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Introduction to Becoming a CNA

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Introduction to Becoming a CNA

This course is part of Exploring the Role of the Certified Nursing Assistant Specialization

Instructor: Melissa Mills

2,347 already enrolled

Included with

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5 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

14 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

6 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

5 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

14 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

6 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Explore essential CNA responsibilities, including vital signs monitoring, personal care assistance, infection control, and body mechanics.
Discover rehabilitative and restorative care principles that help people maintain independence through Activities of Daily Living.
Evaluate your qualities for CNA work and begin creating a personalized plan for pursuing nursing assistant training in your community.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

4 assignments

Taught in English

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Exploring the Role of the Certified Nursing Assistant Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 5 modules in this course

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.

Welcome to CNA Foundations! In this opening module, you'll discover the critical role Certified Nursing Assistants play within healthcare teams and explore what CNA training programs look like—helping you think about which path might fit your learning style and career goals. We'll also cover everything you need to know to get the most out of this course and set yourself up for success.

What's included

13 videos6 readings1 assignment

13 videos Total 50 minutes

Nurse Spotlight: Welcome to the Course 3 minutes
The Residents 3 minutes
Nurse Spotlight: Understanding the CNA Role and Training Programs 2 minutes
Nurse Spotlight: What is a CNA? 4 minutes
Nurse Spotlight: Do You Have What it Takes? 4 minutes
In-Focus: Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant 3 minutes
Exploring CNA Training Programs 5 minutes
In-Focus: CNA's Roles and Responsibilities 7 minutes
In Focus: An Exceptional Caregiver 5 minutes
In-Focus: Being a Professional 8 minutes
Close Up: The Healthcare Team 2 minutes
Close Up: You are Critical to Patients, Families, and Healthcare 2 minutes
In Focus: Defining Excellent Healthcare 2 minutes

6 readings Total 17 minutes

Welcome to Your CNA Career Exploration 2 minutes
Key Terms to Know 3 minutes
Benefits of the CNA Role 3 minutes
Challenges of the CNA Role 3 minutes
CNA Top Qualities Inventory 3 minutes
Understanding the Healthcare Industry 3 minutes

1 assignment Total 10 minutes

Understanding the Role of the CNA 10 minutes

In this module, you'll explore rehabilitative and restorative care—the approach that helps people regain independence after injury or illness. You'll meet Lily, a young woman who is involved in a car accident and follow her inspiring journey through rehabilitation, witnessing firsthand how CNAs support recovery every step of the way.

What's included

3 videos4 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt

3 videos Total 20 minutes

Nurse Spotlight: Introduction to Understanding Rehab & Restorative Care 5 minutes
28 Minutes to the Top 11 minutes
Close Up: What is Rehabilitative Care and Why Is it Important? 4 minutes

4 readings Total 12 minutes

Key Terms to Know 3 minutes
Rehab in Action: Therapies and Treatments 3 minutes
Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (ADLs/IADLs) 3 minutes
Getting People Back on Their Feet: Rehab and Restorative Care 3 minutes

1 assignment Total 10 minutes

Quiz: Rehabilitative and Restorative Care 10 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 3 minutes

Rehabilitative Care 3 minutes

In this module, you'll explore some of the most essential tasks CNAs perform every day—from monitoring vital signs to providing personal care assistance. You'll also discover how care plans work and why they're critical tools that guide everything nursing assistants do to ensure consistent, quality patient care.

What's included

25 videos4 readings1 assignment

25 videos Total 152 minutes

Nurse Spotlight: Introduction to Vital Signs & Personal Care 3 minutes
Close Up - Introduction to Vital Signs 1 minute
In Focus: Introduction to Vital Signs 5 minutes
In Focus: Temperature 10 minutes
Pulse 7 minutes
Respiration 4 minutes
In-Focus: Blood Pressure 9 minutes
Episode 3: The Exam 1 minute
Episode 4: Introductions 2 minutes
In Focus: Care Plan 5 minutes
In Focus: Wounds 9 minutes
Episode 5: Observe and Report 2 minutes
In-Focus: Signs of Infections in Wounds 5 minutes
In Focus: Introduction to Infection Control 7 minutes
Episode: Stuck in Traction 2 minutes
In Focus: Groom in Your Room 8 minutes
In Focus: Bed Baths 10 minutes
In Focus: Nail Care 5 minutes
In Focus: Changing Bed Linens 7 minutes
In Focus: Making an Occupied Bed 3 minutes
In-Focus: Assisting with a Bath or a Shower 10 minutes
In Focus: Care of Bodily Functions - Bowel Elimination 12 minutes
In Focus: Perineal Care 5 minutes
In Focus: Catheter Care 5 minutes
New Video 15 minutes

4 readings Total 12 minutes

Key Terms to Know 3 minutes
Vital Signs Explained 3 minutes
Care Planning & the Nursing Process 3 minutes
More Than Just a Clean Face 3 minutes

1 assignment Total 10 minutes

Vital Signs & Personal Care 10 minutes

Ready to master one of the most physical aspects of CNA work? This module teaches you proper body mechanics for safe patient transfers and positioning. You'll also discover how range of motion exercises support rehabilitation and help people preserve their strength and mobility.

What's included

8 videos2 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt

8 videos Total 45 minutes

Nurse Spotlight: Introduction to Movement and Range of Motion 3 minutes
In Focus: Range of Motion Exercises 7 minutes
In Focus: Positioning Residents in Bed 5 minutes
In-Focus: Repositioning a Person in a Chair 3 minutes
In Focus: Basic Transfers 12 minutes
In Focus: Wheelchairs, Walkers, and Crutches 6 minutes
Close Up: Body Mechanics 2 minutes
Episode 7: The Long Road Back 5 minutes

2 readings Total 6 minutes

Key Terms to Know 3 minutes
Transfers: A Moving Experience 3 minutes

1 assignment Total 10 minutes

Bed to Chair and Beyond: Mastering Mobility 10 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 3 minutes

Rehabilitative Care 3 minutes

Ready to turn exploration into action? In this module, you'll research and compare actual CNA training programs available in your state or region. This project helps you evaluate which programs might be the best fit for your needs and goals, creating a clear pathway forward if you choose to become a certified nursing assistant.

What's included

1 ungraded lab

Earn a career certificate

Add this credential to your LinkedIn profile, resume, or CV. Share it on social media and in your performance review.

Instructor

Instructor ratings

(5 ratings)

Melissa Mills

Cinematic Health

3 Courses 2,539 learners

Offered by

Cinematic Health

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Reviewed on Aug 30, 2025

this course helps me to learn things that I forget things it's a refreshing class.

Reviewed on Jan 28, 2026

The course helped me understand what it entails to become a CNA

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Frequently asked questions

No. This is a career exploration course, not a state-approved CNA certification program. While you'll learn about nursing assistant responsibilities, patient care skills, and healthcare settings, this course does not replace the hands-on clinical training and classroom hours required for CNA certification. To become a certified nursing assistant, you must complete a state-approved CNA training program that includes supervised clinical practice and pass your state's certification exam. This course helps you understand the CNA role and guides you in researching local training programs as part of your personalized career plan.

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.