CNA Classes in California – CNA Training & Classes

There are hundreds of nursing facilities in California that offer training programs for Certified Nursing Assistants. These independent providers and community colleges provide opportunities to obtain qualified education for aspiring health care professionals.

CNA’s or Certified Nursing Assistants are responsible for the patients care and well being. They have similar duties and responsibilities like nurses or medical assistants, but they do not perform complicated tasks like medication administration and wound care.

CNAs work under the guidance of skilled and experienced nurses and should perform their duty respecting moral values associated with this profession. The tasks of a CNA may vary with the employer, but usually include basic care of patients, toileting, bathing and grooming, dressing, feeding, administering medication, keeping rooms clean, basic life support and emergency procedures, infection control, taking vital signs, such as record blood pressure, temperature, pulse, respiration, weight and height, observing and noting changes in a patient’s condition or behavior, as well as cleaning and sterilization of medical equipment.

CNA Class Requirements in California

The state of California has placed the minimum age requirement of 16-year-olds for applicants who wish to enroll in a CNA program approved by the California Department of Public Health’s Aide and Technician Certification Section (ATCS)
. Students should have good physical and mental health, clean criminal record and ability to read and write in English.

Also, California is one of the states requiring the most number of hours for training. So, students will need to attend 60 hours of classroom instruction and 100 hours of supervised training, but there are some programs that offer even more hours of instruction. The training can last 6 to 15 weeks and will cost anywhere from $600 to over $1000. Students may also take additional classes to earn skills competency awards in the Acute Care CNA and Home Health Aide programs.

An ATCS approved CNA program will prepare you for both the certification exam and for your employment as a certified nursing assistant. If you are interested in this type of career, you can undergo the training program through the Red Cross or any other eligible institution in the state. Red Cross offers 164 hours of CNA classes and field work. However, if you do not like this institution, you can look for several online opportunities related to CNA training programs.

Basically, most programs can be found in community colleges, vocational and technical colleges, education centers, hospitals, nursing homes, and American Red Cross CNA training program. Some facilities offer free CNA training courses in exchange of a period of employment after successfully completing the training and obtaining the license. These courses are usually available through long-term care centers and assisted living nursing homes, which will even pay for the certification exam.

The curriculum of CNA training is normally divided into segments covering topics on charting, physical assessments, nutrition, measurements, resident care, vital signs, medical and surgical nursing, body mechanics, patient’s rights, patient care, rehabilitation, and emergency procedures. All these topics are important because they will be asked during your certification examination and you will obviously need this knowledge in your future work.

Irrespective of which program you pick for your training, the topics include:
• Basic Nursing and Clinical Skills
• Body Anatomy
• Caring for Patients with Cognitive Disabilities
• Communication and Interpersonal skills
• Emergency Care Procedures and Infection Control
• Mental Health Care, Restorative Care and Physiology
• Medical Terminology and Safety Techniques
• Nutrition and CPR Services
• Personal Care Skills
• Promotion and Respect of Patients’ Rights and Independence
• Providing Hospice Care
• Providing Dementia Care

CNA Certification Requirements in California

Upon completion of the CNA program, graduates must pass the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) examination, administered at testing centers of Pearson Vue, in order to be listed on the California Nurse Aide Registry.

The state of California requires all candidates to be at least 16 years old and have undergone a minimum training of 160 hours. Passing the certification exam as well as completing the criminal background and customary fingerprinting is important because healthcare facilities will not accept applicants without all of these documents. As of now, four testing centers are available to applicants who want to take the examination for Certified Nursing Assistants. Three of them are available nationwide and the last one is state approved.

There are the following basic requirements in order to earn a CNA certificate:

Minimum age for qualifying for the CNA certification is 16 years old
Present the high school diploma or the GED certificate
Must complete an approved CNA training program
A negative result for TB test within the past 6 months and proof of immunizations
Have to submit 2X2 passport size photos
Two finger print impressions
Criminal background check

The NNAAP Examination involves both a written exam as well as a skills demonstration test. The written test is a two-hour test with 70 multiple-choice questions covered topics of classroom instruction and is written in English:

Basic nursing care
Promotion of safety
Promotion of function and health of residents
Role of nurse aide
Specific care provided to patients with changes in health

The clinical test which mimics a clinical setting asks the examinees to show their skills and knowledge in performing 5 randomly selected nursing assistant skills, under the supervision of instructors and senior registered nurses. If the examinee fails the tests after three tries will need to re-take the training program. The examination fee of written exam is $25 and the clinical test is $82.

The Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission is one of the three testing centers that provide examinations for CNA’s. You have to book early because they serve those who come first and do not entertain examinees if the area is full already. On the other hand, the National Nephrology Certification Organization also offers examination, practice courses, as well as recertification guidelines if the registration has lapsed and re-take, is required. Lastly, the California Dialysis Council offers certification examination but requires all students to become a registered member first.

After successfully passing the certification exam, CNA can be entered into the California Nurse Aide Registry, which maintains the records of certified nurse aides in the state and is regulated by the California Department of Community Health. Certification must be renewed every 24 months, and CNA will need to have completed at least 48 hours of continuing education units.

For you to take the exam, you have to be a high school graduate or an employee who has gone through four years of full-time work experience. You also have to pass the training program which includes clinical and classroom training. Once you successfully pass the exam, you will obtain a nursing assistant certification stating that you are eligible to work as a CNA in any healthcare field.

The Department of Public Health in California will be responsible for the regulation of certification and licensing so any concerns related to this should be addressed to them. If you are already a Certified Nursing Assistant, you can now have a stable career in the healthcare field. You can also proceed to advanced studies in case you want to be a nurse or a licensed practical nurse.

CNA Salary and Job Outlook in California (CA)

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) are in high demand due to the aging population in the state and will have many career opportunities once they have completed the curriculum and the certification exam. CNAs earn an average of $31,110 per year, but the salary range varies depending on experience, job position, qualifications, place of employment and the type of employer.

Hospitals are of the facilities where CNAs usually want to work because of the high pay and great benefits such as paid vacations and paid sick days as well as insurance and free continuing education. However, there are other places, such as nursing homes, convalescent homes, long-term care centers, private and public health care facilities, mental care centers, clinics of private practitioners, and home health agencies where a CNA can work.