Best CNA Classes in Louisville, KY
Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?
Credit: Davel5957 | E+ | Getty ImagesThere are almost endless job opportunities and excellent salaries available for those who choose to become a certified nursing assistant (CNA) in Louisville, KY. In addition, being a CNA is more than just money and job stability. It is also about wanting to make a true difference in the lives of people. Once certified, you are able to work in a variety of settings. Most CNAs in Kentucky work in elderly care, but the field is changing significantly, opening up different areas of work. It is very important to meet the minimum standards to become licensed in the state, however. Luckily, in Kentucky, the regulations are quite simple to understand.
Firstly, you need to find an approved CNA training program. Most of these programs will have some requirements, which include doing a background and health check on you. Additionally, schools often want their students to be at least 18 years old, although some now accept 16 year old’s. You also need to make sure that the school you choose offers at least 16 hours of practicum training, as well as 59 hours of classroom learning. If the course doesn’t offer this, then you will probably not be able to take the exam for certification as a nursing assistant even after you have completed the course. This exam has two parts, the first being a written exam and the second is a practicum test. Pass both and you can get to work as a nurse aide.
Once certified, you can start searching for work. Most certified nursing assistants earn between $22,000 and $25,000 per year. However, it is believed that growth in both salary and demand between now and 2020 is 23%. This means opportunities are out there and they are likely to get better. It is recommended, however, that CNAs continue to be committed to their continuous professional education so that they can advance their career. Most go on to become LPNs (licensed practical nurses) afterwards.
In terms of employment, there are a number of organizations in Kentucky that are known to be the best employers. There are many medical centers, clinics and other facilities that require CNAs. Some of the most popular employers and the ones that offer the best benefits include Norton Healthcare, Baptist Hospital East, the University of Louisville (which includes James Graham Brown Cancer Center and UofL Hospital), and The Brook.
If you are hoping to become a CNA, you should research your training opportunities first. There are many schools in the state of Kentucky that offer certified nursing assistant programs, but choices are slightly more limited if you are searching specifically for training programs in Louisville. At present, there are just four options available. Students are recommended to research these and others they are able to find before deciding where to enroll.
RightChoice offers a CNA course that allows students to take the Kentucky State Exam. Once they pass this, they are considered to be a SRNA (State Registered Nurse Aide) or CNA. This role is incredibly important in Kentucky because the population is aging rapidly. This means there are more people who have complex health care needs, and at the same time current workforce is diminishing due to retirements from members of the baby boom generation. RightChoice wants to empower certified nursing assistants to become the best they can be and have the greatest opportunity for career advancement. The course mainly focuses on the topics described in Sheila Sorrentino’s Mosby’s Textbook for Long-Term Care Nursing Assistants.
- Campus: Louisville, KY
- Type: Private
- Tuition: $590
- Minimum time commitment: 75 hours (16 of which are practicums)
- Degree requirements: Background check, drug screening, students must be at least 16 years old
- Programs: RightChoice CNA Course
- School Site:Tuition and Financial Aid
The Kentucky Health Care Training Institute has been training nurse aides for 20 years. The school is fully licensed and approved to deliver this training. The instructors working at the institute have been teaching health care for over 40 years combined and they are fully dedicated to making sure all nurses aides are completely qualified.
- Campus: Louisville, KY
- Type: Private
- Tuition: $580
- Minimum time commitment: 74 hours
- Degree requirements: Negative tuberculin PPD, malpractice insurance, background check
- Programs: Medicaid Nurse Aide Training CNA
- School Site:Tuition and Financial Aid
The American Red Cross offers Nurse Aide Training (NAT) across the country. During this course, students take part in both classroom instruction and practical training, so that they become prepared to become the best nursing assistants they can be. Every year, hundreds of Kentucky residents take part in this program and become certified through the State Nurse Aide certification.
- Campus: Louisville, KY
- Type: Non-profit
- Tuition: Unknown but financial aid may be available through Wounded Warrior Scholarship
- Minimum time commitment: 100 hours
- Degree requirements: Background check
- Programs: Nurse Aide Training
- School Site:Tuition and Financial Aid
Spalding University offers a partially online CNA training program. During the first six weeks, students can take part in the 45 hours of class training that is required, after which they will sit 5 exams. This brings the total to above the mandatory 59 hours of classroom learning. After this, they have to take art in clinical schedules and lab tests for several sessions. Although this format is unusual, Spalding University has made sure that the state requirements are fully met.
- Campus: Louisville, KY
- Type: Private
- Tuition: $514
- Minimum time commitment: 45 hours class time, exams, practical training
- Degree requirements: TB, Hep B Waiver, Background Check, Driver License, Social Security Card, Student Agreement, Authorization to Obtain Information
- Programs: Kentucky Nursing Assistant Training Online
- School Site:Tuition and Financial Aid