CNA Classes South Holland, IL

Certification as a Basic Nurse Assistant is the first step to a rewarding career in health. Training and certification is also a prerequisite for advancement into nursing and other careers in the field. BNA training in Illinois typically requires students to complete at least 120 hours of theory and practical experiences. Graduates must register to take the Illinois Nurse Aide Training Competency Exam to be included on the IDPH Healthcare Workers Registry.

Nursing assistants work in home health care, long-term care, hospitals, and clinics. Employment in licensed long-term care facilities requires a criminal history records check, in accordance with the Health Care Worker Background Check Act. An individual with disqualifying convictions may not be eligible to practice unless a waiver is secured from the IDPH. Findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriated property may also be cause for disqualification.

CNAs assist residents and patients with personal care and activities of daily living under the supervision of a licensed nurse or physician. CNA classes cover all the essential skills needed to provide safe, competent, and patient-centered care.

South Suburban College

The Basic Nursing Assistant Training Program (BNATP) at South Suburban College is designed for adults to secure the knowledge and skills necessary to become an active part of the health care team. Basic nursing skills will be the emphasis in the program’s lectures, skills lab, and clinical experiences. The mission of the program is to deliver quality education that will enable students to provide safe and competent care. Graduates will understand the scope of practice of the nursing assistant, provide holistic and compassionate care, maintain state and federal regulation as it relates to infection control, use basic nursing skills to ensure patients’ comfort and assist with the activities of daily living, respond appropriately to disasters, and contrast normal aging and dementia. The program is 6 credit hours. Graduates will receive a basic certificate and will be eligible to take the Nurse Aide Training Competency Exam.

Admission criteria:

  • Complete a Livescan criminal background check according to the Health Care Worker Background Check Code – applicants with one or more disqualifying convictions should not apply to the program before applying for a waiver from the IDPH
  • Must be 17 years or older
  • Take the Accuplacer Assessment test and place into Reading 081
  • Register for the BNAT Program after receipt of the curriculum form given on verification of the Livescan fingerprint background check
  • Complete a physical which includes immunization titers TB, strep A, Tdap, and annual influenza vaccine
  • Have current CPR certification from the American Heart Association for Health Care Providers
  • Provide evidence of health insurance

In-district tuition and technology fee costs $162 per credit. The lab fee is $125 for the program. Additional costs include textbook and workbook, nurse’s shoes, uniform, gait belt, and watch with a second hand.

Prestige Nurse Aide Training Academy

The Basic Nursing Assistant CNA Program at Prestige Nurse Aide Training Academy is approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health IDPH and the Illinois Board of Higher Education IBHE. The structured curriculum prepares students for success on the Illinois State Exam for Nurse Aides. Experienced instructors will use lectures, hands-on lab sessions, and interactive patient care experiences in a clinical setting to support practice in a real-world environment. The curriculum covers 120 hours of instruction – 80 hours theory and 40 hours clinical. Classes meet Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for 8 weeks. Day and evening schedules are available. The day class meets at 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. The evening class meets from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm. It is mandated that students attend all classes. Tardiness and absenteeism will result in dismissal from the program. Graduates will be eligible to sit for The Illinois State Competency Exam to become a Certified Nursing Assistant CNA.

Admission criteria:

  • Be 16 years or older at the time of enrollment
  • Have a high school diploma or GED equivalent or score 75% on a competency exam that evaluates math and reading at the eighth-grade level
  • Have a valid state ID and social security card
  • Consent to a background check
  • Complete a physical exam and TB test
  • Provide documentation of health insurance or sign the release of liability waiver
  • Pass a 10-panel drug screen
  • Provide documentation of current immunization – Varicella, MMR, and seasonal flu

The cost of the program is $835 and includes registration, lab, CPR Certification, Textbook, and review sessions for the state exam. A flexible payment plan is available for all students.

Morton College

Students who graduate from the Nursing Assistant and Bedside Care Technician course at Morton College will qualify for employment in a variety of health care settings, including long-term care facilities, hospitals, and home health. The program emphasizes the provision of skilled and compassionate care to improve the quality of life for patients. Students will understand the role of the nurse aide as part of the interdisciplinary health care team, identify the responsibilities of the licensed practical nurse and registered nurse in a variety of settings, use technical skills to perform nurse aide duties, maintain ethical and moral behaviors in practice, demonstrate professionalism, use basic nursing skills to assist patients with the activities of daily living, conduct duties as delegated by a nurse, and respond appropriately in emergencies. Students must complete 93 hours of classroom lectures and participate in a clinical experience comprising of 40 hours. They must demonstrate the 21 manual patient/resident care skills to graduate from the program.

Admission criteria:

  • Be 16 years or older
  • Demonstrate the ability to speak and read English
  • Obtain a minimum score of 64 for English/Reading and 77 for Arithmetic on the placement test – only two attempts are permitted
  • Complete the NUR 104 Socialization into Nursing Assistant Career with a grade C or better
  • Pass a criminal background check – sign the release form for permission to perform the background check
  • Provide proof of completing a physical exam indicating good health and physical and mental capability of performing the duties of a Nurse Assistant
  • Complete a 10-panel drug screen with a satisfactory result
  • Pass a TB skin test or chest x-ray
  • Submit documentation of immunity to varicella, MMR, and hepatitis B
  • Complete seasonal vaccination for influenza
  • Maintain health insurance for the duration of the program
  • Provide proof of American Heart Association AHA Basic Life Support Certification for Healthcare Providers

Tuition for the 8-credit program is $96 per credit hour for in-district students. Additional costs include fees, textbook, supplies, uniform, background check, CPR card, and state exam fee.

ELIM Outreach Training Center, Inc

The Basic Nurse Assistants program at ELIM Outreach Training Center offers a curriculum that is approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education and the Illinois Department of Public Health. The training includes intense training in the classroom and in a professional clinical setting. Students will develop the proficiency to pass the state Nurse Aide Exam, perform basic tasks to support patients’ physical needs, provide compassionate personal care, understand their role as a member of the health care team, demonstrate 21 skills as required by the Illinois Department of Public Health, and demonstrate a basic understanding of human anatomy. Course topics include introduction to course, medical terminology, role of the nursing assistant, basic anatomy, introduction to the client, care of the elderly, infection control, personal care, principles of body mechanics, communicating with the health care team, medical terminology, ethical and legal issues, nutrition and fluids, vital signs, the terminally ill patient, and disease and special nursing needs. Students who complete all the program’s requirements and pass the state exam will have their names added to the IDPH Healthcare Workers Registry. The duration of the program is 6.5 to 8.5 weeks and covers 80 hours of theory and 40 hours of supervised patient care in a clinical setting.

Admission criteria:

  • Have a high school diploma or equivalent
  • Pass a standardized Reading and Math exam at the ninth grade level
  • Must be able to lift 50 to 80 pounds and have good fine motor coordination
  • Consent to a criminal background check
  • Submit the record from a current physical exam
  • A negative TB skin test or chest x-ray – completed within the last 6 months
  • Provide documentation of completing the Hepatitis B series

The total cost of the training is $1,114. It includes tuition, books, fees, uniform, shoes, watch, criminal background check, state exam, CPR, gait belt, and stethoscope.

Zurik Healthcare Institute

At Zurik Healthcare Institute, nursing assistant students will gain the skills to become a valuable asset to the health care sector. Classroom lectures will set the foundation for rich hands-on experiences in the laboratory and health care facilities. The program outline follows the Illinois Department of Public Health approved curriculum so graduates will be eligible to take the Nurse Aide Competency Exam to be added to the Registry. It consists of 86 hours of theory and 40 hours of supervised patient care experiences in a health care facility. Students will learn how to care for patients with special needs, respecting patients’ rights, use their understanding of body functions and systems to care for patients, function as a member of the health care team, assist nurses with diagnosis and vital signs, and provide personal care. Coursework includes the nursing assistant, communication skills, professionalism and job seeking, communicable disease and infection control, the patient resident environment, basic body structure and function, caring for people with rehabilitation needs, dementia care, basic first aid and emergency care, patient safety and restraints, and the health care system. The duration of the program is 8 to 9 weeks. The school admits new students four times a year in the fall, winter, spring and summer semesters. Classes meet between the hours 9:00 am to 2:30 pm on the weekdays.

Admission criteria:

  • Have a high school diploma or equivalent
  • Pass a standardized Reading and Math exam at the ninth grade level
  • Must be able to lift 50 to 80 pounds and have good fine motor coordination
  • Consent to a criminal background check
  • Submit the record from a current physical exam
  • A negative TB skin test or chest x-ray – completed within the last 6 months
  • Provide documentation of completing the Hepatitis B series

Registration, tuition, uniform, and fees cost $850.

  • Website: https://www.zhischool.org/
  • Address: 3325 West 183rd Street, Homewood, IL 60430
  • Phone: 708-960-0723
  • Alt: 708-991-2776
  • Fax: 708-960-0419

Excelsior Healthcare Academy

The Nursing Assistant program at Excelsior Healthcare Academy prepares adults to work in a health care setting. The duration of the program is 4 weeks. A new class begins every first Mondays and ends on the last Saturday of the month. Coursework includes 120 clock hours of theory and practical experiences in the areas of communication, professionalism and job seeking, communicable disease and infection control, the patient resident environment, basic body structure and function, caring for people with rehabilitation needs, dementia care, basic first aid and emergency care, patient safety and restraints, and the health care system. Graduates will be eligible to take the State Nurse Aide Exam to be added to the Nure Aide Registry.

Admission criteria:

  • Be at least 18 years old
  • Have a high school diploma or GED or pass a Basic Skills Test with a minimum verbal score of 70% and a minimum math score of 70%
  • Attend a personal interview
  • Submit a completed application for admission and sign the enrollment agreement
  • Provide proof of current and negative TB skin test and negative chest x-ray
  • Submit a completed application for a criminal background check
  • Submit documentation of completing a physical exam
  • Provide a copy of valid state ID and social security card

Tuition for the program is $1,400.