It’s no surprise that plenty of people want to train and work as Certified Nursing Assistants, in Vermont and elsewhere. There’s a large (and growing) demand for this type of healthcare staff, training requirements are some of the lowest in the healthcare business, and there are plenty of opportunities for further study later on.
A nurse aide who has completed an accredited nurse aide training curriculum and testing is considered certified and called a certified nurse aide or CNA. In the state of Vermont, however, a nurse aide who has completed licensing requirements is considered a Licensed Nurse Aide or LNA. The aide becomes licensed once she passes a competency evaluation and is listed on the Vermont Nurse Aide Registry.
Free nurse aide training in Vermont is also possible. A nursing facility in Vermont that is federally certified with the Medicare and Medicaid programs cannot charge a LNA for education and training. These students can work with their facility administrator to achieve reimbursement for their schooling. LNAs can attend training at a hospital, a long-term care center, a community college, a high school, and even the American Red Cross. Many find that this is a head start when considering advanced nursing careers.
However, before you rush to sign up for the first LNA/CNA training program you can find in Vermont, there are a few things you should know about CNA training classes and certification.
Find CNA Programs Approved By the Vermont State Board of Nursing
The very first step in the process of becoming a CNA in Vermont is to ensure that the training program you’re considering is approved by the Vermont State Board of Nursing – they’re responsible for accrediting training programs, and for setting the course curriculum.
If you train through a program that is not Vermont State Board of Nursing approved, chances are you will not be able to get certified, and you will lose your investment.
Where to Find Approved CNA Training In Vermont
There are Vermont state approved training programs for nurses aides and assistants throughout the state. Approved programs are offered by many nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities, hospitals, career centers, colleges and private facilities, so no matter where you are in the state, there should be one nearby.
What You Will Learn During a Vermont CNA Training Course
In Vermont, and in most other states, CNA training is mandatory, and the body that approves training programs also sets the syllabus. That syllabus is divided into practical and theoretical training, that happens over the course of several weeks or months (depending on the course you choose.)
Training includes all of the skills you will need to work as a CNA in Vermont, and covers things like basic nursing, medical terminology, patient rights, emergency procedure and infection control, among other crucial skills.
You may find that if you find a job (before or in the year following your training) as a CNA, particularly with a Medicare or Medicaid facility, you are eligible for full or partial reimbursement for your studies.
CNA Certification in Vermont
Before you can take a job as a certified nurses aide in Vermont, and after you have successfully completed a state approved training program, you will need to pass the LNA (Licensed Nurses Aide) competency exam. This exam is offered and administered by D&S Diversified Technologies in the state, and it tests both practical and theoretical skill and knowledge.
Once you have passed that exam, you can apply for inclusion on the list of licensed nurses aides that the Vermont State Board of Nursing keeps, and once you’re registered there, you can work as a CNA in the state.
Vermont CNA Salary and Career Outlook
Like most states, there’s a growing demand for Certified Nurse Assistants in Vermont. At present, the State of Vermont Department of Labor estimates that there will be an increase of 13% in demand between now and 2016, making this one of the faster growing career options in the state.
CNA, LNA, orderlies and other careers for which you will require CNA certification currently earn an average of around $25,000 in the state, and given that there’s a chance you could train for free, that’s a very respectable salary range.
Vermont Nurse Aide Registry and Vermont State Board of Nursing
Heritage Building, 81 River Street
Montpelier, VT 05609
Phone: (802) 828-2819, (802) 828-2453, or (802) 828-2396
Accredited CNA (LNA) Training Classes & Programs in Vermont
Addison County Home Health – Middlebury
P.O. Box 754, Middlebury, VT 05753
Bennington Health and Rehabilitation Center
2 Blackberry Lane, Bennington, VT 05201
Berlin Health and Rehabilitation Nurse Aide Program – Barre
98 Hospitality Drive, Barre, Vermont 05641
Birchwood Terrace Healthcare – Burlington
43 Starr Farm Road, Burlington, Vermont 05401
Burlington Health and Rehabilitation
300 Pearl Street, Burlington, VT 05401
Cedar Hill Continuing Care Community Nurse Assistant Course – Windsor
49 Cedar Hill Drive, Windsor, VT 05089
Centers for Living and Rehabilitation Nurse Aide Training Program – Bennington
160 Hospital Drive, Bennington, Vermont 05201
Cold Hollow Career Center – Enosburg Falls
P.O. Box 530, Enosburg Falls, VT 05450
Eden Park Nurse Aide Course – Rutland
99 Allen St., Rutland, VT 05701
Eden Park Nursing Assistant Course – Brattleboro
187 Oak Grove Ave., Brattleboro, VT 05301
Fletcher Allen Health Care Nurse Aide Program – Burlington
111 Colchester Ave., Burlington, Vermont 05401
Franklin County Rehabilitation CNA Training Program – St. Albans
110 Fairfax Road, St. Albans, Vermont 05478
Genesis Eldercare Mountain View CNA Training Course – Rutland
9 Haywood Ave., Rutland, VT 05701
Green Mountain Nursing Home Nurse Assistant Program – Colchester
1102 Ethan Allen Ave., Colchester, VT 05446
Green Mountain Technology and Career Center – Hyde Park
738 VT Route 15 West, Hyde Park, Vermont 05655
Greensboro Nursing Home
47 Maggies Pond Road, Greensboro, VT 05841
Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center – Middlebury
30 Porter Drive, Middlebury, VT 05753
Lyndon Institute Technical Education – Lyndon Center
P.O. Box 127, Lyndon Center, Vermont 05850
Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center Nurse Aide Training Program – Windsor
289 County Road, Windsor, Vermont 05089
North Country Career Center CNA Program – Newport
209 Veterans Ave., Newport, Vermont 05855
Northlands Job Corps Center CNA Class – Vergennes
100A MacDonough Drive, Vergennes, Vermont 05491
Northwest Technical Center Nurse Aide Training – St. Albans
71 South Main Street, St. Albans, VT 05478
Otis Health Care Center – Townshend
P.O. Box 216, Townshend, Vermont 05353
Patricia A. Hannaford Career Center Nurse Aide Course – Middlebury
51 Charles Ave., Middlebury, Vermont 05753
Pines Rehabilitation and Health Center Nursing Assistant Course – Lyndonville
601 Red Village Road, Lyndonville, VT 05851
Professional Nurses Service CNA Program – Burlington
110 Kimball Ave., Suite 250, S. Burlington, Vermont 05403
Randolph Technical Career Center
17 Forest St., Randolph, VT 05060
River Bend Career and Technical Center Nurse Aide Training Course – Bradford
P.O. Box 618 Upper Plain, Bradford, Vermont 05033
River Valley Technical Center CNA Program – Springfield
307 South St., Springfield, VT 05156
Spaulding HS and Barre Technical Center CNA Class – Barre
155 Ayers St., Barre, VT 05641
Springfield Health and Rehabilitation Center
105 Chester Road, Springfield, Vermont 05156
Stafford Technical Center – Rutland
8 Stratton Road, Rutland, Vermont 05701
Starr Farm Nursing Home CNA Class – Burlington
98 Starr Farm Road, Burlington, Vermont 05401
The Manor Nursing Assistant Program – Morrisville
577 Washington Hwy., Morrisville, VT 05661
Thompson House CNA Class – Brattleboro
80 Maple St., Brattleboro, VT 05302
Union House Nursing Home – Glover
3086 Glover St., Glover, Vermont 05839
Vermont Veterans Home Nurse Aide Course – Bennington
325 North Main Street, Bennington, VT 05201
Vernon Green Nursing Aide Program – Vernon
61 Greenway Drive, Vernon, Vermont 05354
Visiting Nurse Assoc. of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties Colchester
1110 Prim Road, Colchester, VT 05446
