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Top CNA Programs in Idaho

In the state of Idaho, nursing assistants are certified, unlicensed persons who are employed to perform basic nursing duties for the handicapped, injured, the disabled, and others. Official titles for these types of workers include nursing assistants, nursing aides, home health aides, patient care technicians, among others.

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) work directly under the supervision of a registered nurse and provide direct assistance for patients. CNAs also provide patients and their families with important emotional and social support.

How to Choose a Top CNA Program in Idaho

Prospective CNA students seeking to pursue a career as a Certified Nurse Assistant in Idaho must try their best to seek out and attend the very programs available to them. Prospective CNA students should ask the following questions, and take the following measures into consideration when finding out top programs:

  • Find out the specific program's CNA certification exam pass rate and compare it to the statewide average
  • What sort of credentials to the administrators and instructors have?
  • Has the school or any of its programs been awarded any sort of accolades?
  • How much does it cost to attend?
  • Number of campuses the program is offered at
  • Availability of scholarships/financial aid/grants
  • Student success rate of the program (how many students enroll versus how may graduate)
  • Local healthcare facility partnerships with the program
  • How long the program has been operating

Testing and Certification

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare sets the rules for both the training and certification of nursing assistants in the state. According to IDHW, those who wish to obtain employment as a CNA in Idaho are required to complete no less than 120 hours of CNA training at a state-approved educational facility. CNAs who have successfully completed this initial phase of training are then permitted to apply to take the state certification examination. The state certification exam is composed of two sections: skills and theory. The exam is administered by Prometric. Successful candidates must pass both the written and skills section of their exam to be eligible for certification. In the case that a student does not pass the first time, they can be given three additional attempts.

IDHW maintains a registry of all CNAs in the state. In order to remain active on the registry, individuals will need to be employed as a nursing assistant one time during a two-year span.

List of Top CNA Classes and Programs in Idaho

Going to school to become a CNA is a big decision. To ensure the greatest success possible, students are encouraged to choose a quality nurse assistant program. We have evaluated and compiled a list of some of the absolute best programs in Idaho to make the decision a little less daunting.

Eastern Idaho Technical College

First established back in 1969, Eastern Idaho Technical College is a publicly funded community college located in the city of Idaho Falls.

EITC offers students a non-credit CNA program that lasts approximately eight weeks, and a CNA program for credit that lasts a semester. The program is composed of two portions—a didactic portion and clinical skills portion. 32 hours of on-site clinical experience must be completed. EITC offers its students multiple CNA classes at its Idaho Falls campus, as well as its Rexburg, Salmon and Arco campuses. CPR certification is included in the program.

Healthcare facilities near Idaho Falls currently hiring CNAs

  • Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center
  • Promontory Healthcare
  • HCA Healthcare

Tuition

Students who are enrolled in EITCs Certified Nursing Assistant program can expect to pay a total estimated cost of $777—a price rarely found for CNA programs across the country.

Lewis-Clark State College

Lewis-Clark State College is a publicly funded, postsecondary educational institution located in the Northwestern region of the United States in Lewiston, Idaho. Having been founded originally in 1893, LCSC is one of the oldest continuously operating higher education institute in the state. Currently, the college serves approximately 4,000 students and offers more than 83 degree programs.

LCSCs Certified Nursing Assistant course meets the minimum state program requirements with its 120 total contact hours. 80 of these contact hours are spent in the classroom, while the other 40 consists of clinical skills instructions. CPR certification is included in the program. LCSCs CNA program takes students approximately 3 months to complete.

Healthcare facilities near Lewiston currently hiring CNAs

  • Prestige Senior Living/Prestige Care
  • Life Care Center
  • Josephs Regional Medical Center

Tuition

CNA students who are planning on enrolling in the course are required to pay a course registration fee of approximately $765.

College of Western Idaho

Established in 2007, College of Western Idaho is a 2-year community college serving students in Southwest Idaho. CWI maintains campuses in Boise and Nampa. CWI offers its student body more than 60 academic transfer and professional/technical programs.

College of Western Idaho offers two options for its Nursing Assistant program:

  • Hybrid:
    • 12 weeks of online lessons
    • 4 hours per week of onsite skills training (12 sessions – mandatory attendance)
    • 32 hours of clinical skills training
  • Traditional
    • 88 hours of classroom training
    • 32 hours of clinical skills training

Once students have completed the nursing assistant program, they will be ready and eligible to sit for the state certification exam.

Healthcare facilities near Boise and Nampa currently hiring CNAs

  • Corizon Health
  • Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
  • Luke’s Health System

Tuition

CNA students planning on enrolling in the course are required to pay a course registration fee of approximately $1,275. CWI Workforce Development offers students a variety of payment options to cover the cost of the program.

Idaho State University

Idaho State University is a state-funded research institution located in Pocatello. It was initially founded 117 years ago as the Academy of Idaho. ISU serves more than 13,000 students and maintains 3 campuses at the following locations: Meridian, Idaho Falls, and Twin Falls. ISU is the state’s leading institution in the health professions and in medical education.

ISU offers its students CNA certification programs each month. Programs are available during daytime working ours as well as evening hours for students who are employed full-time. Each class section is limited to 20 seats. BLS and CPR training are included in the program.

ISU offers gives its students the option of choosing between two different CNA programs:

  • CNA Web Hybrid Program
  • CNA Traditional

Each program (web hybrid and traditional) require its students to complete 88 hours of in-class instruction and 32 hours of hands-on, clinical skills practice onsite at a nursing facility. The only difference between the traditional and web hybrid program is how the 88 hours of ‘in-class’ instruction is completed.

Healthcare facilities near Pocatello currently hiring CNAs

  • Portneuf Medical Center
  • Ensign Group
  • Idaho State University

Tuition

Contact Idaho State University for information on current tuition fees.

North Idaho College

North Idaho College is a state-funded community college that is located in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. It was founded during the Great Depression in 1933 and currently serves 6,000 students in and around Coeur d’Alene.

NIC offers two separate CNA training programs. Each program is conducted via a traditional mixture of in-class, didactic instruction focused on nursing theory, mixed with on-site clinical skills training. The difference between the Online Hybrid course and the Live course is that with the hybrid course, a student’s didactic instruction hours can be completed both on the web and in the classroom.

The Live CNA training course takes place on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8am to noon. The Online (Hybrid) CNA training course takes place on Tuesday and Thursday from 5pm-9pm.

Healthcare facilities near Coeur d’Alene and Tubbs Hill currently hiring CNAs

  • Kootenai Medical Center
  • Comfort Keepers
  • EmRes Healthcare

Tuition

North Idaho College CNA students are required to pay a course registration fee of approximately $625.

College of Southern Idaho

College of Southern Idaho is a community college located in Twin Falls. The college was first established in 1965 and offers over 150 degree/certificate programs. CSI maintains subsidiary campuses in Boise, Hailey, Burley and Gooding.

CSI offers an 8-week CNA training program which is composed of 120 total instruction hours –80 contact hours in the classroom and 40 contact hours where the candidate gains important hands-on experience and clinical skills practice. Instruction consists of personal care skills, social service needs, basic nursing skills, etc.

Certified Nursing Assistant programs are offered each and every semester. The program is comprised of a total of 8 semester credit hours.

Healthcare facilities near Twin Falls currently hiring CNAs

  • Progressive Nursing
  • Hospice Partners
  • ProCare One

Tuition

College of Southern Idaho CNA students who are planning on enrolling in the course will be required to pay a course registration fee of approximately $1,600.