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Want to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)? Well, you have two options for that- either take admission in your nearby vocational/technical school or go for online CNA classes. The latter option is excellent if you are in a job and have no time to attend the regular classes. Though online CNA classes provide you more flexibility and convenience, taking traditional classes has its own advantages as it offers you more hands-on practice. Keep reading to get acquainted with the various aspects of the nurse aide program classes.
All the aspirants are expected to fulfill the following requirements, in order to register themselves for the certified nursing assistant classes:
Apart from the above educational requirements, the students must possess the following qualities as well:
Nursing assistant program is provided by almost all health care facilities. They offer you courses only when you agree to work with them for a specific time period, after completion of the coursework. CNA classes are also conducted by home health agencies, long-term care facilities, hospitals, and American Red Cross (in approximately 36 cities of the U.S.).
Nursing assistant courses are offered by a number of community colleges as well. The duration of these classes may range from several weeks to months. Such courses are generally non-credit courses.
Another way for completing CNA coursework is online CNA programs. You can complete the theoretical part of your program via online, but for practical program, you will have to enroll in your nearby hospital or nursing home.
Other facilities that offer nurse aide program include retirement centers, residential facilities, vocational schools, technical schools, clinics, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and assisted living centers.
The decision of choosing a nurse aide program must be taken with acute care. While considering any nursing assistant program, you must keep in mind the following criteria:
The majority of students, who enroll themselves in Red Cross chapters, community colleges or technical schools, complete their coursework just in 6 to 12 weeks, or in one-two semesters. However, the CNA program duration is somewhat longer in technical schools and community colleges as they require completion of a general education curriculum. After completion of the program, you will be eligible to sit for the Nurse Aide Assessment Program in your own state.
CNA programs are comparatively of short duration; therefore, you are required to pay quite reasonable fees. However, the fees vary from school to school. The overall average tuition fees sum up to $71.50 per credit hour for in-state students, while it is around $263.50 per credit hour for out-of-state students. Some schools charge a flat rate for the coursework.
Nevertheless, you can estimate your total fee by multiplying the number of credit hours you need to complete by cost per credit hour. Generally, in most of the program programs, the general education courses are of 10 to 15 credit hours, whereas, about 17 credit hours are scheduled for the career-related instructions.
Apart from the education fees, there are various other fees you are required to shell out. These include:
Nursing assistant program classes comprise of theoretical and practical sessions. The coursework included in the theoretical classes is as follows:
During the practical program, students are made aware of the below-given skills:
If you are working as a non-certified nurse and wish to become a CNA, but do not have sufficient time to attend the full-time classes, then you may choose online courses. There are a number of popular colleges that offer various distant learning programs, making it a lot easier for those who want to continue their education while earning.
Basic Requirements for Enrolling for Online Courses
The following requirements are a must to be fulfilled by the students to register for the online CNA programs:
Some of the advantages of choosing an online course are:
S. No. | Online Classes | Campus Classes |
1 | Online classes are comparatively cheaper in monetary terms. | Campus program is a bit expensive. |
2 | Applicants can pursue their jobs alongside their online classes. | This is not possible with full-time campus program. |
3 | Students can make their own schedule according to their feasibility. | They have to follow the schedule of the respective institute. |
4 | Since the students acquire more theoretical knowledge, they are less aware of the practical part. | Focus is given on both- practical as well as theoretical knowledge. |
Are you willing to enroll for a CNA class, but uncertain about which program you should go for? Well, a number of health care providers and accredited schools in the United States offer nurse aide program to the aspirants. In order to save your time, we have enlisted all the certified nursing assistant schools in your state. Just hit on your respective state to get the details of program programs.