This guide will provide you with information about some CNA training schools in Texas and how you can find ways to lower the cost of your training or even obtain it for free at many of the training centers throughout the state. Certified nursing assistants make an average of about $45,000 per year in Texas but, of course, that income can be lower depending on the city in which you work and the healthcare setting.
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Training Requirements for CNA’s in Texas
Most individuals will need to attend CNA training program that includes at least 100 hours of study and has been approved by the state. Applicable programs can be found here: (http://www.dads.state.tx.us/providers/NF/credentialing/NATCEP/credtraining.cfm). Students will gain knowledge through both hands on training and classroom instruction.
[su_note]If an individual received at least 100 hours of healthcare training in the military, they can be exempt from a state approved training course. The same is true for nursing graduates and even some nursing students as long as enough nursing training has been completed.[/su_note]
Financial Help and Free CNA Classes in Texas
Trinity Valley Community College
100 Cardinal Dr-Athens, TX 75751
High school seniors or recent high school graduates who are planning to obtain their nursing assistant training form Trinity Valley Community College should try to apply for the Texas Grant. This Grant is for individuals who are graduating or have graduated from high school in the past 16 months. Contact the school if you are not a recent graduate to make sure you would not qualify under any other criteria. It is intended to help students with very significant monetary need who might not otherwise be able to go to college. In fact, students who are eligible should be those with such a low family income that their total family contribution amount would not be more than $4000. Because this grant depends on household income and related factors, those who apply will need to complete the federal financial aid paperwork knows as the FASFA. They will need to put down on any financial aid papers that they are planning to attend Trinity Valley Community College. A student will need to be able to maintain a good academic standing while they are training and studying at Trinity Valley Community College to continue being eligible for the Texas Grant once approved.
Temple College
2600 S. 1st Street-Temple, Texas 76504
This is a public community college. They are primarily a 2 year school. Certifications take less time. The next CNA class is offered in February of 2023. They work to keep classroom sizes small. This allows students to receive one-on-one help when they truly need it.
The area has suffered a shortage of CNAs during the pandemic. There just really are not enough to go around with ease. This college is helping with this by offering a free CNA program. Students will receive tuition for free and their textbooks, supplies and even uniforms. This is so helpful since many charge at least for the uniform.
Class sizes will be about 15. Aetna Better Health of Texas provided the college a grant to offer this opportunity. And then the college agreed to take on students for the course. It is an excellent partnership that is really helping local healthcare providers.
This is a high-quality course being offered by the college. They turn out really good nursing assistants. The course teaches a lot including: how to assist patients safely with activities of daily living, how to use certain medical equipment and how to safely change, transfer and reposition patients. It teaches students how to take vital signs and write nursing notes.
This is a rigorous course with great instructors. It’s important to attend all classes and especially clinicals. A job as a CNA is a great way to start a career in healthcare. You can advance your training and career from there.
Friendship Haven Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center
Friendswood, TX 77546
They offer both skilled nursing and respite care. Their facilities offer exercise programs, recreation, care services and good meals.
This facility recognizes that the needs of each and every resident are different. This is why they provide so many different services and amenities. They try to tailor each resident’s experience to meet their needs.
They offer free CNA training to applicants if they are hired before already holding a certification. An Individual must then work for the company obviously in exchange for the education they received.
Students will be trained to help patients with eating, bathing and dressing just to name a few things. The goal is to allow patients to be as independent and do as much as they can on their own. But some patients will need full assistance with those tasks. You also learn things like how to safely transfer a completely immobile patient. And how to communicate with patients who are nonverbal. The course even teaches how to work with patients who have dementia.
The program provides theoretical, lab and clinical training. It’s everything you need to be able to sit for the state competency exam for nursing assistants. Graduates from their program have a high success rate of passing.
You can talk to this healthcare facility to learn about upcoming opportunities by calling 281-573-0007
American Red Cross – Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter
2055 Kendall Drive-Dallas, TX 75235
The Red Cross offers CNA training for free to those accepted into the program. Red Cross is a name anyone can trust. A person must show a strong commitment to serving the community. They need to be highly motivated and have a strong desire to help others. Acceptance into the program is highly competitive. There’s so many people who actually want to do this. The individual will be more likely to be accepted into the program if they can demonstrate significant financial need.
A good candidate will be someone who can handle a physically demanding job. They will be motivated and able to work independently but also work well under the instruction of others. It will be someone who can handle stress well and who can work multiple king shifts in a row.
Students will learn first aid and safety obviously. They will learn how to carry out all tasks of a nursing assistant. Nursing assistants help with exercising, range of motion, eating, dressing, bathing, toileting and grooming. They help to monitor vital signs and to report concerns to their supervising nurse. Ethics, privacy rights and good communication skills will be taught.
The course has 4 main segments. It teaches nursing assistant fundamentals. The class also teaches safety. Safety is important for the residents and staff members both. Of course one segment of the course is about actually providing care to patients. The final segment pertains to specialty care situations. The course even tries to teach students how to make the transition from bro g a student to becoming a fully certified nursing assistant.
Graduates will be able to sit for the nursing assistant certification exam. The exam should not be difficult to pass for students who studied hard. This is such a well put together and comprehensive training program.
CNA Training Programs in Texas
Vinepress Training Center
9550 Forest Lane, Suite 104, Dallas, TX 75243
The Vinepress Training Center offers several courses to help students who wish to enter into starting phases of the healthcare field. Among their courses, is a nursing assistant training course that costs $550. The Nursing Assistant training course is very skills intensive with hands on lab experience using medical equipment like that equipment that nursing aides use in the field. Students will also receive clinical experience by performing nursing assistant duties at a local nursing home under the direction of the clinical instructor for the training program. In the classroom, students will learn the theories and fundamentals behind basic, entry level nursing care. They will learn how to be patient and compassionate to patients with acute and chronic conditions as well as those patients who are receiving end of life care. The training course provides students with all the knowhow they need to be a valued member of the nursing staff.
Amarillo College
1220 East First Street-Dumas, TX 79029
Amarillo College offers a 12 week nursing assistant training program. The course has four different segments. Students will first have an introduction section. They will near the basics of what it means to be a CNA and an overview of what this career entails. The nursing assistant program also includes a lecture instruction where students learn the basics they need to know before they can implement nursing assistant skills. Of course, the program also involves a clinical segment where students will actually perform nursing assistant duties under direct supervision for patients within a healthcare facility. The final section of the course is a skill review to make certain students are fully prepared to carry out the practical skills they need to work as a CNA. This program is one for which students can apply for financial aid and the total cost for the program without any financial assistance is $1231.50.
Nurses Bridges Institute
8700 Commerce Park Dr, Ste 255-Houston, TX 77036
Nurse Bridges institute offers a nurse aide training program to students. They offer this course every three months and the course itself lasts for ten weeks. After completing the course, students will need to sit for the Nurse Aide Competency test which is giving through the Department of Aging. Students will learn in this course through several methods. There will be classroom/lecture instructions. Within the classroom there will be audio and visual aids used to help students better understanding what they are learning and how it will be used in the real world clinical setting. There will be clinical lab simulations on campus. This is a chance for students to practice real nursing aide skills in a protected environment before actually using those skills with patients. And lastly, students will need to complete a clinical rotation where they will work directly with patients. The total cost for the nurse aid program at Nurses Bridges Institute is $835.
- The College of Healthcare Professionals – Austin, TX | 78752 | (512) 892-2835
- Austin Community College – Austin,TX | 78752-4390 | (512) 223-4222
- Franklin Nursing Home – Franklin,TX | 77856 | (979) 828-5152
- The Legacy Campus – Bay City, TX | 77414 | (979) 245-7800
- St. James House – Baytown, TX | 77520-1694 | (281) 425-1200
Application Procedure
In Texas, CNA candidates begin their application to be listed on the CNA registry at the time of applying to sit for the certification exam. Applications can be found here:
(http://www.pearsonvue.com/tx/nurseaides). The training program will need to verify the student finished their course successfully. If a student was exempt from needing to take a training course, there is another application they will need to completely so that the Department of Aging can approve their request to sit for the exam. The application can be found here: (http://www.dads.state.tx.us/providers/nf/credentialing/NATCEP/forms.html) and various paperwork will need to be submitted verifying that the training or education requirements have been met.
[su_highlight]A successful background check is required for any candidate to be listed on the CNA registry.[/su_highlight]
CNA Exam Requirements in Texas
The CNA certification exam costs $95. This test includes a multiple choice section as well as a skills section. You will be tested on 5 different CNA skills. You will not know which skills will be tested other than showing you know how to use proper hand hygiene. You must receive a score of satisfactory on at least 4 of the skills to pass that portion of the test. You cannot be listed on the nursing aide registry until both tests sections are passed. You can sit for the test three different times.
Test locations can be found here: (http://asisvcs.com/publications/pdf/064407.pdf. You will need to schedule a testing site, date and time.
Out of State CNAs
If you are a CNA who is in good and active standing from another state, you can apply for reciprocity. If approved, you do not need to take a training course nor do you need to sit for the exam. Whether in state or out of state, if your certification lapsed, you will need to take the examination again to become listed in active standing on the registry.
Places to Work as a CNA in Texas
Beacon Hill
3515 S Park Ave, Denison, TX 75020
C C Young Memorial Home
4829 W Lawther Dr., Dallas, TX 75214
Crown Point Health Suites
6640 Iola Avenue, Lubbock, TX 79424
Elsie Gayer Health Care Center
902 N Main St., San Angelo, TX 76903
Golden Age Nursing Home
2613 34th St., Lubbock, TX 79410
Golden Palms Retirement & Health Center
2101 Treasure Hills Boulevard, Harlingen, TX 78550
Healthcare Center at the Forum at Park Lane
7827 Park Ln, Dallas, TX 75225
Hollymead
4101 Long Prairie Road, Flower Mound, TX 75028
Legend Oaks Healthcare and Rehabilitation – New Br
2468 Fm 1101, New Braunfels, TX 78130
Longhorn Village
12001 Longhorn Parkway, Austin, TX 78732
CNA Training Center Reviews
Amarillo College – Small campus, teachers are concerned about the success of their students, reasonable fees and teachers actually read the material and then teach it well to the students. I made lifelong friends at Amarillo college and we always help each other to make it less stressful. The online classes are also incredibly easy and night classes are convenient for students who have full-time jobs.
Nurses Bridges Institute – At this institute, students are provided a chance for hands-on training to gain experience. They practice with a partner and also have small quizzes to prepare for exams. The environment is positive and friendly and the courses prepare students for their career.
CNA Training FAQs
What do I need to do in order to become a CNA? In order to become a CNA, you are required to:- graduate from a state-approved training program and pass the state evaluation test.
How can I qualify for reciprocity? You can qualify for reciprocity if you are currently on the nurse aide registry in another state that is in compliance with applicable federal laws and you complete the necessary DADS-required documentation.
Once I pass the examination, how fast can I get my certificate? The nurse aide certificate will be sent to you within four to six weeks.
How long can I keep my certification active if I stop working as a nurse aide? If you were not employed as a nurse aide for 24 consecutive months you will lose your certification and will be removed from active status on the Nurse Aide Registry.