Free Training Classes For CNA Certification

See how to find free training opportunities to become a CNA

By Sybil Morneau
Published on April 26th, 2015

Why do Some Schools Offer Free CNA Training?

This is a good question and a great starting point for this article. Many might wonder why any educational institution might offer free training courses, when the cost of providing this education is significant, and includes instructor salary, classroom space, laboratory space and materials, and other infrastructure.

There are several reasons, starting with the fact that some of these institutions might be receiving state or federal funds in exchange for providing free nurse aide training. Therefore, as part of their obligation to their state department or federal financier they must provide some specific amount of free education to CNA students. Vice-cersa, some facilities might decide to offer free training classes in order to qualify for certain state or federal benefits, in the form of funding or tax breaks.

Another reason might be that they are attempting to train their own staff. Some facilities that deal with assisted living or on-site patient care are required to keep a specific number of nurse aides on staff at all times according to a predetermined staff-to-patient ratio set forth by the State Department of Health. If these companies are un-satisfied with the current applicant pool of nurse aides, they might choose to offer their own training program free of cost in exchange for a promise of employment at their facility upon completion and licensure. This way they can ensure that each worker is trained well, and according to their preferences. They also eliminate the time and cost of searching for qualified applicants since they have the ability to train on-site.

Some institutions might be providing free training classes for CNA certification in order to fill a quota or meet a minimum requirement. This situations can prove to be the student’s gain as they can obtain their education for free by taking advantage of these types of situations. Other institutions might offer free classes as a way of giving back to their communities. By training nurse aides in a competent and comprehensive manner they are providing a great service to their local community and economy.

How to Find Free CNA Training Courses

There are several known resources for finding free CNA training courses, such as the American Red Cross which has been known to offer such opportunities in the past. Another source is nursing homes, assisted living facilities, rehabilitation centers, Alzheimers and dementia care facilities, senior housing communities, and any other facility that is mandated to employ CNAs on a per patient basis. The best way to find out about free training classes is to inquire directly with such facilities in your area. Many of these opportunities will not be heavily advertised and will only be discovered by those diligent enough to contact the facility directly.

Another great source for finding free training classes is our online library of free CNA classes in each state that can be found on our blog page. This programs have already been searched and selected by our team and have been identified as providers of free CNA certification training. Program scan be browsed by city and state.

Sybil Morneau

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