Exploring the Role of the Certified Nursing Assistant

Cinematic Health via Coursera Specialization

Go to class Write review

Details

Go to class

Provider

Coursera Specialization
Pricing

Paid Course
Languages

English
Certificate

Certificate Available
Duration & workload

4 weeks, 4 hours a week

Found in

Overview

Coursera Flash Sale

40% Off Coursera Plus for 3 Months!

Grab it

Discover whether a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) career is right for you by exploring what nursing assistants do in healthcare settings daily. This CNA career exploration specialization covers patient care responsibilities, from vital signs and personal care to working with people with dementia, chronic conditions, and developmental disabilities. You'll evaluate your fit for nursing assistant work, understand CNA job demands and rewards, and create a personalized plan for pursuing CNA certification training programs.

Syllabus

Course 1: Introduction to Becoming a CNA
Course 2: Job Demand, Essential Technical Skills, & Dementia Care
Course 3: Essential Soft Skills & Special Patient Populations

Courses

0 reviews
5 hours 26 minutes
View details

Master the interpersonal skills and therapeutic communication techniques that transform good caregivers into exceptional CNAs. This course uses cinematic storytelling to explore complex patient relationships and the professional competencies essential for working with special populations, including people with mental illness and developmental disabilities. Through the stories of Helen, Michelle, and their families, you'll develop critical soft skills including active listening, empathy, cultural competency, problem-solving, and time management. You'll learn trauma-informed care approaches, de-escalation techniques for challenging behaviors, and how to recognize and report signs of abuse and neglect. The course addresses sensitive topics like working with people experiencing depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts, as well as understanding unconscious bias and discrimination in healthcare settings. What makes this course unique is our immersive approach to navigating difficult conversations and ethical dilemmas. You'll witness realistic scenarios showing therapeutic communication in action, boundary-setting with combative residents, and supporting people who have experienced trauma. You'll also explore teamwork, professionalism, and flexibility as core CNA competencies. By the end of this course, you'll complete your personalized CNA career plan and understand the full scope of professional nursing assistant practice.
0 reviews
6 hours 29 minutes
View details

Discover what Certified Nursing Assistants do every day through an engaging, story-driven learning experience. This course introduces you to essential CNA responsibilities using cinematic storytelling and real-world scenarios that bring caregiving to life. You'll explore fundamental clinical skills, including monitoring vital signs (temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure), providing personal care assistance (bathing, grooming, toileting), and supporting patient mobility through proper body mechanics and transfers. Through the stories of Lily and other patients, you'll understand the principles of rehabilitative and restorative care that help people maintain independence and quality of life. What makes this course unique is our immersive storytelling approach. Rather than lectures alone, you'll follow realistic patient scenarios that demonstrate how CNAs observe and report changes, implement care plans, practice infection control, and collaborate with healthcare teams. You'll also assess your own qualities against CNA demands and explore the benefits and challenges of this rewarding career path. By the end of this course, you'll understand the critical role CNAs play in healthcare settings and create the first part of your personalized plan for pursuing nursing assistant training in your community.
0 reviews
6 hours 30 minutes
View details

Build specialized care skills through compelling story-driven scenarios featuring real healthcare challenges. This course uses cinematic storytelling to immerse you in the advanced responsibilities of CNA work, helping you understand what it takes to care for people with complex medical conditions. You'll explore care techniques for people with respiratory and cardiovascular problems, diabetes and obesity, and various stages of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Through the stories of Frank, Stuart, and Martha, you'll learn essential skills, including oxygen therapy assistance, specimen collection, diabetic foot care, and communication strategies for people experiencing cognitive changes. You'll also examine critical topics like infection control, end-of-life care, grief support, and legal and ethical responsibilities. What makes this course unique is our immersive approach to sensitive topics. Rather than abstract concepts, you'll witness realistic scenarios showing how CNAs navigate challenging situations—from managing behavioral changes and wandering to supporting families through hospice care. You'll develop the professional skills needed for therapeutic communication, cultural competency, and essential self-care techniques when working with diverse patient populations. By the end of this course, you'll understand the emotional and technical demands of specialized CNA work and continue building your personalized nursing assistant career plan.