NAR before completing NAC program?

[mal92]

The ADN programs I am applying to have deadlines in January. The requirements I am yet to complete are 1 prerequisite, CNA training and ~200 hrs of healthcare experience.

The CNA course I am enrolled in will start in late Sept. and end in the beginning of November. The state CNA license exam will be on Nov 19th.. does anyone in WA state know how soon after taking the exam we can expect to get the license?

My goal is to start working as a CNA ASAP so I can get some healthcare experience hours which I completely lack (I am a career changing coming from an art background with 0 healthcare experience).

I hear I can apply for a temporary NAR after completing the CNA training, get a CNA job and start working- does anyone know if we can receive the NAR soon after applying for it? Or is there a wait?

Also- from looking through the doh website, I understand I cannot apply for the NAR before completing the CNA training but wait till after I do the AIDS training that's part of the CNA program I'm enrolled in ?

Thank you for your help in advance!

[Taylor13, CNA]

I got my CNA license in WA the same week I took my exam. I also took the NAR route to get experience sooner and that license was also pretty quick to obtain, but I don't remember exactly how long it took. I'm pretty sure I was able to work as an NAR during my CNA program since I remember missing another class that quarter for my orientation, but that was 2017 so it could be different now. You can do the AIDS training somewhere else if you're wanting to get it done sooner, but it is 7 hours and it is probably not worth it unless you can get licensed weeks sooner.