Certified Nursing Assistant Contact: Phyllis Syers (574)289-7001 ext 5720

Looking for a short course of study that will open the door to a life-long healthcare career? Want a set of skills that will give you a range of job opportunities plus the satisfaction of helping others? Our five-credit Certified Nursing Assistant course may be the right fit for you. In as little as 12 weeks, you’ll get the classroom instruction and field training necessary to master the state certification exam and become a full-fledged CNA, ready to go to work in a hospital, long-term care or residential setting. Increase your income and employability by learning how to administer medications in our four-credit Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) course.

Degrees, certificates and specialities

Program description

Professional/Technical Core - 5 Credits
PNU 282 Certified Nursing Assistant - 5 credits

The program includes:29 Hours in the classroom
13 Hours in the laboratory
80 Hours in a clinical setting
3 Hour competency exam
125 Total hours Course description The CNA preparation course can be completed in 12 weeks of part-time study. The five-credit course includes 30 classroom hours, 15 laboratory hours, 80 hours in a clinical setting and a three-hour competency exam for a total of 128 hours. The curriculum meets Indiana and federal guidelines for nursing assistant training. Graduates are eligible to sit for the state CNA competency exam.Employment outlookEmployment opportunities for Certified Nursing Assistants are expected to grow faster than average (21 to 35 percent) in Indiana and nationally through 2010.Opportunities for additional educationThe CNA designation can be the first step in an exciting career and education pathway. Many students earn the CNA, secure a job in the health care field and then continue to work toward the LPN and RN designations, a bachelor’s degree in nursing and beyond—often with tuition support from their employer. For more information about the Nursing Stair Step, contact the Office of Admissions at the nearest Ivy Tech campus.Typical duties• Meet with nursing staff to plan patient care
• Prepare food trays and serve meals
• Help patients with walking, bathing, dressing and eating
• Move patients by wheelchair or gurney
• Check and record patient vital signs
• Deliver messages, gifts and flowers
• Clean rooms and change beds
• Turn patients who cannot turn over in bed
• Give lotion and alcohol rubs
• Observe and report changes in patients' emotions or alertness
• Sterilize equipment and supplies
• Set up and monitor equipment
• Stock supplies, such as dressings and treatment trays

EarningsNational: Average wage $9.18 an hour
Indiana: Average wage $9.51 an hour
South Bend: Average wage $9.14 an hourOccupational areas• Hospitals
• Physician offices
• Nursing care facilities
• Patient homesArea employers of CNA course graduate• Bremen Nursing Home
• Holy Cross Care and Rehabilitation Center
• Madison Center
• Memorial Home Care
• Regency Nursing Home
• Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center
• Southfield Village
Sources: Indiana Career and Postsecondary Advancement Center (ICPAC); surveys of course graduates

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