A great way to save money on CNA training, or even find free CNA training, is to look for CNA training online.
As the healthcare industry expands more and more rapidly, the demand for Certified Nursing Assistants has shot through the roof. Now, more than ever, are hospitals and nursing homes in great need of certified nursing assistants to keep their business running.
There are many people who aspire to become a nursing assistant, but they do not have the time, or money, to do so. For these people, online cna training programs are available, and may be easier to come by than expected.
Where To Find Online CNA Classes
CNA training online is available through many different places, but mainly we suggest looking into your local community college for any classes or programs they may offer. Since the nursing assistant’s job does not require a college education, you may enter the classes straight out of high school, through a dual enrollment program, and be eligible to become a nursing assistant when you graduate. Visit your local community college and ask about any programs they offer, and if they can offer them online. Many colleges do offer their programs online, as this is one of the more popular methods of becoming a CNA.
Other options include private programs which focus solely on the nursing assistant career and training for it. These programs may exceed your budget, but might be worth looking into. There are a few places which may offer classes for free, as a promotional compaign, but usually there is an upfront fee to sign up, and other expenses along the way.
Costs of Online CNA Classes
The overall costs of taking your CNA training online depend on the program you are going through. For your local community college (our first recommendation for CNA training), the fees are on a per-unit basis, just as if you were taking any other class through that school. Typically, a community college costs $20-$60 per unit, and the classes may be 3-5 units each. Again, this all depends on the college, or university, that you take your classes through.
For other, private CNA training programs, the costs may exceed those of your local community college. Places such as APU ( American Public University), cccna.com, and University of Phoenix all offer nusing assistant programs with the ability to take your classes online, and you can apply with out ever needing to visit an actual campus. This offers an extremely flexible, and convenient way to obtain your certification.
Is CNA Training Online Effective?
Yes, and then no. To get the full CNA training experience, it is important to get a hands on feel of what you would be doing in the field. To do this, you might want to take a mojority of your classes online, but still take a few of the more important, or advanced, courses in person. With online classes, the hands-on experience is lacking, and you might not be able to fully grasp some of the concepts. For example, to learn CPR, you cannot merely read an article about CPR, and although watching an instructional video is more helpful, nothing compares to actual hands-on experience. This is why we advise taking a majority of your classes online, and then taking some in person. Or, for an even better learning experience, take them 50/50. The end goal is not to become a certified nurse, it’s to become someone who can, when it comes down to it, react appropriately in a life-or-death situation, and ultimately help to save lives.
