In the world of healthcare, at the home of a resident or at a healthcare facility, few positions have such a well-deserved reputation for being an RN’s or LPN’s right hand as does a certified nursing assistant (CNA).
As a result, a CNA’s formal training in a fully accredited CNA program is an important prerequisite for employment by any home health care or health care agency. The overview below covers five of the better-recognized CNA programs, including their location, requirements, and whether they are online or on-campus.
1. Preferred College of Nursing – Los Angeles, California
Requirements: A criminal background check, at least 17 years of age, an American Heart Association CPR card, a physical exam, proof of residency, and a high school diploma or GED.
This concentrated course of study specializes in both online and on-site courses, with an emphasis on practical hands-on experience within a clinical platform. Affiliated clinical facilities are usually within a 25-mile radius of the main center. At this highly rated CNA course of studies, typically designed courses are for 190 hours on a six-week full-time or 15-week part-time basis.
2. Florida Education Institute – Miami, Florida
Requirements: A high school diploma or GED and an English competency exam.
Offering a wide array of health-related courses, this career-focused, employment-driven, professional healthcare school provides students an opportunity to finish their studies in less than one year with hands-on experience in real healthcare environments.
3. Lindsay Hopkins Technical Education Center – Miami, Florida
Requirements: A background screening, GED or high school diploma, and an English competency exam.
Easily one of the best CNA course programs available, this Florida Board of Nursing-approved curriculum centers on theory, lab practices, and hands-on clinical experiences in nursing homes. Classes consist of 165 hours of instruction, clinical practices, and competency taking place in laboratory and clinical environments. Duration of the course is three to eight months.
4. Chesapeake College – Wye Mills, Maryland
Requirements: A high school diploma or GED scoring 45 or higher on the College's Reading Comprehension placement test.
A small environment with four to six students per class makes this an excellent choice for a CNA program. This hands-on seven-month-long course also combines classroom learning experiences.
5. El Paso Community College CNA Program – El Paso, Texas
Requirements: Criminal background checks, tuberculosis, drug, and physical exams, proof of residency, a reading comprehension test and a high school diploma or GED.
This fully comprehensive CNA program consists of a 240-hour seven-week-long course. Offering both online and on-campus courses, CNA candidates interlink their courses with clinical environments at various nursing and assisted living facilities.
