CNA Certification in Maine
Willing to make a significant difference to your life? The Labor department of Maine has reported more than a thousand CNA job openings in the State of Maine, which are expected to increase significantly in the coming years. Who are Certified Nursing Assistants? CNAs are medical paraprofessionals working in any healthcare facility like nursing homes, hospitals or adult care units. What does it take to get CNA certification in Maine? You must first enroll into a CNA certificate/training program that is authorized by the Maine Health Department. Upon the completion of this CNA training program you must challenge the state competency examination within 24 months of the CNA program completion. This exam consists of two portions: written portion that tests your knowledge from the class lectures while the skill performance portion tests you on the five nursing skills learnt in the CNA program. After obtaining a passing score in this exam, your name gets placed on the Maine Certified Nurse Aide Registry permitting you to work in any healthcare facility throughout the Maine. The Maine Department of Human and Health Services, Division of Licensing and Regulatory Services maintain the Maine CNA registry.
What does a CNA certificate program in Maine offers? Every CNA program in Maine must consist of at least 180 hours of total instruction constituting both the clinical and classroom components. The total instruction hours are divided into 90 hours of classroom instruction, 70 hours of hands-on-clinical, supervised experience and the rest 20 hours dedicated to clinical work experience. CNA training is often offered at licensed nursing homes and private schools, community colleges, high schools, licensed long term care units or skilled care units. To get CNA certified in Maine, you must undergo a criminal background check, fingerprint live scan, be proficient in English, at least have a 9th level education ( while a high school or GED diploma is preferred) and proof of immunizations will also be required. Interested candidates must be of at least 16 years of age.
A median annual salary of a CNA working in Maine is around $22,000 to $26,000 and there is a projected job growth of 7.7% for CNA positions through 2016 as reported by the Maine Department of Labor. Based on these data, it is a wise decision to join this profession for a perfect start to your career in the field of healthcare.