Are you ready for an exciting new career? Healthcare jobs are on the rise – both in terms of demand and salary!! If you don’t want to spend thousands on medical school or years at nursing school, then consider taking CNA classes in Ohio. Becoming a Certified Nurse Aide opens the door to a satisfying career. There are tons of CNA jobs in Ohio! The terminology Ohio uses is sometimes CNA, like the national terminology, and sometimes STNA, or State Tested Nurse Aide. For this article, CNA and STNA are interchangeable, but it is important for you to know both when applying to jobs and programs.
Unlike medical school, the Ohio CNA requirements are very easy to fulfill! Within a short period of time, and without spending a fortune, you can begin your new career. CNAs are the heart of the healthcare team, looking out for a patient’s emotional needs as well as their physical ones and helping them when they need it most. Just take some training, pass a certification test, and you will be automatically added to the Ohio CNA registry! Bonus time? The average CNA salary in Ohio is pretty comfortable!
What are the CNA requirements in Ohio?
The Ohio Department of Health is responsible for regulating and setting coursework for CNAs who wish to become STNAs in Ohio. The state sets curriculum in the Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP). Candidates are required to attend one of these state approved programs before being allowed to certify.
Candidates who wish to become STNAs or CNAs will need to take a licensed training program. Upon completion, they will receive a Certificate of Completion. They can then register to take the state nurse aide test by showing their certificate of completion. If you pass the test, your name will be automatically added to the Ohio nurse Aide Registry.
The ODH website is filled with great advice across multiple pages for anyone wishing to learn more about Ohio STNA and CNA certification. Although Ohio doesn’t require licensing, all nurse aides working on a regular basis in a long-term care facility is required to complete the NATCEP program to move from a CNA to a STNA.
Duration and Cost of CNA Course
The cost and duration of the Ohio CNA programs varies from school to school. Any state approved program will have a minimum of 75 hours of training. Ohio requires 75 hours of instruction, and a large portion of these hours must be spent in clinical settings under supervision. Some programs offer accelerated paths to certification, and some take longer to complete because they are flexible with students who work full time jobs. Some programs will only offer the state mandated amount of hours, and some programs want to help their students gain a competitive advantage, so their program offers more than the minimum required hours.
Ohio has a lot of approved programs (nearly 500), so you should be able to find several in your local area. The program costs have a lot of variance. In general, training costs range from $400 to $1500 for tuition. Some offer classes for free or as little as $250. Students will be required to cover the cost of their own materials (scrubs, shoes, textbooks, etc) for most places, although the more expensive tuitions also cover this.
Many programs cover the state exam fees in the cost of their tuition. If your program doesn’t cover your fees, then you will also need to pay the state examination fees. Ohio contracts with D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster) to administer the state examination. They charge
Curriculum for Nurse Aide Program in Ohio
Approved curriculum for CNA training in Ohio includes a minimum of 75 hours of training. These programs should have around 59 hours of classroom experience and lab skills training and 16 hours of supervised patient care in a nursing home.
Curriculum will cover a variety of skills. Sessions will cover nutrition, physiology and anatomy, patient and resident rights, infection control, effective communication skills, body mechanics, vital signs, reporting and observation, human disease process, death and dying, caring for aging patients, mental health, and cultural, spiritual, and psychological needs.
The candidates will also get lab experience in skills like resident introductions; hand washing; identification of signs of choking and how to provide a safe rescue for choking patients using abdominal thrusts; walking and ambulation with gait belts and walkers; applying antiembolic stockings; proper safety protocols with bedpan and fracture pan outputs; catheter care; denture care; how to dress residents; emptying urinary drainage bags; feeding dependent residents; hair care; making occupied beds; changing adult diapers; oral hygiene and care; nail care; a partial bed bath; perineal care sand cleaning; bed positioning, including helping patients onto their side; range of motion exercises for shoulders, hips, and knees; a stand and pivot transfer from bed to wheelchair and back using gait belts; measuring and monitoring vital signs then properly recording them, including TPR and weight.
Clinical observation hours of approved programs will extend these skills from the lab to the real world. This will give candidates the opportunity to work with actual patients, displaying their ability to not only do the skills, but to have appropriate interactions with a diverse range of patients.
Approved CNA Classes in Ohio
Now that you know what you need to do you get your CNA certification in Ohio, let’s take a look at the best training programs to take CNA classes in Ohio throughout the state. Any of these programs would be a great place to get your CNA license in Ohio.
Ohio State University – Lima
Ohio State University is one of the best schools in the state. They have an outstanding nursing program, so getting your STNA here is a great first step that qualifies you to apply for their program and work towards a full degree in nursing.
Ohio University – Lancaster
The Lancaster campus of Ohio University offers a lot of great certification programs. They offer both Medical Office Receptionist and STNA certifications in the healthcare field. You may even qualify for financial aid here!
Miami University – Oxford
Miami, Ohio has a great university with a well-respected nursing department. Their passing rates are very high for state examinations, and they are well equipped to train you for your STNA examination. When you finish, you’ll have the foundation you need to build a full career in nursing or find work as a Nurse Aide!
Case Western Reserve University
The Frances Payne Bolton School of nursing at Case Western University offers a great opportunity with their STNA training program. They prepare students for careers in long-term care facilities by training them with elderly patients for clinical supervision. Their hours are flexible and they’re ready to help you get started today!
Kent State University – Kent
Kent State University has one of the top nursing programs in the country. Their graduates have a reputation for being extremely capable and well trained. This will give graduates of their STNA program a leg up against the competition once they become certified. They also have a 99.6% job placement rate within 6 months of graduation.
Wright State University - Main Campus
Wright State University offers a strong Nurse Aide program. They offer day or evening classes, and even have training over the weekends. This lets you take classes around your work schedule. Their tuition is extremely affordable. Their program offers well above the 75-hour minimum mandated by the state, giving 107.5 total training hours, with 28 full hours of clinical experience instead of the mandatory 16. This gives students a real advantage going into the workplace because they will have nearly double the hands on experience as other STNA applicants.
Cleveland State University
Cleveland State University offers nursing programs that begin with STNA certification training and move all the away up to Doctorate degrees in nursing. They offer traditional and accelerated programs. They offer Community Health worker certifications and refresher courses. This makes them a strong foundation for your nursing education, and earning your STNA certification here will pave the way for your admission to their other programs.
Sinclair Community College
Sinclair Community College partners with the University of Dayton to provide world class STNA training. Their Short Term Technical Certificate is 4 credit hours in the NAST.S.STC department. Their program is fully credentialed and allows students to begin forming relationships with patients and residents at long-term care facilities.
Ashland University
Ashland offers a nurse Aide Certification preparation course as well. Their tuition is extremely low despite a strong nursing program. They offer multiple certifications in healthcare, including STNAs and School Nurse certificates.
On the Day of the Exam, Plan to Bring:
There are a lot of things you need to know for your exam date. Here are some of the most important pieces of information. Plan to stay all day for your exam date, because new candidates must take their written and clinical tests the same dat.
You must bring a government issued, signed, non-expired photo ID with you to your exam. You can use a drivers license, passport, military or state ID, or a conceal carry permit. You are also allowed to use the letter issues from the DMV that you receive until your new license is mailed to you.
You must also bring your social security card. Copies are not permitted, so bring the original. Bring several sharpened No. 2 pencils and an eraser. Bring a conformation of your approved application and scheduled test just in case.
You must wear your hair pulled back if you have long hair. You must be in full clinical attire and scrubs for your test. Your shoes must be closed toed, non-skid nursing shoes. Clinical tee shirts are not permitted. Wear a watch with a second hand on it, but not a smart watch.
Do not bring a cell phone, fitness tracker, or any other personal electronic device. None of them will be permitted at the testing site. You will not be permitted to enter examination rooms with anything except your pencils and eraser, and there will not be anywhere secure to store your belongings, so use caution when determining what to bring with you for testing.
Plan for a babysitter and a ride if necessary. Spouses, children, and pets are not permitted inside the building or in the testing area.
Arrive early for your exam. If you are late, you will not be permitted to take your exam and will be considered a no sow. If you are a no show, you will have to reapply ad repay to take your exam. Anyone who arrives without the proper attire or without proper identification will also be turned away and considered a no show.
How to Verify Your CNA License in Ohio:
The Nurse Aide Registry in Ohio keeps track of licensed STNAs (CNAs). You can use their online registry to verify the status of a CNA or STNA license by name. In order to remain active on the NAR list, you must be employed for 7.5 consecutive hours of CNA work in a 48-hour period during the 2-year period immediately following the date you were placed on the registry or most recent date of verified work.
Facilities can submit the nurse Aid Registration Form (HEA 7713) to provide their list of all nurse aides employed by their facility. This verifies your status and allows you to remain active on the NAR (nurse Aide Registry).
How to Renew Your CNA License in Ohio:
If you are ineligible for active status because more than 2 years have passed since your last date of verified work, you must either submit documentation sowing that you’ve provided 7.5 consecutive hours of work as detailed above or successfully complete retraining and pass the certification examinations.
The form that gets submitted should include a statement from the facility verifying the dates you performed nurse aide duties for hi re or a statement from a physical or nurse verifying that they have personal knowledge that you provided nursing services under their care. That form must include the nature of the services provided and the date, that you received compensation for that work, and your name.
Common Employers for CNAs
CNAs can enter a variety of healthcare facilities. Many of them choose to work in nursing homes or long-term care facilities due to the curriculum focus on aging patient needs. Others go to work for hospitals and hospices. Ambitions and experienced CNAs often go independent, making a lot of money in home health needs inside a patient’s house. The great thing about CNAs is that they are necessary everywhere!
One of the most popular employers is Homecar.com because they pay well above the average, at $15 per hour. University of Toledo also offers well above the state and national averages per hours. Many private care facilities, such as Doylestown Health Care Center, the TriState Healthcare Services, and InetlyCare also offer jobs.
Salaries for CNAs
The average STNA in Ohio can expect to make about $25,000 per year. Salaries for CNAs in Ohio range from $20,000 to about $28,000. Given the Ohio cost of living, they are considered to be one of the most comfortable states to be a CNA. STNAs average around $12 per hour, and can expect $4000 I overtime pay each year. Salaries are trending upwards, with many positions posting jobs in the $13 per hour range now instead of $11 or $12.