4-12 Week Nursing Assistant (CNA) Programs¹

Why earn a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certificate?

If you’re looking for a stable career that will make a true impact on the lives of others, consider becoming a nursing assistant – sometimes known as a certified nursing assistant (CNA). Nursing assistants care for patients in hospitals, long-term care facilities like nursing homes, and sometimes provide in-home care. They often have more contact with patients than other medical staff, and can build special relationships with their patients. Nursing assistants should be compassionate and patient with good communication skills and at least a moderate level of physical stamina.

How to choose a CNA program

Colleges and universities around the country offer online and on-campus CNA programs that can often be completed in just a few months. Online nursing programs in particular often offer flexible scheduling, which means you can keep up with your job and other responsibilities while you complete the program. When you start to CNA programs near you, think about how you learn best. Some nursing students need to be in a classroom, getting CNA training directly from a professor, and some prefer to learn on their own, making an online CNA program a better fit. Both online nursing assistant programs and on-campus programs will lead to a state-approved competency exam and, upon passing, usually a short period of on-the-job training.

After you’ve completed a nursing assistant program, your skills will always be in demand. The medical field as a whole is growing quickly alongside America’s aging population, and the need for patient-facing roles like nursing assistants will continue to grow. Still, where you complete your CNA program matters. Take the time to research graduation and placement rates for each school you’re interested in: those are the numbers that will tell you how many students enrolled in the CNA program actually graduate and then get a job as a nursing assistant.