Cheap/Free ways to obtain a CNA certificate?

Nurses Career Support

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Hi everyone! I am currently a pre-nursing student. I am taking A&P (my last pre-req before applying to enter nursing classes). I am also in desperate need of finding a part time day job that works around my school schedule, or hoping to find a graveyard shift full time job. My school has changed it's curriculum requirements to get into the nursing program due to so many student's applying and a shortage of instructors, and now pull students in according to rank calculated via point system, which includes experience in the health care field, GPA, and a few others. Aside from wanting to find a job in the health care field for the point system, I would like to get my feet wet in the industry first. It's a pretty scary thing to be investing so much education in a field that I'm not even sure will be for me. Another reason for wanting to find a full time job, is because our nursing handbook says health insurance is a requirement for clinicals, and I do not have any. So now my question.. when I'm searching around in the papers and such, most of the listings for CNA's require being already certified. I had heard that most nursing homes desperate for CNA's will hire you without being certified, and will put you through the courses later, but so far, the places I have contacted express their want for aides that are already certified. I can not afford the $800 my college requires to get certified.. are there any suggestions on how I can obtain a CNA cheap or free? Or are there other jobs in the health care field that would be beneficial to me that do not require being certified?

Thanks for your time in advance!

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Specializes in acute care.

1. which state are you in?

2. I would post this question in the CNA forum as well

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I am in Kansas City, Missouri. I am new to the site, and posted my question before looking around the forums some more, and stumbled across the CNA forum. There are already a few questions similar to mine over there. The replies suggest calling nursing homes to find out which ones offer CNA training, but so far I have contacted every nursing home in a 10 mile radius of me, and not one so far offers CNA training. I did find one thing helpful though, and that is after my fundamentals of nursing class, I can take the challenge CNA state exam without taking a CNA course. That is nice to know for when I actually get to my nursing classes, but for now, I'm in need of some kind of health care related job with zero experience or certification.

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Specializes in acute care.

If the points are the same, no matter what position in the HCF you choose, I would look into a phlebotomy class. Here in NY, they and EKG classes are usually cheaper than the CNA classes. Would being a unit secretary in a hospital count? Or volunteering at a hospital?

I am in Kansas City, Missouri. I am new to the site, and posted my question before looking around the forums some more, and stumbled across the CNA forum. There are already a few questions similar to mine over there. The replies suggest calling nursing homes to find out which ones offer CNA training, but so far I have contacted every nursing home in a 10 mile radius of me, and not one so far offers CNA training. I did find one thing helpful though, and that is after my fundamentals of nursing class, I can take the challenge CNA state exam without taking a CNA course. That is nice to know for when I actually get to my nursing classes, but for now, I'm in need of some kind of health care related job with zero experience or certification.
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I bought a couple books from Barnes and Noble and challenged the test. It's super easy. You could also try getting a job with a nursing home and they sometimes will pay for your course.

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1. which state are you in?

2. i would post this question in the cna forum as well

hi. if you dont mind me asking, do you know of any cna training programs whether i haveta pay or get it for free, doesnt matter...in new york preferably on long island? scheduling class in beginning of august for a 4-week program. thanks again for your help.

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Specializes in acute care.

free cna program: (not in li):

http://adultednyc.org/

nursing facilities willing to train you to become a cna:

http://www.brookhavenhospital.org/careers/index.html?fa=detail&poscontrolnum=111111111111 (brookhaven)

http://www.islandnursing.org/employment.htm (island nursing and rehab, scroll down for info on the free class)

http://www.listateveteranshome.org/cna.html (li va)

ok, these are just some that i found. here is a link to some nursing homes in suffolk and nassau counties. go to the career sections of their websites and there will be information about cna classes if they offer it. good luck

nassau county:

http://nursinghomes.nyhealth.gov/browse_search.php?form=county&rt=nassau

suffolk:

http://nursinghomes.nyhealth.gov/browse_search.php?form=county&rt=suffolk

hi. if you dont mind me asking, do you know of any cna training programs whether i haveta pay or get it for free, doesnt matter...in new york preferably on long island? scheduling class in beginning of august for a 4-week program. thanks again for your help.
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