Find Your CNA Classes HERE
Certified nursing assistant (CNA) or nurse aides play a very vital role in caring for the people in need at healthcare centers such as elderly homes, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and long-term care centers. The help the residents of these healthcare centers with their daily activities as well as provide them with medical care by working with the rest of the healthcare staff. In order to become a CNA in the Chicago city and surrounding areas, you have to complete nearly 120 hours of classroom and clinical training from a state approved facility and then pass the nurse aide state competency exam.
The training is often low cost and can be completed within a matter of just a few weeks but still, it can land you long-term employment at an entry level position in the rapidly booming healthcare sector. Nursing assistants on average can make anywhere between $34,210 to $41,000 in the Chicago area which is slightly more than the national average.
The foremost step towards becoming a CNA is to choose a program that is affordable and fits your schedule. To help you choose the best and most affordable training program in the Chicago area, here we have compiled a list of some of the best free, discounted and subsidized CNA training programs in facilities in the Chicago area to get you started. Some of these programs are totally free and even pay the expenses of books and course related supplies for the students but other programs might require the student to pay some percent of the training fee and afford the course related expenses in addition to that.
Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps Center
If your age is between 16 and 24 and you are interested in pursuing a career in the healthcare sector, you should definitely check out the free CNA training program offered by Job Corps, Chicago. The training has no out of pocket cost to you whatsoever, but you might have to pay for the cost related expenses such as the fee for New York Nurse Aide State Competency Exam on your own.
The program is supported and in part funded by the Department of Labor, USA. Training includes a series of sessions in classroom, laboratory and clinical settings where students learn all about the topics and skills that are vital to function as a nurse aide in a challenging and demanding environment. Not only is the training totally free, but those who qualify also get an allowance during the classroom and clinical training. In order to get into the program, you have to visit their center and get yourself registered for the CNA training.
The training is relatively short in length and can be completed in a matter of just few weeks but it can still earn you a long-term employment position as an allied healthcare worker if you are able to pass the nurse aide certification exam after completing your training. Even though the training is open to everyone, there are strict rules in place and candidates have to maintain strict discipline practices. If you need any further information or have any query, you can visit their website or visit their center in Chicago.
Fairmont Care
Fairmont Care is a rehabilitation center in the Chicago area that has been providing specialized care programs, wellness programs as well as physical therapy services and occupational therapy services for many years now. In order to meet the growing demand of allied healthcare workers such as nurse aides (CNAs) in general as well as to meet their own needs, they often offer free nurse aide training programs at their facility.
The training has no cost to the trainees whatsoever but students are required to work at the facility for some time in a part-time position, once they complete their training. In order to get into the training program, you must have a high school diploma, GED certification or equivalent as well as you must be able to pass a random drug screening test during the training program. Moreover, candidates also need to have up to date medical and immunization records, be in good physical health and able to clear a criminal background check. Failure to clear a criminal background check makes you ineligible for the nurse aide state competency exam.
If you are selected for the free training, you must maintain regular attendance throughout the whole program including the employment training. Moreover, you also need to maintain a good grade during the whole program to get a certificate of training completion and sit in the nurse aide state competency exam. You can visit their website to find out more about the training program, its perquisites and in order to fill out an online application form.
American Red Cross -Greater Chicago Chapter
For the people who cannot afford to pay for their CNA training but show great promise and dedication to helping the people in need by working in the healthcare sector, American Red Cross offers free CNA training classes throughout the United States in many cities including the Chicago city. This is an excellent opportunity with almost no out of pocket cost to you and even though the training is relatively short in duration, it can still set you up for a long-term entry level employment position in the rapidly booming medical sector.
Nearly, 5000 individuals apply for this free training every year and because of the limited number of seats available, only a handful of individuals are accepted into the training after through a thorough and comprehensive screening process which makes it all extremely competitive. But, on the plus side, the training program is totally free and has a passing rate of 80% in the state competency exam which makes it very attractive for the people interested in joining the allied healthcare task force.
In order to be considered for the program, candidates are required to have a high school diploma or GED certification as well as they must have up to date medical records and be able to pass a criminal background check. For more information about the requirements, perquisites and training beginnings, you can visit their center in Chicago.
City Colleges of Chicago Kennedy-King
The City Colleges of Chicago Kennedy-King offers a basic nursing assistant (BMA) training program that is aimed at preparing the seeking individuals for entry level employment positions as a nurse aide (CNA) in the rapidly growing healthcare sector. During the training students are introduced to the basics of nursing and patient care. Moreover, they are also trained to work hand in hand with the rest of the medical staff at the healthcare center to take care of the people in need in a series of classrooms, laboratories and clinical settings.
There are five training programs offered every year, two in fall semester, two in spring and one in summer semester. Classes are offered din both morning and evening sessions and theory classes are held 3-4 days per week. Each day students are given nearly 6 hours of training for the first few weeks in classroom and laboratory settings while the training ends with a 40-hour clinical internship in a healthcare center.
In order to get into the training program, students are required to attend a mandatory information session, have up to date medical and immunization records, be in good physical health, able to clear a drug screening as well as clear a criminal background check. The tuition fee is only $146 per credit and there are financial aid options available as well for the deserving and eligible candidates which is an excellent opportunity for the people who are looking to complete the CNA training with minimal cost.
TTI Medical Training
TTI Medical Training is another state approved provider of CNA training services in the Chicago area. The course is designed in a way that trains the students to provide basic healthcare services to the people in need, assist the residents of long-term care facilities with their day to day lives as well as work with the senior medical staff in hospitals and nursing homes in taking care of the patients. The training takes place in classroom, laboratory and clinical settings where students learn about the real-life nursing problems in a hands-on manner.
In order to get into the training program, students need to fill out an application form, meet an admission representative, attend an information session, have up to date medical records, be in good physical health as well as clear a criminal background check and a random drug screening test. Once accepted into the training program, candidates are required to maintain regular attendance throughout the classroom and clinical training. The program contains 90 hour of classroom training supplemented with 45 hours of laboratory training.
You can enroll for the program online and also book for an online consultation session with the admission representative. The training fee can be paid in multiple flexible payment options or through grants and loan options available at the facility. Also, if you have a high school diploma or GED certification and have graduated in the past year, you can be eligible for a scholarship of up to $1000 which is an excellent opportunity for the financially challenged people to complete their training at almost no cost.
Midwestern Career College
Midwestern Career College is another state approved provider of CNA training services in the Chicago area. The training program is aimed at preparing qualified CNA workers for entry level employment positions in a range of healthcare facilities such as hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, long-term care centers and elderly homes. Training is relatively short in length and can be completed within a matter of just a few weeks. Training involves a series of sessions in classroom, laboratory and clinical settings where students gain a practical understanding of real-world nursing problems in a hands-on manner.
In order to get into the training program, students need to fill out an application form, meet an admission representative, attend an information session, have up to date medical records, be in good physical health as well as clear a criminal background check and a random drug screening test. Once accepted into the training program, candidates are required to maintain regular attendance throughout the classroom and clinical training. Training is nearly 100 hours in total during which students are required to maintain regular attendance.
The college offers a number of options to help the financially challenged students. For example, through a number of scholarships such as single-parent scholarship, academic excellence scholarship etc. These scholarships are a great way for the financially challenged students to get their CNA training and then earn a CNA license in a cost-effective manner and at affordable rates.
Phalanx Family Services
With an aim to provide assistance to the economically challenged families who are in pursuit of self-sufficiency, Phalanx Family Services offers many careers training programs to the general public at no cost under their workforce development program. Not only that but they also offer advocacy and mentoring services for the disadvantaged youth as well.
Among the career training programs that they offer at their facility, there is also the nurse aide training program that is aimed at meeting the ever-increasing demand of CNA workers by producing highly skilled graduates. The training is free and can be completed within a matter of just a few weeks, yet it can earn the trainee a long-term entry level employment position at any of the thousands of healthcare facilities in the Chicago and Illinois area. In order to get into the program, candidates need to be at least 18 years old, have up to date medical and vaccination records, be in good physical health as well as able to clear a criminal background check and a random drug screening test as well.
If selected for the training program, candidates are required to maintain regular attendance and a good grade in all the exams to get a certificate of training completion. The certificate makes them eligible to sit in the nurse aide state competency exam. Once a candidate has successfully earned his CNA license, they are also offered job placement assistance by the facility as well as free career counseling if needed.
Polish American Association
Polish American Association in Chicago Illinois offers a comprehensive CNA training program in that span over a period of 14 weeks. The training is almost 150 hours in length and it contains around 100 hours of theory in classroom and laboratory settings as well as 50 hours of clinical externship at a hospital or nursing facility. Through the training, this program prepares the students for all sorts of nursing problems.
The program is approved by Technical Direction Unit for Long Term Care Field Operations, Illinois as well as it completely follows the guidelines of state nursing department and Illinois Department of Public Health’s Training. Once the training is complete, students are fully ready to take and pass the nurse aide state competency exam to earn their CNA license. Moreover, many use this initial CNA certification as a stepping stone to earn further education in the field of nursing or healthcare. The Healthcare sector is also one of the fastest growing employment sectors which makes becoming a CNA even more attractive as the training is relatively short but still it can earn you a long-term and rewarding job.
The training is not free but students who cannot pay for their education can apply for the financial aid options offered at their facility. Qualified candidates may receive the training totally free of cost or for less fee. The facility also offers career counseling and job placement assistance to its graduates once they have successfully completed the training and earned their CNA license.
International Career Institute
With the demand of CNA workers expected to grow in the upcoming years, there has been a strong interest from the general public to look for CNA training programs in their area and as a result many institutes have started offering nurse aide (CNA) training programs and among them is the International Career Institute, Chicago, Illinois. The training is approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Training and is regulated by the state nursing department. During the training, students learn about an array of skills that are vital to providing basic healthcare services to the people in need.
Depending on the type of program you choose to enroll in, the training can last anywhere between 4 and 12 weeks. During this time, students spend their time in classroom, laboratory and clinical settings to learn about a number of topics and skills that are important to function as a nurse aide. These include basic first aid, taking vital signs, CPR, healthcare and medical ethics, effective communication, patient rights, emergency procedure and protocols, infection control etc. Training is almost 120 hours in length which include 40 hours of clinical externship as well during which students learn to deal with the real-world nursing problems in a hands-on practical manner.
The training is not free but financially challenged students who cannot afford to pay for their training can apply for the financial aid options that are available at the training center. If accepted, they can get the training totally for free or pay the fee at a discounted rate which is still an excellent option for the deserving students.
Norridge Gardens
Norridge Gardens is another state approved free provider of nurse aide (CNA) training in the Chicago area with the CNA training program running about every 10 weeks. In order to be considered for the free training program, candidates must apply at their website online. Once they receive the application, they will review it and then if they are interested, the candidate will be called for a personal interview. Since the training program is totally free, candidates are required to work part time at the facility during the training.
The training consists of a number of sessions in classroom, laboratory and clinical settings during which students learn about a range of topics including basic healthcare, nursing techniques, elderly care, emergency procedures, human anatomy, medical physiology, effective communication, healthcare ethics in a very comprehensive manner. Students are required to maintain regular attendance throughout the whole training program. Failure to do so might result in their expulsion from the program.
To be considered for the program, students need to be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma, GED certification or equivalent as well as be able to pass a random drug screening test during the training program. Moreover, candidates also need to have up to date medical and immunization records, be in good physical health and able to clear a criminal background check. Failure to clear a criminal background check makes you ineligible for the nurse aide state competency exam.