CNA Classes in West Virginia – CNA Training & Classes

The most important step to becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in West Virginia is enrolling in an approved educational program. Community colleges, technical or vocational schools and some nursing facilities offer training programs and information on the employment prospects for this rapidly growing field of health care.

Certified Nursing Assistants have a vital role in the health care system, and specialize in providing basic medical care and treatment to patients, as well personalized training to learn the necessary medical terminology, actively participating in health care issues. Also, there are several nursing facilities that offer on-the-job training and usually cover the cost of the education and certification exam in exchange for a future period of employment, if the student becomes a Certified Nursing Assistant.

Note that the State of West Virginia does not approve any online nursing assistant classes.

There are a lot of people who find job satisfaction and self fulfillment while working in the medical field. If you want to be one of these people you could become a Certified Nursing Assistant in West Virginia.

WV offers several options for CNA classes and they take six months or less, depending on what type of qualification you are looking for. Becoming a CNA can be your stepping stone towards a well compensated career, especially if you want to become a RN or LPN later on.

The good thing is that you do not have to spend thousands of dollars for the CNA classes in West Virginia because there are more affordable options for that. In fact, some facilities offer free training programs for deserving students or those who cannot afford the sessions. Some employers will help you pay the tuition for a CNA training program but you will have to work for them after getting certified.

CNA Training Requirements in WV

Trainees in West Virginia for most CNA programs must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma or equivalent and clean criminal record . In order to qualify for certification in West Virginia is required to complete an educational program that consists of at least 120 hours of instruction . The time is split with a minimum of 65 hours spent on classroom instruction and 55 hours spent on clinical training.

A student is trained in basic nursing skills, emergency procedures, safety measures, social interaction, infection control, communication techniques or interpersonal skills. They will cover topics related to basic nursing skills, emergency care, patient’s rights, vital signs taking, and many others. You will also be introduced in the clinical setting of the CNA job in order to practice what you have learned during the training program.

The West Virginia Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification, approve and review the CNA programs in the State of West Virginia.

However before enrolling for any CNA classes in West Virginia, make sure that the program is composed of at least 120 hours of training, because the WV state requires this. If you do not know where to obtain the CNA training program, a few options include the Wyoming County Career Center, Logan Park Care Center, Springfield Center CNA Course, Mercer County Technical Center and Special Touch Training Center as well as all the facilities found on this page above. You can see more information on this on the West Virginia Nursing Board website or WV Department of Public Health.

West Virginia CNA Certification

Once the training program is done, you will have to take the CNA competency exam to get certified. Certification exam includes two separate parts. The examinees take a multiple-choice test, which checks the technical understanding, and the second part is a skills assessment, which should be passed successfully as well to obtain certification. In case you fail 3 times in a row, you will be asked to undergo re-training. Passing the certification exam will make you eligible to work in the healthcare field. Your name will be placed on the West Virginia Nurse Aide Registry.

Make sure that you renew the certification every two years and you can present a proof of work experience. The state of West Virginia requires all the Certified Nursing Assistants to be knowledgeable and skilful in their chosen field.

CNA Salary and Job Outlook in West Virginia

The salary of a Certified Nursing Assistant in West Virginia reaches to $29,000 annually and if you are skillful enough or you have a great amount of experience, you can receive more than that. However most CNAs do not make that much and the average salary in WV is $24,080 annually. As a Certified Nursing Assistant, you can venture out to another career in the healthcare field like LPN or RN. Aside from that, your salary will grow as you become more experienced.

There is currently big job growth for nursing assistants in West Virginia and this is a positive for this career in the health care field. A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is eligible to work in nursing homes, in some of the largest hospitals and healthcare facilities in the state including the Charleston Area Medical Center General Hospital, Ruby Memorial Hospital, Saint Mary’s Medical Center and Wheeling Hospital.

Since there are a lot of healthcare facilities that are looking for CNA’s, it is certainly not a problem to get a job if you are good at what you do.