Ohio Nurse Aide Training

There is a shortage of nurse aides throughout the United States and Ohio is no different. The population is growing and the state is suffering from a shortage of certified nursing assistants or State Tested Nurse Aides as they are called in Ohio.

Nurse aide training courses are not hard to find in Ohio, but if you are considering this occupation and want information, continue reading and learn more.

 Training in Ohio

Nurse aide training in the state of Ohio is overseen the state health department. The Ohio Department of Health ensures that all CNA training programs have the required numbers of training hours, 75, of which 16 must be classroom hours and 16 must be clinical.  The department does not set guidelines on how long it takes to complete the program and so some nurse training programs in Ohio may be as short as two weeks. Ohio offers a program that allows graduates of the CNA program who pass the exam and go to work as a nurse aide to be reimbursed for their education costs. This is an incentive that has helped to pull many new CNAs into the profession and is designed to help the state with the shortage.

Ohio Licensing

In order to work as a certified nurse assistant in Ohio, graduates of the CNA programs must pass a two-part test. This test is both a written and hands-on skills test that is administered by D&S Diversified Technologies. If the exam is successfully completed, the graduate is presented a state license and can work in state facilities as a registered certified nurse aide. This state certification must be kept up to date every two years. The renewal is completed by presenting proof of employment as a CNA for at least eight hours during the two years prior to the recertification.

Where to Find CNA Certification

Ohio may have a nurse aid shortage but there are ample CNA training programs to choose from across the state. There is no reason that people in Ohio who want to become a nurse aid can’t find training. There are training programs in these places and more:

  • Colleges
  • Universities
  • Nursing homes
  • Hospitals
  • Other healthcare facilities such as clinics

If this list doesn’t provide a good starting place, the Red Cross or any local medical facility such as a nursing home or hospital, should be able to provide more information on nurse aide training programs that they would consider quality. Job Fairs across the state also offer information on training opportunities.

Online Training

Ohio residents can also take advantage of online CNA training courses. These courses provide the classroom hours and work in conjunction with local medical facilities to provide the clinical hours that are needed. This combination of local training and online training is beneficial for people who have a difficult time with their schedule but want to become a nurse aide.  At the end of the online course, the student will still have to take the state exam for certification. Once this is passed, the student can start working in a medical facility and apply to have their tuition reimbursed.

Schools that Have CNA Training

There are many traditional schools in Ohio that offer nurse aide training. Some of the more notable schools and some that have more than one campus include:

  • Brown Mackie College – offers a diploma program in medical assisting
  • Fortis College – Medical assistant diploma and an associate of applied business in medical assisting
  • National College – Medical assistant training program
  • Sanford Brown College – Nurse aide training program
  • Lincoln  College of Technology – Medical assistant training program
  • Kaplan College – Medical assistant diploma and an associate’s program. This college also has an online presence.

These are just a sampling of the schools that have nurse training programs in Ohio. These schools and many others have more than one location in the state and thus are accessible to everybody. There is no reason an Ohioan can’t find nurse aide training.

The nurse aide shortage in Ohio has spurred the state to offer incentives for nurse aide training in the way of tuition reimbursement that will allow more people to take advantage of an education that moves them into a satisfying career.