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Top CNA Programs in Wyoming

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and their RN colleagues are healthcare workers who interact directly and most often with patients. It is said that CNAs and RNs provide nearly 85% of direct patient care. It's for this reason that they're often viewed as the backbone of the medical establishment. Without the assistance of CNAs, physicians wouldn't be able to do their jobs as efficiently.

CNAs can be found working in hospitals, nursing care facilities and long-term living facilities for elderly patients. Many RNs begin their work in the healthcare field as CNAs.

Common CNA duties and responsibilities:

  • Wound care
  • Infection control
  • Helping patients to maintain their personal hygiene
  • Housekeeping
  • Assisting patients with transportation and dietary needs

The US Department of Labor has estimated that job growth in the CNA field will grow 21% through the year 2022, making it a great time to pursue this rewarding career pathway.

How to Choose a Top CNA Program in Wyoming

If you're thinking about beginning a career as a CNA, you should search for the best programs available in Wyoming. Take the following into consideration:

  • Tuition cost
  • The program's success rate
  • Job placement rate
  • Partnerships with local health care facilities
  • College's accreditation
  • Student to faculty ratio
  • Credentials and years of experience of instructors
  • Financial aid, grants and scholarships that are available
  • State assessment pass rate
  • Program awards

Testing and Certification

In the state of Wyoming, the first step that a prospective CNA student should take is to enroll in a state-approved program. To find a list of approved programs, visit the Department of Health's webpage. Once the program is completed, the student must sit for the state's certification exam within one year. Wyoming's Nursing Assistant Certification exam is run through Prometric. The test includes both knowledge/theory and practical skills. The knowledge exam consists of a series of multiple-choice questions which have been designed to test a student's knowledge on CNA theory. This exam can be taken in a written or oral format. The practical skills exam involves the CNA candidate demonstrating proficiency in a number of nursing assistant duties.

List of Top CNA Classes and Programs in Wyoming

Western Wyoming Community College

Situated in Rocks Springs in Sweetwater County, Western Wyoming Community College is a public post-secondary educational institution which offers a variety of two-year degrees, certificate programs and more. WWCC was founded in 1959 as the fifth of seven community colleges in the state.

WWCC offers students a four-credit Certified Nursing Assistant program which seeks to arm students with the knowledge and skills needed for gainful employment as a CNA. During the course’s duration, instructors present principles of basic nursing skills to students and place a special emphasis on patient care for geriatric populations. This course is administered in a hybrid online/in-class format and consists of a mixture of didactic lecture, lab practice and clinical practice.

Healthcare facilities near Sweetwater County that are currently hiring CNAs

  • Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County
  • Western Wyoming Community College

Tuition

Students who enroll in WWCC’s Certified Nursing Assistant course can expect to pay a total estimated course fee of $681. This covers tuition, uniforms, course software and textbooks.

Central Wyoming College

First established in1966, Central Wyoming College is a two-year community college with a main campus in Riverton, the largest city in Fremont County. CWC also maintains satellite learning centers in Lander, Jackson, Dubois and the Wind River Indian Reservation. CWC is perhaps best known for its nursing program.

Central Wyoming College offers students a 76-contact hour CNA program which prepares candidates for future employment at a long-term nursing care facility. 40 of the 76 program hours are dedicated to in-class lecture and laboratory skills practice, and the remaining 36 hours are dedicated to the clinical component of the course. The clinical component is conducted at a local healthcare agency where the student practices patient care under the supervision of a registered nurse. CWC offers this CNA course at its learning centers in Thermopolis, Jackson and Riverton. The course can be finished in as little as four to six weeks.

Healthcare facilities near Fremont County that are currently hiring CNAs

  • SageWest Healthcare – Lander
  • Community Health center of Central Wyoming

Tuition

For more information on CWC’s nursing assistant program tuition and fees, call (307) 855-2000.