As of February 2nd, 2010, The American Red Cross has in excess of 36 CNA Training programs available across the United States. It goes without saying, that the Red Cross CNA Class is a great way to begin your training as a CNA, and is reputed to be one of the best. For many people, becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is merely a stepping stone on the way to becoming a fully Registered Nurse (RN), although many people have had lifelong enjoyable and immensely satisfying careers by staying at the CNA level. The choice is entirely up to you, depending on how far you want to go and what type of work you wish to do.

All CNA training programs ran by the American Red Cross meet the Federal CNA training standards, although each chapter has the ability to design their own program to meet specific state requirements and laws, including the number of hours you must spend on a course, and also the clinical training standards of practises and procedures. As an example, the San Bernardino chapter in California consists of a 164 hour course in total, whilst The ARC of Maryland course consists of only 114 hours. It is worth keeping in mind, that the more hours in a course there are, does not mean that they provide ‘more’ (or a better level of) training, the difference in hours can be attributed to many different variables, including of course different states having different laws.

CNA training course costs also vary in price. The San Bernardino chapter CNA training course costs $1,750, while the Southeastern Pennsylvania chapter charges $1,400 . (prices are accurate at the time of writing)

Below, you will find a list of the American Red Cross chapters that offer Certified Nursing Assistant training (CNA):

• Madison/Marshall County, Huntsville, AL
• American Red Cross of Central Alabama, Montgomery, AL
• American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
• Inland Empire, San Bernardino, CA
• American Red Cross, Sonoma & Mendocino Counties, Santa Rosa, CA
• South Central Connecticut, New Haven, CT
• Northeast Florida, Jacksonville, FL
• Central Panhandle, Panama City, FL
• Space Coast, Rockledge, FL
• Tampa Bay, Tampa, FL
• Southwest Georgia, Albany, GA
• Northeast Georgia, Gainesville, GA
• Coosa Valley, Rome, GA
• Hawaii State, Honolulu, HI
• Louisville Area, Louisville, KY
• American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay, Cambridge, MA
• Berkshire County, Pittsfield, MA
• Pioneer Valley, Springfield, MA
• American Red Cross of Central Massachusetts, Worcester, MA
• Central Maryland, Baltimore, MD
• Southeastern Michigan, Detroit, MI
• American Red Cross of the Twin Cities Area, Minneapolis, MN
• Elizabeth H. Dole Chapter, Salisbury, NC
• Concord Area, Concord, NH
• New Hampshire, West Keene, NH
• Great Bay, Portsmouth, NH
• Greater Cleveland, Cleveland, OH
• Keystone, Johnstown, PA
• Southeastern Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
• Allegheny Region, Reno, PA
• Black Hills, Rapid City, SD
• Hiwassee, Cleveland, TN
• Greater Richmond, Richmond, VA
• Green Mountain, Bennington, VT
• Chippewa Valley, Altoona, WI
• Lakeland, Green Bay, WI

You can get contact details and up to date program information about these CNA training classes and other American Red Cross training courses from the ARC website

This includes training for Certified Nursing Assistants, who by law, must complete a competency test. Usually, although not ‘always’ the case, a home health aide will receive free training before taking the state exam. In addition to this, the National Association for Home Care and Hospice offers voluntary certification, particularly in states that require nursing aides to be licensed.

Some high schools also offer free training to prepare individuals for the CNA certification test. While most home health aides and nursing assistants are not required to hold a high school diploma, most do anyway.

You can also do your training and your CNA certification test via The American Red Cross. This method of training is relatively inexpensive compared to other programs you have to pay for, however the Red Cross CNA Class is not free. Another alternative is to look for some free CNA Classes Online , but it is worth taking into consideration that some of these courses only cover specific topics and skills, and may not cover absolutely everything you need to pass the exam.

Some states, like Florida for instance, require that Certified Nursing Assistants complete a minimum of 12 hours of in service training each year. Certain exemptions may apply if the applicant can prove that he/she was on active duty in the Armed Forces for a period of 6 months or more during the calendar year. In addition, he/she must have been in good standing with the Board of Nursing and Certified Nursing Assistant Council at the time they began their active duty.

Some of the basic topics covered in CNA training classes include body mechanics, physiology, anatomy, nutrition, communication, hygiene, basic use of equipment, taking vital signs, how to bathe patients, how to groom them, and also how to instruct and teach the patient to do all or some of the above, depending on their own ability. As a CNA you will obtain additional training while on the job under the supervision of registered nurses, other experienced nursing aides and doctors.

Federal law dictates that aides who work in nursing care homes/facilities are required to complete a minimum of 75 hours of state approved training, in addition they must also pass a competency test. CNA certification is awarded upon successful completion of the medicare funded free cna training course. After CNA certification is obtained, the CNA will then be listed in state registry of nursing aides.

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Without doubt, one of the best places to find affordable nursing assistant training is the American Red Cross. You should contact your local Red Cross Chaper and ask for information on their scheduling for the Red Cross CNA Class. The Red Cross CNA Class is a fast paced course that can normally be completed in about 5 weeks or so, so its worth remembering that during this time you might need to free up the majority of your schedule to accomodate this. All of the courses are taught by registered nurses, and after completion you will become eligable to take the CNA certification test. For start dates and tuition rates, contact your local American Red Cross.

Another worthwhile resource for low cost CNA programs is your local community centre or college. The majority of community colleges will have short term nursing aide programs, just ensure that any nursing aide course you register for through a community college is state certified, so that you are able to sit the state certification exam at the end of it. Payment for courses like these are normally taken upon registration for the course, and courses like this normally start at various times throughout the year so you should be able to start a course very soon.

There is another option to take your nursing assistant training, at no cost to you. Some nursing homes and long term care centers offer CNA programs for people who wish to pursue a career in the medical field. They do this in order to supply their organisation with fully qualified CNA’s, so you will likely be asked to sign a contract in which you will be required to work for them after passing your CNA exam for a specified period of time (normally a year). Be sure to read the fine print and make sure you are fully aware of the contract you are entering into. Most of the time, these type of programs are perfect for anyone wishing to begin a career as a Certified Nursing Assistant. You get your course and certification paid for, and you also gain a year of vital work experience afterwards, setting you up for other jobs or promotions you may wish to pursue.

Many people decide to stay on at the company they trained with, and have very successful careers as a CNA there.

Needless to say, if you have the hunger and the willingness to shop around, phone some nursing care homes, do some enquiring about free training programs, then you will find some free cna training that suits your needs.

To become a fully certified nurse assistant in the US, you will be required to take and complete a nurses aide program which is approved by the state you choose to take your training in. Completing a state approved CNA program will ensure that you have completed the necessary number of classroom and clinical hours that are need for qualification and certification.

The CNA certification exam is regulated and administered by each state, and covers both the written and clinical section. For the clinical section of the exam, you must be able to show your ability at bending and moving a patient, measuring the patients output of bodily fluids, taking a patients vital signs, and other various daily maintenance jobs that are related to caring for a patient in a long term care facility or other health institution. Having full comprehension of the required skills will ensure you gain state certification, and recieve a vital placement on the state registry, guaranteeing to employers that your are fully capable of performing the job of a Certified Nursing Assistant, beyond the supervision of a clinical setting.

After you obtain your certification as a nurses aide, its vital that you maintain and increase your skills as you progress. CNA’s in some states are required by law to complete a specific number of hours of continuing education credits (CEU’s) each year in order to maintain and keep their certification. There are some states that even require you work a certain amount of hours each year in order to keep their certification.

As you gain experience as a nursing aide, there may arise opportunities to develop and further your skills, which require more certifications. Nursing assistants are not allowed to distribute medicine to patients, in some states however there is a special position which is called a Certified Medicine Aide. To become a CMA, you must have a CNA certificate, and also have a satisfactory length of employement and experience as a CNA. Upon completion of the course, which can be obtained through organisations such as The Red Cross, a nursing assistant will now have the added ability to distribute medication to patients, and the responsibility that comes with that.

As with most career choices, taking the intiative to increase your range of skills will ensure that you can perform your job above and beyond the required level, increasing your employability and making professional advancement easier.

Often, you can find local health care facilities who are advertising in the newspapers, offering paid training (you get paid while you train) and also free CNA classes. Classes like this are often offered to anyone willing to partake in them, and require no previous medical experience.

The 1st step to becming a Certified Nursing Assistant is to find a program that is most suited and compatible with your needs. If you do put in an application to a health care facility offering free CNA classes, be sure to read the fine print, as some health care facilities often require that you work for them for a certain period of time once you become certified. If you do get hired, you must be prepared to undergo a background check (to see if you have a criminal record) and also a drug test. These checks are normally mandatory for all jobs in the field of health care.

Via a health care facility, CNA classes and courses can run anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks of training, which is often every day (Full Time). If you are doing training through the Red Cross CNA Class or a community college scheme, classes can often run for up to 6 months, depending on their schedule.

Once the CNA training class ends, you will be scheduled to take a CNA Certification Test in order to become officially certified. Upon completion of your training, some places ‘may’ allow you to work for up to 4 months before you take your CNA Certification Exam.

If you are currently in High School, and you are considering becoming a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) at some point in the future, it’s worth trying to take some extra science classes such as Biology and Chemistry. It’s true that CNA classes do not normally delve too much into Sciences at any great length, however having some basic knowledge will go a long way to helping you understand some of the terminology and treatments you will use and administrate after you become a qualified CNA.

Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant is a job in which most of your skills and abilities will come through hands on practical care, rather than in a classroom. If you are basing where to attend your CNA training depending on classtime, or how comprehensive the study is, it’s worth keeping in mind that Certified Nurse Assistants learn to be proper CNA’s once they actually get on the job, and actually work with patients. All the skills you need to become a CNA will be taught in any CNA class that you attend, because after you finish your training you will be expected to take the State exam which is the same for everyone who takes it, in order to become certified.

Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant is a great way to give yourself some life long satisfaction, a great steady income, and a job security that very few other professionals get to enjoy.

One of the fundamental functions of a CNA is the practise of providing direct care to patients. There are many titles professionals are normally classified under, including Certified Nursing Assistants, Nurses Aides, Patient Care Technicians, Home Health (Home Help) aides, Personal Care Assistants, and many more, depending on the environment they work in and the region they live in.

CNA’s perform many functions, some of them are listed here:

• Taking a patients vital signs, such as their pulse and blood pressure
• Physical Therapy, Range Of Motion exercises are common
• Depending on the needs of the patient, you may need to dress them
• You will be required to feed patients who are unable to physically do so themselves.
• Bathing. Some patients may need a little help with this, ranging from completely dependent to completely independent
• Catheter Care and Maintenance (emptying the catheter, updating of intake and output sheets etc)
• Making the patients bed, and keeping their room tidy and organised
• Record Keeping. You will be required to document patients activity, medication, vitals and more
• Ambulation (Assisting the patient with movement)
• Reporting patients physical and mental changes to the nurse.

How do you become a CNA?

To become a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant), you will need to pass the state CNA exam. You can find training programs to become a qualified CNA via community colleges, hospitals, medical facilities and even online. Many states also have a Red Cross CNA class and these are highly recommended. CNA classes are for the most part taught by a nurse, and the length of the training differs depending on the specific program and the facility you take the training in. Some classes run for a couple of weeks, with a month or so of training afterwards. The classes are a great way to get a feel of what to expect in a real nursing assistant job, however your confidence and skillset will improve as you become involved in a daily routine of caregiving.

The CNA exam consists of 2 parts, a written exam and a clinical exam. You may be asked (more often than not) to bring someone with you to the test to be a ‘model’ or ‘test subject’ for you to demonstrate your skills on. The written part of the test should be common knowledge to you by the time you go to take it.

The qualities you will need to possess to become a CNA are similar to the qualities you need to be a nurse, eg: you should be caring, have patience, and be willing to do some physical activities. More importantly, you should have a desire to care for and help people.

The Red Cross CNA class provides you with a CNA certificate through the American Red Cross. It’s available in most states and follows a nationally recognized Certified Nursing Assistant Curriculum. Due to slight differences from state to state, your course hours may vary, and the clinical requirements might be longer or shorter in different states. Also, the requirements of each state will determine the format of your Red Cross CNA Class.

Successful course completion for each Nursing Assistant Course participant will require that you fully participate in all classroom and skill sessions, as well as this you will need to be successful in the skill and knowledge evaluations. The Red Cross CNA Class will mean that you will have to participate in some strenous activities, so if you have a medical condition that might prevent you from taking part in a particular session, its worth discussing this in advance with your health care provider and with the appropriate person at the Red Cross center before starting your course.

The actual exam consists of 2 parts, a written test and a skills test. The whole exam can be completed within a day and takes about 5 hours, give or take a little. In order to take the written test, you must first successfully pass the skills test. You’ll be notified of the results of the exam on the same day, and if you are successful and pass, you will receive the State Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) certification shortly after.

The minimum requirements for all Red Cross CNA candidates are:

• You must be 18 years of age, or older
• You cannot have any felony convictions within the last Seven years
• You must be free of all communicable diseases
• You cannot be pregnant (you would not manage this course while pregnant!)
• In the event that your TB screening and/or your background check does not clear, you will be eligable for a refund of your payment, minus the $35 screening fee. Once registered, the $35 screening fee cannot be refunded.

When enrolled in the training course, all candidates must:

• Be punctual. Make sure you arrive on time to each class
• Make sure you attend all your classes. You are only allowed 6 missed hours overall, and any missed hours must be made up
• Pass the final exam with a score of 80% (or higher)

You are responsible for your own transportation to both the classroom and the clinical site, unless otherwise arranged with the course tutors. It’s also advisable that you wear comfortable clothing, as some of the classes will involve kneeling and laying on the floor.For returning CNA candidates, the payment is due in full 1 week before the date of the exam. Refunds will not be available!. The fee for the test is $100.

The Red Cross CNA class is a great way to do your CNA training, as it helps encourage nursing assistants to become nurses, which in turn provides nurses more time to deal with their primary responsibilities.

CNA Training provides resources and information for people who are interested in obtaining a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) certificate.

On this website, you’ll find info on Free CNA Classes online, CNA Training, the Red Cross CNA Class,  information about CNA Jobs including the average CNA salary you can expect to earn once certified, and also other resources and information that might be useful and help you to become a Nursing Assistant.

Generally speaking, Nursing Assistants work in Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Adult Day Health Centers, Assisted Living Facilities, and even personal homes (private work).  Wherever there is a need for personal care, Certified Nursing Assistants are the people who perform the most basic needs for patients, young and old. A Nursing Assistant works under the supervision of a qualified nurse, and since nursing aides have extended daily contact with their patients, their role is key to providing vital information on the patients conditions to the nurse.

Certified Nursing Assistant Duties:

Working closely with their patients, CNA’s are responsible for basic care, eg:  bathing, grooming, feeding patients, assisting nurses with any required medical equipment, and also checking the patients vital signs. As well as this, CNA’s give patients important social and emotional support and relay vital information on the patients condition to the nurses.

To some people, being a Nursing Assistant is just a way to pay the bills and not much more. These kind of people are easy to recognise, displaying behaviours like laziness and a generall lack of enthusiasm. Unfortunately its the patients who suffer for what is ultimately someone elses error in career choice.

The first step in becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant is to find a program that is suited to your specific needs. If you’re thinking about applying at a healthcare facility that offers free CNA classes, you must make sure you read the fine print, as some of these places require that you commit yourself to work for them for a certain period of time after you complete the course. If you do get hired at a healthcare facility, be prepared to be asked to submit a background check (criminal record) and also a drug test. These requiredments are normally mandatory for this line of work.

Once you reach the end of your training, you’ll be scheduled to take a State Administered Test to become officially certified. There are some places however that will allow you to work, upon completion of your training, for up to 4 months without certification.

Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant is very rewarding, and it can be one of the best decisions of your life if you put your heart into it. Being a CNA not only is financially rewarding, but it also leads to a fulfilling life working with people who need your help and support.

We hope the information at CNA Training can help you make the right choice!