04 Mar What is the fastest way to be a CNA nursing assistant in Pennsylvania?
Interested in being a nursing assistant (CNA) quickly? Learn how to complete a nursing assistant program quickly and get working right away after completing a CNA course and getting your CNA certification.
Being a Certified Nurse Aide, or nursing assistant, is attractive as a career. It can be accomplished affordably and get you working in the healthcare field quickly. How quickly can you become a CNA? It depends a lot on the program. However, it can generally be accomplished in a matter of weeks instead of months. Read on to learn about how quickly you can become a CNA in the state of Pennsylvania as well as locally in Philadelphia. As you will learn, the CareBridge Academy program as well as other CNA programs can be completed in just 5 or so weeks.
CNA Programs for Training and Certification
How Do I Get Trained To Be A Certified Nurse Aide?
To get trained as a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA), prospective CNAs must complete an approved training program. Training requirements are set out by federal and state requirements for Certified Nurse Aides. CNA training and certification programs are usually offered by community colleges and private schools. Several long term care facilities (nursing homes) also offer a CNA program.
What Does A Certified Nurse Aide Learn In The Training Program?
A Certified Nurse Aide student in training will learn a lot of important tasks and skills in the CNA program. At CareBridge Academy, the CNA training program includes the following core competencies which are the foundation of Certified Nurse Aide training. They include:
- CNA role and function
- Communication
- Infection control
- Safety and emergencies
- Client’s rights
- Client’s independence
- Nutrition
- Identifying and reporting the conditions of body systems
- The client’s environment
- Personal care skills
- Restorative care
- Behavioral health and social service needs
- Caring for cognitively impaired clients
The CNA program covers a lot of material. In conjunction, the program curriculum helps Certified Nurse Aides find success in the various healthcare roles that they work in.
What is the quickest way to be a certified nurse aide CNA in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania?
How Long Is The CNA Training Program?
A Certified Nurse Aide training and certification program must meet state regulations. In Pennsylvania, that means that a CNA training program must be at least 80 total hours in length. However, the state also has a model curriculum recommended for approved programs which runs 120 hours long. The CareBridge Academy runs 100 hours, and the course in total runs just 3.5 weeks! That makes CareBridge Academy’s program the fastest way to become a CNA in Philadelphia, PA.
Of this 120 hours, 41 of those hours are completed in a long term care facility setting. This means that CNA students will work directly with real residents and clients of a nursing home setting.
How Long Are The Nursing Assistant Courses In The Philadelphia Area?
The list below shows each state-approved Nurse Aide certification course in Philadelphia. As you can see, CareBridge Academy has the quickest pay for CNA students to get certified with a 3.5 week accelerated course. Please note that the courses only list the total number of hours:
CareBridge Academy- 100 hours long (Be A CNA In Less Than 4 Weeks!)
Blessings Center for Technical Arts and Sciences- 120 hours long
Community College of Philadelphia- 120 hours long
Entry Level Nurse Aide Program- 120 hours long
Genesis Chapel Manor Center- – 112 hours long
Health and Tech Training Institute- 152 hours long
Mercy Career & Technical HS- 105 hours long
New World Business School- 123 hours long
Penn Asian Vocational Institute- 120 hours long
Philadelphia Academy for Nurse Aide Training- 135 hours long
If The Courses Run In Clock Hours, How Many Days Or Weeks Does The Nursing Assistant Class Take With Each Program?
That really depends a lot. For example, upon research, schools have classes that run from 4 weeks to 12 weeks long. Part-time, full-time, and weekend courses (for example) will all vary in length, time and days. Some classes are Monday through Friday, some might be several days a week, and some might be weekends strictly.
At CareBridge Academy, the courses we offer currently are Monday through Friday accelerated day courses. Standard morning courses run from 8:30 AM to 3 PM. The length in weeks is only 3.5 weeks.
For other Philadelphia, PA area classes, like those referenced above, please reach out to each nurse aide CNA school directly for their schedule of classes, including hours and weeks until completion.
How Much Does Each Philadelphia CNA Program Charge Per Class?
For associated costs and fees of each program, you can contact each school directly. Nursing facilities will offer the program at no cost.
CareBridge Academy offers their course for $1845. This rate is very competitive across Philadelphia, and it includes all associated costs such as books and other training materials and also scrubs.
I Would Like To Get My Certified Nurse Aide Training For Free At A Nursing Home. Is There Really Only One Approved Nursing Facility That Offers Training In Philadelphia?
Yes, as of January 2021, only Genesis Chapel Manor Center offers Nursing Assistant training in house to its prospective and future employees. However, if candidates look into the surrounding counties, there are some nursing facilities and long term care facilities that offer CNA courses in Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, and Delaware counties of Pennsylvania. You can find the list of nursing homes that offer nursing assistant training in these counties as well as all counties in Pennsylvania on this state list here.
Can A CNA Program Be Completed Online?
Unfortunately, state regulations do not allow nursing assistant classes to be completed online. All instruction must be done in person under an approved nurse instructor and trainer.
How Much Does The CNA Program Cost For Training?
The cost of the program can vary. CareBridge Academy has a CNA program that is very inexpensive at only $1845. The program is completed right here in Philadelphia. A CNA program can also be taken through other approved programs in the Philadelphia region.
Can I Get CNA Training For Free?
Yes! CNA students can get trained for free under the following conditions.
If you get employed by a Medicaid participating nursing home facility, you are entitled to the reimbursement cost paid by the student for the CNA program. While you can check with the facility directly, the large majority of nursing homes are Medicaid participating facilities. This also includes the cost of certification testing fees as well. Requirements also include that the candidate graduates with:
- Completion of at least 75 hours of an accredited CNA program. CareBridge Academy’s program qualifies under these regulations.
- A passing score on your written and manual certification exam
- Employment in a nursing home or skilled nursing facility within 12 months of certification
- Pass a criminal background check at employment
To sum it up, when employees meet these conditions, they will get reimbursed for the full cost of the program ($1845), plus the cost of the Pearson Vue test which leads to certification ($135).
CareBridge Academy offers its premier CNA training program right in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. CareBridge Academy started a home health aide training program because it found a lack of affordable and comprehensive CNA programs in Philadelphia. Plus, with the CareBridge Academy program, classes are offered regularly and are very flexible. These include day, night, weekend, and part-time CNA class offerings.
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