Certified Nursing Assistant Course

Lesson 1 • Healthcare Team and Communication

Maps interdisciplinary team roles and establishes effective reporting habits. Students practise structured verbal and written communication used daily on the floor.

Lesson 2 • Legal and Ethical Principles

Covers patient rights, confidentiality, and mandatory reporting obligations. Provides the ethical framework that governs every clinical decision a CNA makes.

Lesson 3 • Professionalism and Work Ethics

Addresses attendance, appearance, attitude, and boundary maintenance. Connects professional conduct to patient safety and facility accreditation standards.

Lesson 1 • Isolation Precautions and Procedures

Covers standard, contact, droplet, and airborne precaution categories and room setup. Students learn to implement and discontinue precautions per facility protocol.

Lesson 2 • Hand Hygiene and PPE Use

Teaches correct handwashing technique and proper PPE donning and doffing sequences. These skills are the primary defence against cross-contamination in all care settings.

Lesson 3 • Body Mechanics and Ergonomic Safety

Teaches correct lifting posture and movement techniques to protect both CNA and patient. Proper body mechanics reduce musculoskeletal injury, the leading CNA occupational hazard.

Lesson 4 • Chain of Infection and Transmission

Explains how pathogens spread through the six links of the infection chain. Understanding transmission modes is prerequisite to selecting correct precaution levels.

Lesson 1 • Common Conditions CNAs Encounter

Introduces frequently seen diagnoses and their care implications for the CNA role. Recognising condition-related symptoms guides appropriate observation and reporting.

Lesson 2 • Anatomical Positions and Directional Terms

Establishes standard anatomical reference language used in positioning and documentation. Correct directional terminology ensures precise communication about patient placement.

Lesson 3 • Body Systems Overview for CNAs

Surveys major body systems with emphasis on functions relevant to daily care tasks. Connects anatomy to observable patient changes a CNA must report.

Lesson 1 • Documenting and Reporting Vital Signs

Establishes correct charting formats and escalation thresholds for abnormal findings. Timely, accurate documentation is a legal and patient safety requirement.

Lesson 2 • Blood Pressure Measurement

Instructs manual sphygmomanometer technique and automated cuff use with error prevention. Accurate BP readings directly influence medication and treatment decisions.

Lesson 3 • Pulse and Respiration Assessment

Teaches radial pulse palpation, apical pulse auscultation, and respiratory rate counting. Rhythm and depth observations are equally important as numeric values.

Lesson 4 • Temperature Measurement Techniques

Covers oral, axillary, tympanic, and rectal routes with correct equipment use. Route selection and accurate reading are foundational to detecting fever or hypothermia.

Lesson 1 • Positioning Patients in Bed

Covers Fowler's, supine, lateral, prone, and Sims' positions with pressure injury prevention. Correct positioning maintains circulation, airway, and musculoskeletal alignment.

Lesson 2 • Mechanical Lift Operation

Covers full-body and sit-to-stand lift setup, sling selection, and safe operation sequence. Mechanical lifts are mandatory for patients who cannot bear weight safely.

Lesson 3 • Ambulation Assistance and Fall Response

Teaches gait belt-assisted walking, assistive device use, and controlled fall technique. Students also practise post-fall response and documentation procedures.

Lesson 4 • Bed-to-Chair and Chair-to-Bed Transfers

Instructs pivot transfer, stand-and-pivot, and sit-to-stand techniques with gait belt application. Transfer safety depends on patient weight-bearing status and correct assistant positioning.

Lesson 1 • Dressing and Undressing Assistance

Teaches sequencing for dressing patients with weakness, paralysis, or IV lines. Correct technique prevents injury and supports patient autonomy and self-esteem.

Lesson 2 • Hair, Nail, and Shaving Care

Addresses hair washing, combing, nail trimming limitations, and safe shaving procedures. Cultural preferences and facility policies guide individualised grooming assistance.

Lesson 3 • Toileting, Continence, and Elimination Care

Covers bedpan, urinal, commode, and incontinence pad use with dignity-centred technique. Proper elimination care prevents skin breakdown and urinary tract infections.

Lesson 4 • Oral Hygiene and Denture Care

Teaches toothbrushing, flossing, and denture cleaning for conscious and unconscious patients. Oral hygiene prevents aspiration pneumonia and maintains patient comfort.

Lesson 1 • Enteral Feeding Awareness and Output Tracking

Introduces CNA responsibilities related to tube feeding observation and output measurement. Students learn to identify complications and report findings without manipulating feeding equipment.

Lesson 2 • Fluid Intake and Hydration Monitoring

Covers fluid restriction and encouragement orders, intake measurement, and dehydration signs. Accurate fluid tracking is a critical CNA documentation responsibility.

Lesson 3 • Dysphagia Awareness and Aspiration Prevention

Identifies swallowing difficulty signs and precautions required for at-risk patients. Aspiration pneumonia is a preventable complication directly linked to CNA feeding technique.

Lesson 4 • Oral Feeding Assistance Techniques

Teaches meal setup, pacing, cueing, and adaptive equipment use for patients needing assistance. Dignity-centred feeding preserves patient autonomy and reduces mealtime anxiety.

Lesson 1 • Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Care

Teaches behavioural approaches, redirection, and safe environment strategies for cognitively impaired patients. Person-centred dementia care reduces agitation and improves cooperation with ADLs.

Lesson 2 • Paediatric and Maternal Patient Considerations

Highlights developmental stage differences and family-centred care principles for younger patients. CNA interactions with children and new mothers require age-appropriate communication and technique.

Lesson 3 • Restorative Nursing Principles

Defines restorative care goals, the CNA's role in rehabilitation teams, and independence-promoting techniques. Restorative approaches reduce functional decline and rehospitalisation rates.

Lesson 4 • End-of-Life Care and Postmortem Procedures

Covers comfort-focused care, signs of approaching death, and postmortem body care procedures. CNAs provide compassionate presence and physical care during the dying process and after death.