With nearly 700,000 people, Washington DC is home to some of the biggest and finest healthcare centers and hospitals in the nation. Plenty of people in Washington DC require professional medical help and long-term care which is driving the need for qualified healthcare workers such as CNAs at a greater pace than ever. During this rush, getting trained as a CNA can help you land an exciting and rewarding entry level employment position in the rapidly growing healthcare sector. So, if you are interested, we have compiled a list of some of the best and finest CNA training programs in the Washington DC area to get you started.
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How long does it take to become CNA in Washington DC?
On an average, it can take anywhere between four to six weeks to complete your CNA training in the Washington DC area. But some comprehensive programs may even need 10 months for the students to complete the training.
How much does it cost to become CNA in Washington DC?
Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) training programs in the Washington Area generally cost around $400 to $1200 depending on the training institute and the types of program you choose to enroll in (morning, evening and weekend). Students might also be able to find financial aid options as well through loans, grants and scholarships.
Nursing Assistant Salary in Washington DC
Certified nursing assistants can make around $18 an hour. While, the average yearly salary can range anywhere from $24,500 to $39,288. Moreover, many workplaces may also offer additional benefits such as healthcare insurance to its workers as well.
NW Pathways Nursing Assistant Training Center
NW NAC Nursing Assistant Training Center is not only a state-authorized provider of CNA training services in the Washington DC area but it also one of the few official testing sites for nurse aide state competency exam in Washington DC area. The offer a fast track 30-day CNA training program at their center which cost around $1090 in total. This package includes the TB test fee, medical supplies (stethoscope, blood pressure cuff etc.), tuition fee, lab fee and text book fee etc. The first installment is around $400 which is due by the 1st class, where the rest can be paid in multiple payments during the course of training.
\Morning classes run through Monday to Friday and meet from 10AM to 4PM, whereas evening classes run through Monday to Thursday and on Saturday and meet from 6PM to 10PM. Clinical training hours for both morning and evening classes are subject to change. Once the training is complete, students have to sit in the state competency exam. The Washington state nurse aide competency exam fee is $124 which students have to pay on their own. Moreover, once they pass the test, they are also needed to pay an additional $85 in licensing fees to the state of Washington. For more information and to book a seat, you can visit their website.
Bethel Training Institute
Do you want to change your life for the better, while also helping others? Then, you should definitely consider getting trained as a CNA and Bethel Training Institute offers a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) training program that can prepare you for a rewarding entry-level employment position in the rapidly growing healthcare sector. The regular training program is 4 weeks in length whereas the hybrid evening program is five weeks in length. Rate of the training is around $650 in total which includes the cost of textbooks, scrubs, TB test and all the other course related materials. The hybrid class contains an online portion but students are required to attend the clinical training sessions in person.
During the training, students learn about basic patient care and about nurse aide training duties such as helping patients with their basic needs, taking vital signs and providing compassionate hands-on care to the residents of healthcare facilities. Affordable payment plans are also in place to help the financially challenged students. In order to get into the program, you must be at least 18 years of age, able to pass a criminal background check, have a high school diploma, GED certification or equivalent, be in good physical health and be proficient in English communication. You can visit their website to enroll into the program or make a down payment to reserve your seat.
HealthWrite Training Academy
With the aim to help individuals achieve success in their desired healthcare field, HealthWrite Training Academy has been providing the people with quality training solutions in many allied healthcare programs including Home Health Aide (HHA) and Certified Nurse Aide (CNA). You can visit their website to find out about the admission process, class beginnings, course costs as well as to reserve a seat in the training program of your choice. Due to the Covid-19 situations, CNA classes are hybrid with classroom lectures happening via an online link and the clinical training sessions being held in person.
The CNA training only takes around 5 to 7 weeks to complete with classes running through Monday to Thursday from 9AM to 2PM for the morning class and 1PM to 6 PM for the evening class. The hours of clinical training sessions may vary from week to week. The academy is licensed by the Washington DC Office of Superintendent of Education and their CNA training program is also completely in line with the requirements and guidelines of the state nursing commission. After successful completion of the training, students can sit in the state competency exam to earn their CNA license. Passing both written and the skill set section of the state competency exam is mandatory in order to get licensed.
University of the District of Columbia Community College (UDC-CC)
The mission of nurse aide training (CNA) training program at University of the District of Columbia Community College (UDC-CC) is to prepare competent practitioners to meet the growing needs of the rapidly growing healthcare industry. The comprehensive training program can take around 4 to 6 months to complete after which students are fully ready to take and pass the state competency exam for certified nurse aide. In addition to the tuition fee, students may also have to pay additional program-related fees such as the state competency exam fee and American Healthcare Provider CPR certification fee etc.
The course is designed to teach the students the fundamental knowledge and basic skills that are necessary to perform various nurse assisting duties for patient or elderly care at a long-term care facility or at a hospital. Successfully completing the training is often an initial step towards a long-term nursing career for many. A lot of people go on to study more in related fields such as Allied Health Technological, Radiology and Physiotherapy. In order to get into the program, you must be at least 18 years of age, able to pass a criminal background check, have a high school diploma, GED certification or equivalent, be in good physical health and be proficient in English communication.
American Red Cross, Washington DC
If you are someone who cannot afford to pay for the education and are interested in healthcare and willing to serve people by pursuing a career in the medical & healthcare industry, American Red Cross training services is offering you with an excellent opportunity to start a training for becoming a certified nursing aide with no out-of-pocket cost to you, whatsoever. Not only do they provide free training to the diligent candidates but they also have a whopping success score of more than 80%.
You can visit their local center in Washington to find out more about the training programs and try to get in as soon as possible as there’s a limited number of seats available in each center and more than 5000 individuals apply for this free training every year. Candidates are required to have a high school diploma, GED certification or equivalent in order to take the state certification exam. Moreover, they also need to complete a health checkup, provide a complete immunization record and also, clear a criminal background check in order to get licensed as a CNA. The course is divided into three modules: classroom instructions, lab activity and clinical visits, which must all be positively completed in order to get certified.
Nursing Assistant Academy, Washington, DC
The Nursing Assistant Academy, Washington, DC has been offering quality CNA training services in the Washington DC area for many years now. The program is four weeks in length and the training tuition fee is around $950. In addition to that, students also have to pay the registration fee, application fee, textbook fee, liability insurance fee and CPR certification fee as well which makes the total cost of the training around $1150. Moreover, the board of nursing online application fee and state competency exam fee will also have to be paid by the students, once they complete their training.
The training is around 124 hours in total which includes 62 hours of classroom lectures, 22 hours of laboratory training sessions as well as 40 hours of clinical externship at a local healthcare facility. The academy also offers affordable and flexible payment plans to its students in addition to accepting financial aid options through grants, loans and scholarships. Not only that, but they also offer their graduates free assistance with job placement, once they have successfully earned their license. In order to get an admission, you can visit their website to fill out an online application form but before that make sure that you meet all the criteria which you can find out all about on their website as well.
Allied Health & Technology Institute
Allied Health & Technology Institute is a training facility in Washington DC which offers many allied healthcare education programs and training with flexible class timings and affordable tuition fees. The CNA training program is almost 120 clock hours in length which includes a combination of classroom lectures, laboratory instructions as well as clinical training hours to prepare the students for their allied healthcare jobs. During the training students learn about a number of things including resident rights, role of a nurse aide, nutrition, infection control, abuse prevention, psychosocial needs, accident prevention, healthcare safety, personal care skills, effective communication, and ethical aspects of healthcare etc.
Once the training is complete, students are required to sit in the state certification exam and pass the test in order to get a license. Once they have the license, they can practice in the state as well as transfer the certification to another state by the routine procedure. In order to get into the CNA training program, students are required to have a high school diploma, GED certification or equivalent as well as pass a physical health test, have a clear criminal background and be at least18 years old. The institute is known for producing high-quality and highly-skilled nursing graduates that go on to work in the Washington DC areas nursing homes, elderly care centers as well as many medical clinics and hospitals.
Capital Health Institute, Washington, DC
Capital Health Institute offers many allied healthcare training programs where students can gain invaluable nursing knowledge and practical skills that are required to function as a allied healthcare worker in a demanding, yet rewarding environment. The class sizes are small and the focus of the instructors is on providing individualized attention to the students which in turn maximizes the success rate. In order to get into the program, you must be at least 18 years of age, have an American healthcare provider CPR certification, able to pass a physical health examination, have up to date immunization records, provide a negative TB test result, clear a drug screening test and a criminal background check as well as pass an admission test arranged by the institute.
The cost of the training is around $900 and it can be completed within a matter of just 8 weeks. Classes run through Monday to Friday with morning classes meeting from 8AM to 2PM and the evening classes meeting from 4PM to 10PM. Clinical training hours may vary from week to week. The program is Approved by DC Department of Health Regulation Administration as well as DC Educational Licensure Commission and DC Board of Nursing. You can visit their website to find out more about the program and requirements.
Comprehensive Health Academy
Comprehensive Health Academy is a Washington DC based nursing school that offers affordable allied healthcare training programs with high-quality curriculum and individualized students’ attention in focus. Among the training programs offered, there is also the 12-week certified nurse aide (CNA) training program that costs around $1500 in total. During the training students learn basic problem-solving skills, ensuring patient health and safety, communication skills, principles of nutrition, human anatomy and medical physiology as well as many other things related to nursing and healthcare. In order to get into the program, you must attend an information session which you can find about on their website.
In addition to that, students must be proficient in English and Math, be in good physical condition, provide a negative TB test result, be of legal age and have no criminal background whatsoever. Once you complete your training successfully, you are eligible to sit in the state competency exam for nurse aide certification. After successfully passing the state certification exam, candidates are given the license to start working as a nurse aide. Passing both the written section and the skill set section of the state competency exam is mandatory in order to get a license. Moreover, students have to pay the state competency exam fee on their own, once the training is complete.
Goodwill Washington DC
If you are someone who is interested in starting an exciting and rewarding career in the healthcare sector but cannot afford to pay for your training, Goodwill Washington is providing you with an excellent opportunity to get the training for free. You just need to show commitment and dedication in helping people and a general interest in healthcare along with meeting the state criteria for the state competency exam which is: be at least 18 years of age, be in good physical health, able to pass a drug screening test, have a high school diploma, GED certification or equivalent and no criminal offense in the past. Classes are offered in both morning and evening sessions and contain a total 100 hours’ worth of classroom (60 hours) and clinical training (40 hours) sessions.
Students must complete both components of the training in order to sit in the state competency exam and after passing the state competency exam, graduates are registered in the state nursing registry and given their license to practice as a certified nurse at any of the thousands of healthcare facilities, care homes and elderly care centers in the state. Since the training has no out of pocket cost to the students, the seats fill up pretty quickly and you should stay in touch with the training provider for the upcoming free sessions and try to get in as soon as possible.
MedPrep Nursing Assistant Training
MedPrep offers a 5-week nursing aide certification preparatory course at their training center which is aimed at producing skilled allied healthcare workers to meet the growing demand from the healthcare sector. The tuition fee for the training program is around $745 and students also have to pay an additional $150 registration deposit at the start of the program to reserve a seat. In addition to that, the background check fee ($15), CPR certification fee ($40), state competency exam fee ($124) and CNA license application fee ($85) has to be also paid by the students on their own during the training program.
Wearing the standard scrub set, a gait belt, training shoes and having all the course-related medical supplies is also mandatory and students have to buy those on their own as well. You can register for the program online by visiting their website and every student has to pass an English language assessment test before getting into the program which evaluates their ability to communicate in English. The training classes are offered in both morning and evening sessions and they are both hybrids. Students have to attend 10 online lectures, 4 in-person lab practice sessions and 50 hours of clinical training sessions in order to complete their CNA training. Once the training is complete, students are fully ready to take and pass the state competency exam.
Job Corps, Washington
If you are interested in seeking a job in the rapidly growing healthcare sector but cannot afford to pay for your training classes? Then you should definitely check out the free CNA training program offered by Job Corps Washington with almost no out-of-pocket cost to you. The program is supported and in part funded by the Department of Labor, USA. The program is specifically designed to help people aged between 16 and 24 in finding a career in the healthcare sector by helping the people in need of care and support. The training includes 60 hours of classroom lectures supplemented with 40 hours of hands-on clinical practice.
The free CNA training course prepares the students for the state certification exam and during the training students are taught about several topics such as human anatomy and physiology, medical and pathophysiological terminologies, nutrition and health ethics among many other things. The trained graduates from Job Corps with highly competitive nursing skills often go on to provide quality services to the elderly and patients in hospitals and care centers. In order to get into the program, candidates must demonstrate efficiency in reading/writing English and math. Candidates also have to complete a fitness test and clear a criminal background check along with meeting the rest of the criteria as well.
Innovative Institute
The Innovative Institute has been offering various vocation training programs since 2011 and it claims to be home to the finest CNAs not only in the Washington area but throughout the United States. Program instructors are experienced nursing professionals that focus on individualized student attention in order to maximize the efficiency of the training program. Every month a new CNA training sessions start and classes are offered in both morning and evening sessions. In addition to that, institute also offers occasional weekend CNA classes. Morning classes run through Monday to Friday and meet from 8AM to 3PM whereas the evening classes meet from 3PM to 10PM.
Clinical training hours vary from week to week for both the morning and evening program. In the morning and evening classes, training only takes around 4 weeks to complete whereas the weekend program might take as long as 9 weeks to complete. In order to get into the program, applicants need to be at least 18 years of age, be able to pass an entrance test with $75 marks, be able to pass a physical examination, have up to date medical and immunization records, be able to provide a negative TB test result and be able to pass a drug screening test along with a criminal background check as well. The cost of the training is around $1500 but financial aid options are available as well for the financially challenged students.
VMT Education Center
VMT Education Center is a state-approved provider of CNA training services in the Washington area that has been active since 1991. They offer a 4-week long CNA training program at their facility which costs around $1050. Classes are offered in both morning and evening sessions during which students spend at least 85 hours in learning and building skills that are vital to function as a certified nurse aide. During the training students not only learn about the basic nursing concepts but also get equipped with skills such as taking vital signs, transporting and moving the patients, assisting the residents of healthcare facilities with their day-to-day tasks and effective communication among many other things.
Once the training is complete, students are fully ready to take and pass the Washington state nurse aide competency exam. Candidates must pass both the written section and the skill set section of the state competency exam in order to get their license. In order to get into the training program, candidates must have a high school diploma, GED certification or equivalent. Moreover, applicants need to be at least 18 years of age, be able to pass an entrance test with $75 marks, be able to pass a physical examination, have up to date medical and immunization records, be able to provide a negative TB test result and be able to pass a drug screening test along with a criminal background check as well.
Green River College
Green River College is another state-approved quality provider of CNA training programs in the Washington area. The CNA program at Green River College is one of the most comprehensive training programs in the area bearing 12 credits that are divided into 3 course modules: 6 modules for nurse assistant theory, 4 credits for nurse assistant clinical training and 2 credits for the CPR/AIDS courses. This can take a few months to complete but when students complete their training, they have a very high chance of passing the state competency exam for certified nurse aide licensing. Classes run through Monday to Friday from 8AM to 4PM for the lectures while the class timing for the clinical training sessions is subject to change.
In order to get into the training program, you must be at least 18 years old, pass an English assessment test, clear a criminal background check, have up to date medical and immunization records and be in good physical health. The tuition fee for the training program is around $1266 and students also have to pay an additional $168 school fees. $159 book fee, $50 laboratory fee, $33 uniform fee, $21 liability insurance fee and other course-related material fees as well. For the students who cannot afford to pay for the training, there are financial aid options available as well.