Nursing Assistants work in a wide variety of settings; nursing homes, hospitals, adult day care centers, personal homes and assisted living facilities. A Certified Nursing Assistant performs many basic care tasks for patients, like grooming, dressing, bathing, feeding and exercising. They also assist the nursing staff with medical tasks like monitoring vitals with medical equipment and reporting patient behavior and well being.

A. The nursing assistant fulfills basic quality of life needs for patients of any age, ethnicity or gender in healthcare settings. Since nursing assistants have daily contact with patients, they are gatherers of vital information about the patients’ conditions, which they must then transmit to their supervisors. A CNA’s workload can become intense and fast-paced, but the human contact and ability to help those in medical need is a strong motivating factor. A desire to help people and compassion for patients can help a nurse’s assistant get through difficult days.

A. To become a CNA in California, applicants must be at least 16 years of age, submit fingerprints upon enrollment, must have a physical exam stating that the applicant has no health condition that would create a hazard to him/ herself, or fellow employees, residents or visitors. A conviction screening must be completed before patient contact, along with a minimum of 160 hours of training and successfully complete a state competency exam upon completion of the training. Additionally, you will need to produce your Social Security Card and a Valid Government-issued Picture ID (Drivers License, State ID card or a US Passport).

A. No, you don’t. Procareer Academy does not require you to have high school diploma or GED to start the nursing assistant program.

A. Certified Nursing Assistants can apply for work in hospitals, sub-acute facilities, skilled nursing facilities, long term care facilities, clinics, psychiatric units, pediatric centers, day care facilities, assisting living units, hospice and home health agencies.

A. Yes, you will receive a Certificate of Completion form the school which is a proof of the program completion.

A. Since each case is different, we recommend that you get in touch with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), which oversees the CNA Program, to find out the answer for your specific situation. The school can assist you with this process.

A. After you have contacted CDPH and reassured yourself that you will receive a CNA certification in spite of your past conviction, you may proceed to the next step. Before you start any nursing assistant program in any approved training facility, the initial application form (283 B) must be submitted along your fingerprints for review.

A. Please visit the CDPH website (cdph.ca.gov) for the most up to date information on how to inform CDPH of your new address.

A. If you are currently attending an approved training program in a nursing home, you have 120 days in which to complete the training and become certified. During that period, a student may not perform any duty for which they have not been trained and checked by the instructor. If you are not enrolled in an approved nursing facility training course, you may not perform any nurse aide duties until you become certified.

A. Please contact the Department of Public Health for State requirements. Contact at: (916) 327-2445 or visit at: www.cdph.ca.gov

A. Our fast track CNA class prepares you to pass the State CNA Exam in as little as six weeks. View https://procareer.org/certified-nursing-assistant-cna/ to see the scheduled upcoming classes.

A. As can be seen in the disclosures on our website, we have a 97% pass rate on the State CNA Exam. All our graduates who passed the state certification exam have landed full time jobs as CNAs.

A. No. Our CNA Class is a Live, In-person, Online class. You are required to log in during class hours, turn on your camera and actively participate in the class, just like an in-person class.

A. You need an Internet connection and a computer/laptop with a webcam, microphone and speakers to attend class. You will also need a GMail ID.

A. While it is possible to attend class using your phone, for best experience, we highly recommend that you use a computer or a tablet.

A. Under the COVID-19 waiver, we conduct the Theory instruction online and the Clinical instruction using a combination of virtual online simulation, in-person labs as well as in-person return demonstrations to your instructor.

A. After completing the Nursing Assistant program, you must pass the California CNA examination, which is a two part examination consisting of a Written and a Clinical Skills section. The written test is a two-hour test with sixty multiple-choice questions in English. During the Clinical Skills portion of the test, you will be asked to perform live skills and be observed by a nurse evaluator. Successful completion of each skill is required in order for you to pass.We train you to specifically pass the California State CNA Exam.

A. Please visit http://regionaltestingcenter.org for more details.

A. You can appear for the State CNA Exam as soon you finish the CNA course. We will assist you with submitting the application to take the test.

A. You are allowed three (3) attempts within two (2) years after successfully completing a training program to pass both parts (written and skills) of the California State CNA Examination, to be eligible for placement on the CA Department of Public Health CNA Registry.

A. We strongly suggest you take it soon after completing your CNA course for the highest chance of passing it in the first attempt.

A. Typically, Regional Testing Center notifies you within 24-48 hours.

A. Once you are on the California Department of Public Health CNA Registry, your certification will remain current for twenty four (24) months from the date you passed both parts of the State CNA exam (written and skills).

A. No we do not.

A. If your CNA certificate has expired for two years or more, you will need to retake the course.

A. Yes, the school has access to State Grants that allow qualified students to receive tuition-free CNA education, in return for working as a CNA for one year with a single employer. These grants are very popular and are given on a first-comefirst-served basis. We recommend that you apply as early as possible.

A. No. Grant-funded students do not have to pay back the tuition. However, in return for the free tuition, you are required to work full time, for one year, with the same employer where you are placed. The school is not hiring you as a CNA – we are only referring you to local employers for placement.

Your salary is yours to keep.

A. The State of California wants to produce more CNAs and put people into secure long-term jobs in a growing field. That is the reason the State is paying for your CNA Tuition fee.

A. While a High School Diploma or a GED is highly preferred, students who have the ability to pass a High School Ability test will also be considered to apply for the CNA scholarship. Per the rules, if you have a BS or MS degree, you will not get funded. CNA wages do not justify the cost of education for degree holders. Be sure to disclose if you have an advanced degree to avoid any future problems with the funding agency.

A. While the school cannot guarantee job placement, we work hard to find employment for our students. We have successfully placed 100% of our CNAs in Full time jobs. While we facilitate your employment, you ultimately decide who you want to work for, the pay rate you will accept, and the shift timings. Besides our efforts to place you, we also encouraged you to apply to facilities of your choice to speed up the process.

The school works with multiple grant agencies who take one month (on average) to process the paperwork. We assist you throughout the process. Further, the funding is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Therefore, we recommend you to apply as early as possible. Additionally, you need to be persistent and diligent with the funding agency. You need to be prompt in responding to their requests to fill out paperwork and answer any follow-up questions. They deal with hundreds of applicants and if you are unavailable, they will immediately move on to the next serious student.

A. No. The grant funding agencies are different from the Title IV/Pell Grant Federal Financial Aid agency. Therefore, there is no impact on any of your Federal Financial Aid.   

A. Since the grant’s main objective is to create a trained workforce, the grant agency uses your employment as the measure of its success. You will need to provide your Offer of Employment and submit paystubs for the first six months as proof of continued employment. 

A. This program’s main goal is to create jobs for individuals who want to become CNAs and need to work full time. If you cannot commit to the one year work requirement, this program is not for you. Continue with your enrollment process and we can discuss other options at the Online Pre-Enrollment Meeting. Lastly, if you knowingly take advantage of the free tuition and do not comply with the one year work requirement, the State of California funding agency will initiate collection proceedings to recover the tuition fee from you. You also run the risk of getting the CNA license revoked.

A. We get this question often from Nursing students. This program’s main goal is to create jobs for individuals who want to become CNAs and need to work full time. If you cannot commit to the one year work requirement, this program is not for you. Continue with your enrollment process and we can discuss other options at the Online Pre-Enrollment Meeting. Lastly, if you knowingly take advantage of the free tuition and do not comply with the one year work requirement, the State of California funding agency will initiate collection proceedings to recover the tuition fee from you. You also run the risk of getting the CNA license revoked.

A. This program’s main goal is to create jobs for individuals who want to become CNAs and need to work full time. Since you are already working, you may not qualify under this program. However, if you still need the CNA License to further your career, we have other options for you. Continue with your enrollment process and we can discuss your options at the Online Pre-Enrollment Meeting. Lastly, if you knowingly take advantage of the free tuition and do not comply with the one year work requirement, the State of California funding agency will initiate collection proceedings to recover the tuition fee from you. You also run the risk of getting the CNA license revoked.

A. Yes, Procareer Academy is listed on the State of California’s Eligible Training Providers List (ETPL). We will be glad to help WIOA and GAIN program participants become successful CNAs.