How does a Junior Nursing student go about getting CNA

KimberlyRN89, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2012

Your state BON should have some info on this. I'm in MD and I think the process here is to fill out an application, get signed off by the dean or director of your program, and then pay all applicable fees for certification. But the best bet is to check & see with your state board.

AlexandraS · Mar 23, 2012

I'm not sure but it looks like you have to take a CNA class or actually graduate from nursing school before you can take the CNA test in New York (in most states you can challenge the test after a certain amount of class/clinical time)

grayjasper · Mar 31, 2012

Every state is different, call your state board of nursing. In my state we need an entire YEAR in an RN program to do this, AND the dean of the program has to complete this long checklist stating all the content of a CNA course is EXACTLY equivalent and taught in your RN program. Good luck on that one too - they are very picky and if one thing isn't on the list, it gets rejected. My dean won't even do the checklist anymore because, well, RN students just don't learn all that a CNA does content-wise even if it's down to making hospital corners on a bed sheet. CNA courses can be 10 weeks long now and it's a lot of content. Also, ask your dean first if she'll do this - she will be the real decider.

I think the day and age of "challenging" any state licensure exam are done and over. I think the myth likes to live on though.