Questions about the course I'm now taking...

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg.

Hello, my name is Eric. I'm aspiring to be either an RN or a paramedic, but seeing as I am too poor to attend college, I'm taking a CNA course as a stepping stone into healthcare. I volunteered on the busiest floor of a major hospital two summers ago and I thoroughly enjoyed helping the RN's and the CNA's, so I am happy to be in this course. :D

However, my wife and I have a few reservations. My mother-in-law, and LPN, told me that Maine has some of the toughest CNA reqirements in the nation (180 hours classroom instruction, 50 hours of clinicals). However, I'm curious if this offsets the cost of-- wait for it-- $950. On top of this price, students are expected to buy their own scrubs, stethoscopes, blood-pressure cuffs, and take a CPR course, which will add $50 to the final price. The cost of this course will end up running over $1000. I am truly thankful to be involved in this program, but we have a family of three subsisting on about $11,000 a year.

Does this price seem unreasonable? How much did any of you have to pay for your courses?

Thanks in advance.

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Yeah... this seems right. I am in California, and we paid 850 for our course, about 60 for our book. The price for the course included our fingerprint live scan fee and for our classroom scrubs. (They make us wear scrubs in class too) It didn't include our clinical scrubs which were expensive since they requested we get Dove scrubs, or our stethoscope and blood pressure kit (although we were not required to get those, our teacher said if we plan on continuing in nursing we should get our own equipment). It also didn't include our CPR class or our physical that we had to get including blood work and urinalysis.

So to answer your question the prices aren't unreasonable for the class you are taking. =)

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Eric,

Please don't automatically assume that college is out of your price range. Have you talked to financial aid counselors? There are probably a lot of different opportunities available for you from sources you are not even aware of. Family circumstances can also help up the ante - such as: if you are the first in your family to go to college; there are multiple people in your family enrolled in college; you are a member of an underserved minority; etc.

Good luck in whatever you decide. Don't aim too low.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg.
Eric,

Please don't automatically assume that college is out of your price range. Have you talked to financial aid counselors? There are probably a lot of different opportunities available for you from sources you are not even aware of. Family circumstances can also help up the ante - such as: if you are the first in your family to go to college; there are multiple people in your family enrolled in college; you are a member of an underserved minority; etc.

Good luck in whatever you decide. Don't aim too low.

Hi rbezemek,

I know that there are ample opportunities for college, especially at poverty level where I am. I have some very odd circumstances which have rendered college out of my reach until I can file a new FASFA in January. Apparently the one I filed last January didn't change when my income dropped 90%. Weird, huh?

I currently have my enrollment deferred at... well, two colleges, but I only aim to attend one at a time! :smokin:

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In Texas it cost me 900, plus I did 60 for my CPR, and bought scrubs, and books. It came to about 1100. In Texas though if you are employed as a CNA within 12 months of becoming certified the state will refund what you spent on schooling on a pro rata basis. That might be something to look into for Maine as well. Oh I'd also be applying to scholarships now, my boyfriends family is from Maine and there are a ton of scholarships for mainards.

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