it is a specialized career. Not only that, but it is in the healthcare field which is always in demand and currently growing. The median income for a new CNA in the US is over $24,000. If you live in urban areas, you can earn as much as $29,000 starting out. With additional experience and training, you can earn even more. Job stability as a CNA is also an incredible perk. As our population ages, more CNAs will be required to care for people so you can rest assured that you will always be able to find a job.

Will I Be Happy As a CNA?

Sometimes people choose a career just for the money, but it’s important to decide whether or not you will actually enjoy a job before you choose that career path. Being a CNA is not right for everyone, but if you enjoy helping people, there’s no job that would be more rewarding. You will be helping patients individually on a daily basis. You will encounter difficult people and situations that aren’t for the fainthearted, but you will have the opportunity to care for people when they are at their worst. If you want to make a difference, you will be happy as a CNA.

If you want to become a CNA, we can help. Learn more about Covenant CNA School at www.covenantcna.com and get started on your new career in the healthcare industry today!

The life of a Certified Nursing Assistant

A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), each day on the job will bring new challenges.Working as a CNA usually entails working twelve hour shifts; although some nurses work eight hour shifts. Each shift will have different responsibilities, but many tasks will be the same.If you are considering becoming a CNA, the following information will give you an idea of what a typical day is like in an acute care setting.  

 

When you arrive at work, you will begin your day by receiving your assignment and a pass on giving you information about the patients you will be working with.You may get this information directly from another Certified Nursing Assistant, or you may be part of the overall nursing report.

Once you have received your pass on, your first responsibility  will be to take and record vital signs on patients and to assist with serving either breakfast lunch or dinner.In many cases, you will need to record how much and what a patient ate at meal time.Depending on where you work, you may record vital signs directly into the patient’s chart, or you may just write them down for the nurse to review and add to the chart.You will probably record the intake and output of fluids by the patient, and record that information on a chart that is kept in the room.  While serving meals, you will often be responsible for ensuring the patient gets correct meal items including special diets. 

In many facilities, and particularly in an acute care setting, the bed linens are changed every day.The CNA will be responsible for completing this task to help the patient stay healthy.The CNA will also assist the patient with taking a bath, shaving, oral care, and any other personal hygiene needs the patient may have.

In most cases, the nurse will be responsible for giving medications or providing ordered treatments and performing assessments.The nurse will also help the Certified Nursing Assistant with any duties that require a second person.However, since the CNA often spends far more time with individual patients than anyone else. in the CNA plays a vital role in keeping other medical staff informed of changes in the patient’s condition.The information provided by the CNA can often prevent the patient from developing more serious conditions or complications. 

Regardless of the facility you work at, your services will make your patient’s life easier and more comfortable as he or she recovers.

If you want to become a CNA, we can help. Visit www.covenantcna.com and get started on your new career path today!

Stop Losing CNA's invest in them.

 

 

You lose another nursing assistant.   What happens next?

• Overextended co-workers.
• Lost productivity.
• Reduced quality of care.
• Increased costs.

Your organization scrambles to find another nursing assistants but in the meantime, your existing employees are working overtime and residents /patients care is suffering.  You know something needs to be done to prevent this from happening.  But what?

The key is to invest in your nursing assistants. As front line caregivers, they deserve to feel valued, respected, and needed.

What can you do?

• Provide an extensive  orientation.
• Encourage positive CNA/Nurse relationships.
• Implement a mentorship program.
• Extend your budget to allow for small raises.

If you want to become a CNA, we can help. Visit www.covenantcna.com and get started on your new career path today!

Georgia Certified Nursing Aides Shortage: Dilemma

 

There’s a problem in Georgia. There are currently thousands of Certified Nursing Aides vacancies for direct care patient/resident care. With the booming economy and low unemployment rate, there are fewer applicants for these positions.   

 

Why?  ”Because direct care is tough work that isn’t rewarded with the pay, benefits and training deserved.”This dilemma extends far beyond Georgia. In fact, nurse aide turnover is high across the nation. Employers are finding that their existing caregivers are burnt out…and they no longer have potential employees lining up at their doors.  

 

Unless something changes, this dire situation will go from bad to worse as the need for direct care workers is only expected to increase.

 

What can be done to help?

• Start by employers changing your  mindset about CNA's.
  • Pay a livable wage.
  • Provide a comprehensive orientation.
  • Implement a mentor ship program to assist direct care workers when help is needed.
  • Insist upon ongoing  quality continuing education to boost confidence.

• Treat nurse aides like valued members of the healthcare team.
  • Encourage them to share their opinions and suggestions about client care.
  • Involve them in problem solving to encourage critical thinking.
  • Recognize their achievements and praise hard work.

Give CNA's the respect they deserve.