Classes and Training

What does a CNA do?

A certified nursing assistant, better known as a CNA, is a healthcare professional who provides direct patient care. These people are sometimes referred to as patient care technicians, home health aides, or orderlies, but they all perform the same job.

Daily tasks that CNAs help patients perform include eating, bathing, getting dressed, moving around the living space and other basic activities. CNAs are also frequently responsible for keeping track of the patient's physical condition and any concerns that a patient may have.

Once a CNA has collected this information, he or she gives it to a nurse in charge.

These duties prepare a large number of CNAs to later become registered nurses. Becoming a CNA requires specialized training, as well as having active registration with the state in which the CNA intends to work.

What Registering CNAs Need

Special CNA classes are required for anyone who wants to register as a nursing aide. The basic academic coursework is just part of CNA training, however.

To become a nursing assistant, it's also necessary to receive hands-on training under a nurse or doctor's supervision. Different states have different requirements for the length and type of experience required, but it must occur in a hospital, nursing home or other medical establishment in most cases.

Finding CNA Programs

Attending the wide range of CNA classes available in most states can be difficult for people with other jobs. However, employer-supported CNA classes are available for people who already have healthcare jobs.

Individuals who are not eligible for CNA programs through an employer, can attend evening classes or choose online coursework as a good secondary choice.

It may be necessary to do extra research about your CNA classes if you decide that online or distant schools are your best option. This is because accreditation and certification standards vary by state.

Make sure that the program you pick is compatible with your state requirements. Every CNA program in the U.S. must provide 75 hours of academic and practical coursework or more.

Career Opportunities

It's true that nursing assistants can only progress so far in a CNA job. CNA salaries average between $21,000 and $29,000 per year, with some rare positions providing up to $40,000. Many CNAs advance their career by getting more education and becoming nurses or physician's assistants.

Increasing medical costs are now prompting many hospitals to use CNAs to do the work that once required a registered nurse. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the demand for CNAs is expected to grow by 20 percent by 2020, especially as more older people need nursing home care.

This increase in demand means that CNA training is a smart choice for anyone who is interested in a caregiving career.

Phases of an Effective Self-Defense Strategy and Training Program

By far, the greatest thing missing from most martial arts and safety programs focusing on self-defense is a structured and systemized outline that helps to keep the student on track with what he or she needs. Not to be confused with the step-by-step self-defense moves taught in the preset techniques or kata of different styles, or a curriculum that spells out what skills and techniques the student will be learning at what level, what I'm talking about is a formula or outline of the areas of action that make up a complete system for real-world self protection.

There are 8 phases, or elements, to a complete self defense strategy. Each element is important in making sure that you have as many options as possible for handling as many different threats and dangers as possible. But, each can be seen as a piece of an overall strategy that allows you the freedom, skill, and ability to control and predict the flow of a dangerous situation and, not only be able to handle it effectively if things get physical, but you'll also be able to:

1) Have many more options for attempting to de-escalate the situation through the use of non-physical self defense

2) Use effective cover, concealment, and escape techniques to avoid being targeted by an attacker, and...

3) Survive the post trauma and possible legal issues that may come up in the aftermath of a self defense situation

As I teach my serious students looking for self defense mastery, regardless of whether they are focused on traditional ninjutsu - the art of Ninja - or on modern, street fighting self-defense, the 8 Phases of an Effective Self-Defense Strategy and Training Program are:

1) General Awareness - awareness of and education about:

a. Danger exist in the world and CAN touch you b. The types of dangers that you are likely to encounter c. The environments where you are most at-risk

2) Situational Awareness - paying attention to and observing the elements and changes in:

a. Your surroundings (what weapons, obstacles, and dangers exist or are available to you?) b. The actions of others (who is acting suspiciously, out of character, or is being overtly threatening?) c. Your state and well-being (are you alert, healthy, and well or nervous, ill, distracted, or otherwise emotional unbalanced?)

3) Escaping to safety - awareness of and pre-planning to be able to:

a. Physically escape from a dangerous environment b. Hide or conceal yourself from a potential attacker c. Use barriers and other shields that will protect you from incoming gunfire, thrown objects or other weapon attacks

4) Psychological Distraction Tactics - confusing or otherwise distracting the attacker's attention from you as a target. You can do this through the use of:

a. Acting (like faking a heart-attack, etc.) b. Feigning Ignorance (like pretending that you didn't hear or understand his threats or orders) c. Using Humor (tell a joke or otherwise act as if the assailant is only playing around or that you're too easy of a target for him and not worth his effort)

5) Dissuasion Tactics - confronting the attacker with direct, committed, verbal and body language cues that both give him a last chance to change his mind, AND communicates very clearly that you will not be an easy target and will not allow him to continue with his attack without resistance.

6) Physical self defense - using the properly applied and appropriate skills to avoid, evade, and counter your assailant's attacks as outlined with the:

a. "5 D's" of Effective Self Defense Strategy b. 3 Keys to Effective Self Defense Action c. 3 Core Strategies for Effective Defensive Action

7) Regaining Composure and Control - effectively handling and neutralizing the effects of post-trauma stress so that you can acknowledge that your attacker gave you no choice but to take the actions that you did in Stage 5. Contrary to popular belief, as it is generally applied in the psychiatric and counseling worlds, this stage is actually practiced and prepared for long before self defense action is ever needed.

8) Defend Against Any Legal Issues - this is the stage that gives a logical, rational, strategic reason to have stages 2, 3, 4, & 5, and to use them if possible before being forced to resort to physical action at stage 6. While self defense is legal, you will have to show that you did everything in your power to avoid physical aggression if you are to really convince many members of the legal system, or even administrators at your place of work, that you are not a martial artist or student of self-defense because you "like" fighting.

I have found over the years that most schools and programs focus primarily on physical techniques. While they are necessary, the true warrior or professional expert understands that strategic thinking and having a goal other than the conventional idea of "winning" as seen in the competitive fighting styles, allows for a sense of control over situations that physical techniques alone cannot provide.

That's why I teach these 8 Phases of self-defense listed here. Each provides different options, but each level also adds techniques, tactics, and "intensity" to the defensive response not present in the previous levels. Having a complete understanding and control of this structured, 8-stage outline gives you a real sense of "mastery" and the ability to control and stop any assailant who would attack you.