A CNA, also referred to as nursing assistant, will generally work in private care facilities and nursing homes. CNA training online can be done through hybrid certificate programs that will allow a student to take nursing courses at their own pace. Hybrid courses are designed to give students more flexibility when it comes to completing coursework, while also providing students with the in-class work that gives them the interaction with fellow students and the program instructor that they’ll need in order to successfully complete the program.

Nursing Assistant Certification Overview

CNA’s are required to earn certification in all states and will need to take a certification exam at the end of a program in order to be entered onto a state specific nursing registry.

Most states have CNA programs that are accredited and assessed by the state board of nursing. The state board of nursing will make decisions regarding education and testing requirements for all types of nursing programs.  These requirements will often include a practical and written test for prospective CNA’s, although registry recognition might not be valid from one state to another. To obtain certification in this field will generally mean the students have undergone training at the CNA level and passed the licensing exam.

Nursing Assistant Certificate Programs

Blended and online CNA programs can allow a student to complete the majority of the program on the internet, while also attending campus for the clinical training aspect of the course. Similar to in-class programs, the blended or online nursing assistant programs are typically composed of a few different parts. The first portion of the program will involve coursework that covers the theories that are used in this healthcare profession, which includes two or more online classes that are specifically designed for CNA’s.

A student will typically complete the testing portion and video instruction courses that can cover practical aspects of the nursing assistant position. The final part of a CNA training online course includes the clinical training hours, which all programs will require.  Some programs will combine online coursework with the course material that’s covered in clinical training.

The internship part of the program will be done on a full-time basis for a two week period and will take place in assisted living facilities, medical clinics and nursing homes. Because several students will be working their clinical hours at the same time in the same facility, the student will need to accommodate the programs clinical hour schedule in order to complete the course.

Prior to enrollment in a CNA Training online program, the student will need to have their high school diploma or equivalent, pass a physical exam and meet scoring requirements for placement testing.