Top CNA Programs in New Hampshire

A certified nursing assistant (CNA) is an important member of a patient's healthcare team. The primary duties of a CNA consist mainly of helping patients with everyday living activities like bathing, eating, and reporting progress or concerns to the managing doctor or registered nurse. For individuals that prize job stability and emotionally rewarding social interaction, choosing a career as a CNA can be a great decision.

CNAs are often referred to as the ‘eyes, ears and hands' of the registered nurse, since they're typically the first healthcare professional to observe and report any changes in a patient's health. CNAs, along with RNs, are viewed by many working in the healthcare field as representing the true backbone of the medical establishment. Together, they provide nearly 85% of all direct patient care.

According to the United States Department of Labor, the number of jobs in the nursing assistant field is predicted to grow by 21% from now until the year 2022.

How to Choose a Top CNA Program in New Hampshire

If you're thinking about pursuing a profession as a certified nursing assistant, you should attempt to find the top CNA programs in your area. Taking into consideration the advantages and disadvantages of each program before choosing one is always smart. Future CNA students should consider the following when researching top programs:

• Accolades or awards that the program has received
• Program's success rate: graduation rate and job placement rate
• Length of time the program has been operating
• Student to faculty ratio
• Accreditation of the program
• Tuition cost
• State certification exam pass rate
• Number of campuses the program is offered at
• Any partnerships the program has with local healthcare facilities
• Credentials of the instructors
• Availability of scholarships or financial aid

Testing and Certification

For those who wish to eventually become a CNA, the first step will always be to complete an approved nursing assistant program. Students who have completed a CNA course in a different state can challenge the exam but require a written approval before doing so. These students must demonstrate to the state board that they have the education and training that are essentially equal to that of CNA program graduates in the state of New Hampshire.

After students have completed a state-approved CNA program, they must then pass the certification exam which consists of 2 sections: knowledge and skills. The knowledge section can be taken in either a written or oral format. The skills section, which must be completed under time constraints, will test students on a variety of duties that they should be proficient in.

In New Hampshire, the state certification exam can be taken through a number of different organizations. One option is the American Red Cross of Massachusetts. Other options include New Hampshire-based Excel Testing and Pearson VUE.

List of Top CNA Classes and Programs in New Hampshire