Nurse Assistant Education

This 7 credit hour course is designed to prepare nursing assistants to work under the direction of the licensed professional nurse to provide care in various health care settings. Coursework includes development of basic nursing skills through lectures, laboratory demonstration and practice, and 48 hours of clinical experience. The Illinois Department of Public Health has approved the course for a total of 144 hours of instruction.

General Information

After you successfully complete the Nursing Assistant class, you are eligible to take the written State Nurse Aide Competency Exam. When you pass the Nurse Aide Competency Exam, your name is added to the Healthcare Worker Registry, and you can be employed as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).

An individual will be placed on the Nurse Aide Registry when:

• s/he has successfully completed a training program approved in accordance with the Long-Term Care Assistants and Aides Training Program Code (77 Ill. Adm. Code 395)
• AND, s/he has met the required criminal background check information (Section 300.661), and there are no findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property in accordance with Sections 3-206.01 and 3-206.02 of the Nursing Home Act. Disqualifying Convictions in Accordance with the Health Care Worker Background Check Act (225 ILCS 46).

CNA employment options include long-term care settings, hospitals, clinics and other healthcare settings. Nurse Assistant Education graduates can expect an entry-level salary of $11 to $13 per hour.

Contact Joan Flanagan, Nursing Program Administrator at (815) 455-8710 or jflanaga@mchenry.edu for more information.

10/15/08