Locate a CNA training program in your area. Most community colleges offer CNA training but if you live in an area without a college, you may want to look into high schools and nursing homes.
Call the training facilities and speak with the program directors. It is best to call a few different facilities to make sure you find the program that is best for you. Some questions to ask the director include, how long does the program take, how many hours a week is training, what times of the day are classes offered, and what costs and fees are associated with the class. This will help you to find a program that works with your schedule and your financial ability.
Find out about the program requirements. Eligibility for CNA programs varies by state. For example, in some states you must be 18 years old to enroll in a course while in others you can become certified in high school. Further, in some states you are required to have a high school diploma or GED but in others you only have to pass a Test for Adult Basic Education.
Gather the documentation you discussed with the program director and enroll in the training course by completing and application. Some facilities, such as community colleges may have their program application online, but others, such as nursing homes, may require you to go and pick up a application. Keep in mind that every program is different but most will require you to pay the class and testing fees up front.
Complete the training course and study for the test. The CNA certification exam is two parts in all states and consists of a written exam and a skills exam. The skills component will ask students to complete a set of five randomly assigned tasks from a list of 25 tasks. Examples of these tasks could be demonstrating how to put on a hospital gown and gloves or how to change a bedpan.
Finish the exam. Certification is automatic upon passing both sections of the exam. Most programs include the exam in their training but make sure to ask the program director if their standards are different or if there are additional fees to take the test. You have three attempts to pass the exam before you will need to complete the training again. If you fail only one part of the exam, you will be able to retake only the part you failed.