Beginning a Career as a CNA

If you’re drawn to the healthcare industry for the ability to offer compassionate care to those in need, beginning a career as a CNA (Certified Nurse Aide or Certified Nursing Assistant) might be your calling. There are thousands of CNA jobs available for caring professionals to fill these roles, and the demand continues to grow.

My name is Teresa, and I’m a contributor at Premier Nursing Academy. All of our instructors have a background in healthcare and bring that experience into the classroom. Whether being a CNA is your ultimate goal, or your first step onto a more advanced healthcare career path, pursuing a CNA diploma is a rewarding choice that puts many opportunities before you.

A CNA training program typically takes between 4 to 6 weeks to complete. CNA programs provide a combination of classroom and on-site clinical education. This ensures that graduates are both work ready to be successful in their careers as well as meet all state required training hours needed to sit for the certified nursing assistant (CNA) exam.

As a part of our program, all students must be accepted by a local employment partner as part of their enrollment process. In most cases, your future employer will pay for the cost of your training. Once you have completed all training and licensure requirements, you will have a job waiting for you with the employer that sponsored your training.

Because our education model is different, our admissions process is a little different as well—and most of our students actually find our application process much simpler than those of other training or education institutions. To enroll in training, candidates must meet the following requirements:

• Have obtained your high school diploma or GED equivalent*
• Have a valid state driver’s license or proof of identification
• Pass a background check
• Complete a tuberculosis test and other health-related requirements
• Be at least 18 years old*

*Some exceptions may apply based on state or employer requirements.

Beginning a career as a CNA is an excellent way to start a career debt-free, so cost is one of the most important factors. But CNA programs vary so widely that other considerations such as length and flexibility, pass rate, and reputation should also be factored into a student’s decision.

Our new post on Choosing a CNA Program provides the basic information prospective CNA students need when taking their first step toward a rewarding career in nursing as a certified nursing assistant. You can see it here:

https://www.premiernursingacademy.org/blog/choosing-a-cna-program

About Premier Nursing Academy

Premier Nursing Academy was founded in 2017 to help meet the growing shortage of healthcare workers across the United States, which is especially acute with certified nursing assistant (CNA) positions. Premier Nursing Academy has two locations in Florida. Please use our free resource library to find guides on education requirements, CNA exam prep, and professional development advice.