A certified nursing assistant can expect to make about $35,000 in New York. If you have decided you want to become a nursing assistant but are worried you cannot afford training, you should know there is help out there to pay for your education. Most schools have scholarship and other funding options to make training affordable and in some cases free, for all students.
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Financial Help and Free Training
Queensborough Community College
222-05 56th Avenue-Bayside, NY 11364
Queensborough Community College offers a nursing assistant training program for which US Veterans may be able to receive help to pay for all or part of the program cost. Some Veterans are entitled to educational benefits through their time of service to help them train for a new career when they are no longer in the military. Benefits are for those who were in active military duty or National Guard and Reserves members who were called to serve active duty. Some individuals in the Active Reserve Forces may also be eligible for financial help to train for a new career. Interested individuals will need to look into how much Education benefit they have by checking their Veterans benefits. The school also has an office of Veteran Affairs. They can help prospective CNA students to determine if they have benefits to cover their training. Sometimes there are other related benefits to help former military men and women. For instance, some men and women will receive a small living stipend while they finish their training. The college may waive application fees and certain other one time fees for their Veteran students as well.
Hostos Community College
500 Grand Concourse, Room 208B-Bronx NY 10451
Hostos Community College offers a certified nursing assistant training program. Individuals who are planning to enroll in this program should apply to see if they can qualify for the part-time Tap Program. The individual must take at least 6 campus hours of study in a semester and 3 of these will need to be credit degree hours. This program is for individuals who are just starting college. It is necessary to fill out not only the TAP application but also the FASFA application if you are going to be considered for this type of grant to help pay for your CNA training. That being said, you cannot work on the TAP online application until you have finished and submitted your FASFA paperwork. The TAP program is to help individuals with lower incomes and more financial need. Income limits depend on whether you are a dependent student, independent or if you are married. Students must remain in good academic standing if they are going to be able to receive this grant. The grant does depend on how many semester hours you are taking. Some individuals will receive a grant of a higher value than others depending on their particular circumstances.
CNA Training Programs
Schenectady County Community College
220 Green Street 2nd Floor-Albany, NY 12305
The CNA training program at Schenectady County Community College includes 90 hours of instruction in the classroom setting. There are lab experiences included with this portion of the course. Students will then gain experience working out in the field with an additional 30 hours working directly with patients under careful supervision. The hours are more than are required by the state for a program to be state approved to qualify someone to be able to sit for the certification skills and written testing. There is an optional 40 hours of personal care training for those who wish to be a CNA for home health companies. The CNA training takes about 2 months to complete. This course has a fee of $1500 and there are grants and programs to help eligible individuals with these fees. To make this course more accessible, it is offered at three of the SCCC campuses throughout the year.
ASA College
1 Willoughby Street-Brooklyn, NY 11201
ASA College offers a nursing assistant training course at their Brooklyn and Manhattan Campus locations. At last publication, the cost for the course was $980. A payment plan is available for those who cannot access financial help cover the cost of this course and for those who cannot pay it all up front. This course covers 120 hours of lessons and training. Students have learning beyond the lectures and skills lab instruction. They will also complete an externship where they are supervised while being allowed to work directly with men and women in nursing care settings. People who are enrolled in this course will be able to receive job placement help after they complete the requirements for the course. The program is intended to be relatively short so people can get to work quickly while still providing a vast amount of knowledge and skills training to prepare people well for their exciting new career.
Medgar Evers College
1650 Bedford Street-Brooklyn NY 11201
Medgar Evers College has a Patient Care Technician Program that includes several areas of study. The areas of study include: CNA instruction, EKG technology Phlebotomy and instruction on cardiopulmonary resuscitation for Healthcare Providers. The total cost for the program is $2610 for 190 hours of study including their hands on experience. This course prepares individuals to obtain jobs in various segments of the healthcare setting. It is possible for students to complete just the Certified Nursing Assistant module of this program. That will take a total of 120 hours to complete. This program does not cost as much with a tuition of only $1320. For this program, those studying will finish 30 hours of a clinical rotation and 90 hours of in class lessons. Students of either course will learn to serve their patients well and will be able to do their part to help keep patients safe and to aid them in recovering from acute illnesses.
Examination Requirements
It is necessary to finish a CNA training program that was approved by the state of New York before sitting for the certification test. New York’s nursing assistant certification exam has both a theory and a skills section. You will be tested on the knowledge you gained in the classroom. Then you will complete examples of some of the skills you will use a CNA.
The test can be taken three times. If you do not succeed at that point, you must then retake a certification course. The knowledge portion of the test can be completed as a written multiple choice test or you can opt to take an oral version.
Application Process for Certification
Some employers or CNA training centers are also testing sites. The program coordinator can assist you in submitting your application to sit for the exam. Otherwise, you will need to send your application to Prometric and schedule for a test session: https://www.prometric.com/en-us/clients/nurseaide/pages/ny.aspx. There is a section of the application that will need to be completed by your CNA employer or by the instructor or coordinator of your CNA course.
[su_note]LPNs and RNs can apply to take the CNA test without a CNA class. First, you will need to send your application that you download from the Prometric website to the New York Department of Health. Once your application is processed, you will receive this back and send it to Prometric. Keep in mind you will need to send a copy of your diploma from your nursing program.[/su_note]
The Mailing address for the Department of Health is:
New York State Department of Health
NATP/NAR Program
Mailstop: CA/LTC
Empire State Plaza
Albany, NY 12237
When sitting for the certification exam, you will need to pay $115 if take the exam in written format and $135 if taking the exam in the oral format.
If you pass the test, you should receive your certification ID within about 10 days. Test results are usually available in as little as two days.
Recertification for out of state CNAs and Lapsed Certifications
Reciprocity is available for actively registered CNAs from other states. You must obtain an application from Prometric to be listed on the New York CNA registry. Your registry listing in that state must be in good standing and you must meet all other criteria to be fully certified as a nursing assistant.
Any CNA who has allowed their certification to lapse can apply to sit for the CNA exam without the need to take a training course again.
Places to Work in This State
Autumn View Health Care Facility LLC
S 4650 Southwestern Boulevard, Hamburg, NY 14075
Bronx Lebanon Special Care Center
1265 Fulton Avenue, Bronx, NY 10456
Cobble Hill Health Center Inc.
380 Henry Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Eddy Village Green
421 W Columbia Street, Cohoes, NY 12047
Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center
300 Corporate Boulevard South, Yonkers, NY 10701
Garden Gate Health Care Facility
2365 Union Road, Cheektowaga, NY 14227
Mary Manning Walsh Nursing Home
1339 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021
New Gouverneur Hospital Skilled Nursing Facility
227 Madison Street, New York, NY 10002
North Shore – L I J Orzac Center for Rehabilitation
900 Franklin Avenue, Valley Stream, NY 11580
CNA Training Center Reviews
ASA College – I learn something new everyday and most importantly, I apply the education to my life. The professors are knowledgeable and supportive, the employees are great too. Schedules are flexible, the environment is very welcoming. They have test taking skills that help students perform better in exams.
Medgar Evers College – Affordable tuition, outstanding professors, the library resources are updated and the computer labs are awesome!! Very friendly environment and great advisers.
CNA Training FAQs
Who takes CNA classes? CNA students come from various different backgrounds, but all share the same desire and that is to help others. Some of the students you may meet will either be high school graduates, someone interested in becoming a nurse or even a person who wants to work in healthcare.
What else will I learn in CNA classes? Diabetes – the different types, respiratory – how to recognize respiratory problems, how to care for a patient with dementia and how to work with a patient’s family members.
How can I transfer my license to another state? Each state has different requirements candidates must follow in order to transfer a certification. To transfer your license from New York to another state:
- Complete and submit the application form.
- Provide a copy of your current out-of-state nurse aide certificate
- If the name on your nurse aide certificate is different from your current name, submit proof of name change (e.g marriage license)
- Pay the appropriate fees.