Outside of nurses, nursing assistants form a vital part of patient care in hospitals and extended care facilities. Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) perform routine tasks related to the care and comfort of patients to give nurses the freedom to perform more complex tasks related to patients’ recovery. While CNAs can perform some tasks that are within the scope of practice for nurses, they typically cannot formulate care plans, administer medication, perform assessments, assist in surgical procedures, or generate patient reports. Nurse aides assist patients with personal care and grooming, monitor patients, position and turn patients to prevent bed sores, transfer patients from the bed the wheeling, serve meals, and measure and record vital signs. Other basic tasks include measuring and recording fluid intake and output, applying dressings, cleaning rooms and changing bed linens, answering call lights, preparing patients for surgical procedures, collecting samples for lab tests, and supervising exercise routines. Since CNAs spend so much time with patients, they are often referred to as the “eyes and ears” of nurses. The median wage for CNAs was $27,510 in 2017 according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Schoolcraft College
The Nursing Assistant Course at Schoolcraft College is a 6-credit program that provides students the opportunity to prepare for entry-level employment in home health agencies, hospitals, and extended care facilities. Only students who have been officially admitted to the college may enroll in the program. Classes meet three days a week in the fall, winter, and spring semesters. Classes will meet four days a week for four weeks during the summer semester. Students who successfully complete the requirements will be eligible to take the Michigan Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation to be added to the state registry. The program operates with the approval of the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) Bureau of Community and Health Systems. Students must maintain a minimum overall grade of 75% and complete the clinical competencies to graduate. Graduates also have the option to complete the skills certificate (16 credits) that will enable them to continue their healthcare education with an advanced standing.
Admission criteria:
- Meet the health requirements
- Pass a criminal background
- Clear a drug screen on the first attempt
- Be 16 years or older
- Meet the Schoolcraft College entrance requirements
- Proof of current MMR, Varicella, and TdaP vaccines
- Take a two-step TB test
- Complete a health physical
The tuition for the program (based on 6 credits) is $648 for in-district students. Registration, lab and equipment fees, textbook, and uniforms will cost an additional $840.
- Website: http://www.schoolcraft.edu/academics/2018-2019/healthcare-and-health-sciences/nursing/nursing-assistant-training-program-skills-certificate
- Address: 18600 Haggerty Road, Livonia, MI 48152
- Phone: 734-462-4400
Avanti Home Health Care
Avanti Career Institute’s Nursing Assistant Training Program offers quality theory, laboratory, and clinical experiences to prepare students for a rewarding career in health care. Students will participate in clinical experiences in a top-of-the-line nursing facility in Michigan. A registered nurse instructor will supervise students’ activities as they apply the skills learned in the classroom to care for residents. The school offers state-of-the-art equipment in the skills lab giving students the opportunity to practice with them before going into the real world. Course topics will include nutrition and feeding, infection control, medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, vital signs, range of motion exercises, communication, and hospice care. Registration takes place two weeks before the class date.
Admission criteria:
- Must have completed the fifth-grade level
- Clear a criminal background check
- Complete a drug and alcohol screen
- Have no felony convictions
Tuition costs $950 and includes the application fee, stethoscope, CNA textbook, lab equipment and fees, TB vaccination, and clinical experience. The school uniform will cost $25.
- Website: http://www.avantihs.com/page/home-health
- Address: 37650 Professional Center Drive, Suite 145-A, Livonia, MI 48154
- Toll-free: 877.7.AVANTI
- Local: 734-779-9900
- Fax: 734-779-9100
Barnabas Health Care School of Professional Studies
The nursing assistant training at Barnabas Health Care School of Professional Studies includes classroom lectures and a clinical externship to prepare students for employment in health care. The program is approved by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) Bureau of Community and Health Systems, so graduates are eligible to sit the Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation to be added to the Nurse Aide Registry. The areas of study will include basic nursing skills, medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, infection control, nutrition, personal care, turning and positioning patients, and much more. Students will participate in a mandatory clinical externship, which emphasizes the application of the classroom topics in a real-world setting. A registered nurse instructor will direct students as they work in teams to care for patients. Graduates will be eligible to work in hospitals, private homes, residential care facilities, home health agencies, and physicians’ offices.
Admission criteria:
- Complete a physical exam
- Submit to a drug screen
- Pass a criminal background
- Provide immunization records
- Obtain TB clearance
Tuition for the program is $500.
- Website: http://www.bhcschool.com/medical-school-courses
- Address: 24634 Five Mile Road, Suite # 35, Redford, Michigan 48239
- Phone: 313-550-3615
- Telefax: 313-952-2699
- Email: bhcschools@yahoo.com
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross provides adults with the skills needed to work as nurse aides provide quality care in long-term care facilities. The program combines traditional classroom instruction with practical experiences to meet the state’s training requirements for nursing assistants. The clinical work will commence after students successfully complete the classroom requirements. A licensed nurse will guide students through active patient care in a real-world setting. Course topics will include infection control, promoting safety, the art of caregiving, taking vital signs, CPR, First Aid, and AED usage, range of motion exercises, special care instructions, communication and teamwork, and transitioning from student to employee. Classes are offered in the daytime only. Graduates will be prepared for success on the Nurse Aide exam.
Admission criteria:
- Attend an orientation session
- Take a reading and math assessment and obtain acceptable scores
- A high school diploma or equivalent
- Submit an acceptable criminal background check report
- Complete the Red Cross physical form/TB test
Tuition for the program is $1,300. Scholarship opportunities may be available for eligible students.
- Website: https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cna/cna-training
- Address: 100 Mack Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
- Phone: 1-800-733-2767
Future Healthcare Careers
Future Healthcare Careers provides state-approved nurse aide training to prepare adults for certification as a nurse aide. Students will learn basic nursing skills, personal care including how to give bed baths, serve meals, move patients from the bed to the wheelchair, make beds, monitor vital signs, chart, assist with AM/PM care, monitor patients, and assist with rehabilitation. The program includes clinical rotations in hospitals and nursing homes. Graduates will receive a certificate of completion and will be eligible to apply to the Board to sit the Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation. The duration of the program is 10 days. The class size is limited to 8 to 12 students.
Admission criteria:
- Meet the health requirements
- Pass a criminal background
- Clear a drug screen on the first attempt
- Be 16 years or older
- Proof of current MMR, Varicella, and TdaP vaccines
- Take a two-step TB test
- Complete a health physical
Tuition costs $399. The application fee is $25. A payment plan is available.
- Website: https://www.futurehealthcareers.org/
- Address: 16176 Middlebelt Rd, Livonia, MI 48152
- Phone: 248-773-1491
Abcott Institute
The Certified Nursing Assistant program at Abcott Institute prepares students for employment in long-term care facilities. Students will acquire the knowledge and skills to pass that National Certification Exams for Michigan State and become a Certified Nurse Assistant. Graduates will receive a Certificate of Completion. The classroom theory comprises of 91-course hours and covers the skills needed to provide direct care in long-term care facilities. Students learn safety, body mechanics, anatomy and physiology, patient rights advocacy, communication skills, abuse prevention, restraints, the role of the nurse aide, and basic nursing skills. Students will also complete an externship at a state-approved facility. The clinical externship will cover 21 additional course hours. Abcott limits enrollment to 22 students per instructor in the classroom. 12 students in the lab, and 8 students during the externship. The program covers a total of 112 clock hours.
Admission criteria:
- Attend an information session with the admissions representative
- Complete a criminal background check
- Pass a drug screen on the first attempt
- Attend a personal interview
- Be 17 years or older
- Provide a valid driver’s license or state ID and social security card
- Pay the registration fee
Tuition for the program is $975 and includes books, uniform, state certification exam, and CPR/First Aid.
- Website: https://abcott.edu/programs/certified-nursing-assistant/
- Address: 16250 Northland Drive Suite 205, Southfield, MI 48075
- Phone: 1-248-440-6020
- Fax: 248-440-6099
Hazy Institute
Hazy Institute hosts a state-approved CNA program to prepare adults for entry-level employment in a long-term care facility or hospital. The 75-hour program includes theory and practical training and may be completed in 2 weeks. The coursework covers infection control, patient safety, communication, dignity, basic nursing skills, independence and privacy, hospice care, patients’ rights and independence, privacy, and personal care. Students will also develop skills to take blood pressure, temperature, pulse rate, assist with grooming, communicate well, feed patients, and position patients in the bed. Graduates will receive a Hazy Institute certificate of completion and will be eligible to apply for the state exam.
Admission criteria:
- Provide a valid driver’s license or state ID and social security card
- Attend an information session
- Complete a criminal background check
- Pass a drug screen
- Attend a personal interview
- Be 17 years or older
- Pay the deposit of $300
Tuition includes books and handouts, preparation for the state exam, and clinical rotations. Students must budget for the state exam, which costs $125.
- Website: http://www.hazyinstitute.com/
- Address: 21700 Greenfield Rd, Oak Park, MI 48237. Suite #264.
- Phone: (248) 850-7110
Wayne County Community College District
The nursing assistant program at Wayne County is a short-term certificate course that prepares students for employment in health care. The program will be completed in two semesters and will cover three modules that total 16 credit hours. Graduates will receive a certificate that will grant eligibility to take the state nurse aide exam for employment in long-term care facilities. Course titles include medical terminology, medical first responder, and nursing assistant. Topics will cover basic nursing skills, preventing infections, patient safety, vital signs, infection control, patient rights and independence, anatomy and physiology, and death and dying. The program is approved by the Michigan Department of Community Health and the Board of Nursing.
- Website: http://www.wcccd.edu/academic/Allied_Health_Program.html
- Address: 801 W. Fort Street, Detroit MI 48226
- Phone: 734-374-3228