We all are so busy making ends meet that hardly any time to think about those waiting for healing hands and sympathetic touch. Old, injured, and others face myriad problems being ill, mentally, and physically challenged need care and sympathy. The population of these people is so large that healthcare industries find it difficult to provide personal care to each individual.
If you want to provide that healing and sympathetic touch to patients in need, you should learn the skills by taking Massachusetts CNA classes. The Massachusetts CNA classes are programmed to teach interested students the art of providing personal and medical care to patients. You may have sympathy and feelings for the sufferers. Nevertheless, these elements alone will not help you in taking care of hospitalized residents.
The CNA training is compulsory so that while providing care to the patients, you must not bring any harm to them without following safety measures and precautions. That is the reason you must take the CNA training. When the course is over, you will be a confident person and can easily manage all the activities safely.
You can understand how important it is to check and maintain blood pressure, blood sugar level, and pulse rate in human bodies. You will know what food is needed for each patient to improve their condition by providing the required nutrition.
Further, you can read the doctors’ prescription and follow the instructions for medications. Now that you know the advantages of doing the Massachusetts CNA classes, you should not delay joining it, especially considering the demand for certified nursing assistants and the future you can have.
The U.S. government has proposed that healthcare professionals’ needs will continue to grow for another six to eight years. So, now is the time to take steps towards a brighter future and provide personal and medical care to patients.
Table of Contents
How to Become a CNA in Massachusetts?
Certified nursing assistants or aides take care of patients and assist the healthcare team in patients’ treatment. They are in direct contact with patients since they give a bath, groom, and feed patients who cannot do these activities independently.
If you want to become a certified nursing assistant, you must have a high school diploma. You can even take training while pursuing your high school study. For that, you have to take admission in a training program offered by the Red Cross Chapter of Massachusetts.
You have to join the CNA classes that teach for a minimum of 100 hours. It should contain a classroom as well as clinical practice in an equal number of hours.
If you cannot get admission to the Red Cross Chapter, you can look for technical schools, institutes, or community colleges. Finish the course, and apply for the nurse aide competency exam. You have to take the written and practical tests both on the same day.
In 90 minutes, you have to complete 60 multiple-choice questions and demonstrate a minimum of five nursing skills to pass the tests. Upon successfully passing the exam, you will receive the certification from the Massachusetts State Nurse Aide Registry.
Prerequisites for CNA Courses
- Clean criminal background
- Passing the medical and physical test
- Good interpersonal and communication skills
- Persistence
- Team coordination
- Consistency
Approved CNA Program in Massachusetts
Massachusetts is well known for its high-quality education worldwide, and Certified nursing assistant education is no exception. Various community colleges, high schools, vocational colleges, and independent nursing homes in the state, offer Certified Nursing Assistant courses, recognized by the Department of Public Health.
Some of the popular CNA nursing schools in Massachusetts are offered at
- Bunker Hill Community College in Charlestown
- Holyoke Community College in Holyoke
- Bunker Hill Community College in Boston
- Bristol Community College in Fall River
- Springfield Technical Community College in Springfield
The American Red Cross Society also offers nurse aide programs at its various chapters in Cambridge, Peabody, Brockton, New Bedford, etc. The Red Cross programs have got a great reputation across the country.
Here is also a list of approved CNA training provider in Massachusetts.
| Nursing Homes | Address | Phone No. |
| Colony Center for Health & Rehabilitation | 277 Washington Street, Abington, MA 02351 | (781) 871-0200 |
| Belmont Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center | 34 Agassiz Avenue, Belmont, MA 02478 | (617) 489-1200 |
| Campion Health Center | 319 Concord Road /Weston, Massachusetts 02493 | (781) 788-4700 |
| Eastpointe Rehabilitation & Skilled Care Center | 255 Central Avenue, Chelsea, MA 02150 | (617) 884-5700 |
| Countryside Health Care of Milford | One Countryside Drive, Milford, MA 01757 | (508) 473-0435 |
| Hannah B. G. Shaw Home | 299 Wareham Street, Middleboro, MA 02346 | (508) 947-0332 |
Are Free CNA Classes Available in Massachusetts?
The Workforce and Continuing Education Department (ECED) offers free training programs for certified nursing assistants through a few facilities. There are certain conditions to be fulfilled for taking free classes. If one is between 17-21 years of age, and from a low-income background, one can receive free training.
However, one has to complete the high school education to receive the grant for CNA education. Free education through ECED also pays for one’s uniform, shoes, course material, and other related expenses. CNA training in Massachusetts is relatively shorter than other states but covers all the essential nursing aspects. It is a good option to take classes through an approved training program conducted by an accredited institute or college.
The list here denotes of Massachusetts that might offer you financial assistance or scholarships for training:
- Colony House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center
Contact Number: (781) 871-0200
Address: – 277, Washington Street, Abington, MA-02351
- Country Estates, Agawam
Address: – 1200, Suffield Street, Agawam, MA-1001
Contact Number: (413) 789-2200
- Maplewood Care & Rehabilitation Center
Address: – 6, Morrill Place, Amesbury, MA-01913
Contact Number: (978) 388-3500
- Wingate at Andover Rehabilitation & Skilled Nursing Res
Address: – 80, Andover Street Andover; MA-01810
Contact Number: (978) 470-3434
- Golden Living Center, Garden Place
Contact Number: (508) 222-4950
Address: – 193-195, Pleasant Street, Attleboro, MA- 2703
- Belmont Manor Nursing Home, In
Contact Number: (617) 489-1200
Address: – 34, Agassiz Avenue, Belmont, MA- 02478
Fax: (617) 489-0855
Official Website: belmontmanor.com
- Alliance Healthcare Center, Braintree
Contact Number: (781) 848-2050
Address: – 175, Grove Street, Braintree, MA-2184
Fax: (781) 794-0141
Official Website: alliancehhs.org
- Braintree Manor Rehabilitation and Nursing Center
Address: – 1102, Washington Street, Braintree, MA- 2184
Contact Number: (781) 848-3100
- Jeanne Jugan Residence
Contact Number: (617) 776-4420
Address: – 186, Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA- 2143
Fax: (617) 623-0707
E-mail ID: smmothersuperior@littlesistersofthepoor.org
Official Website: littlesistersofthepoorgrboston.org
- Seashore Point & Wellness Rehabilitation
Contact Number: 508-487-0771
Address: – 100, Alden Street, Provincetown, MA-2657
Official Website: seashorepoint.org
- Charlwell House MA
Address: – 305, Walpole Street, Norwood, MA- 2062
Contact Number: (781) 762-7700 - Beaumont Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center, Northborough
Contact Number: (508) 393-2368
Address: – 238, West Main Street, Northborough, MA- 1532
Fax: (508) 393-3870
How Long Does It Take?
The mandatory training hours in Massachusetts are the same as the federal mandate; 100 hours of minimum training is required, out of which 25 hours are fixed for supervised clinical practice and the remaining hours for classroom studies.
| Classroom Session | 75 hours |
| Clinical Session | 25 hours |
| Total | 100 hours |
What will you Learn During the CNA Program?
However, the particular time allotted for classroom and practical sessions may vary from facility to facility, provided that the minimum hours for hands-on practice are 25.
The technical classroom instruction tends to teach the students all the theoretical concepts related to nursing. This is aided by the facility’s course material, lectures, interactive sessions, group discussions, etc.
Students can learn and understand new nursing aspects and clear their doubts with the course instructors’ help. Theory topics include basic science and health science, basic nutrition, basic patient care, safety, human body mechanisms, anatomy and physiology, infection control, communication technique, etc.
The practical session covers all the clinical tasks that are supposed to be performed by a certified nurse aide.
These tasks include basic patient care and safety, personal and patient hygiene, infection control, simple dressing, room preparation, feeding and medication of the patients, bathing and grooming, assisting the patients to stand up and move, taking vital signs, preparing health charts, reporting health updates to the doctors and communicating between the patients and doctors.
Once the students accomplish the course work, they are set to appear for the CNA state level exam, determining their competency level to work as a nursing assistant.
Procedure for the Certification Exam
After completing the nurse aide course, the certification exam must be taken in any case as it will guarantee your license acquisition in Massachusetts, provided you excel in that exam.
| Exam Type | Question Type | Given Time |
| Written Test | 60 Multiple Choice | 90 Minutes |
| Practical Test | 5 Randomly Selected Skills | 30 Minutes |
This exam consists of two parts: a written test and a clinical evaluation test. The written test evaluates a candidate’s understanding of the nursing concepts, where he/she will be required to solve 60 multiple-choice questions.
A candidate can take this test in oral format also, but he/she must specify it in the application form before taking the test.
The skills test is meant for testing a candidate’s practical skills where a candidate is asked to perform any 5 skills, arbitrarily selected and supervised by a proctor. Both these tests are taken on the same day, along with a declaration of the results.
Once you execute well in this exam, you will get a license from the Nurse Aide Registry. Being listed on this registry provides you with an assurance to work anywhere as a nurse aide in any hospital, clinic, nursing home, care center, rehabilitation center, etc.
One can take this exam thrice, but if he/she fails to pass on his third try, he/she will have to take the course and the certification exam once again. It is important to note that the CNA license must be renewed after every two years.
To be eligible for renewal in Massachusetts, you will be required to prove your employment status claiming that you have worked for at least 8 hours as a CNA for compensation, performing nursing-related responsibilities in the state over the last 2 years. Once you prove this, your license will be renewed.
How Much Does it Cost?
The average cost of training in Massachusetts is $800, but it will differ from one institute to another; the program’s range is from $400 to $1200. The low-cost programs can be deceptive. You will have to bear the expenses of uniform, study material, equipment for practice, etc. the medical test and background check are additional costs that the costlier programs include in their fees.
What if you Can’t Afford the Cost?
Kindred Healthcare and Maplewood Care and Rehabilitation Center are facilities that offer free training if you qualify for their training. The additional advantage is that you will not have to search for a job once you are certified as these facilities will offer employment.
How Much Does a CNA Make in Massachusetts?
The state’s per capita personal income is around $50,000, so the salary prospects for you as a nurse aide are also better in Massachusetts.
The average yearly salary of CNA here is $34,000, whereas the national average is $27,000. So nursing assistants in Massachusetts are better off than some other states, and if you develop your skills with experience, you can earn up to $42,000 a year, which is great because this is an entry-level job.
If you continue education and become an RN, you will earn an average salary of $90,000 every year. Listed below is the average annual remuneration of the nursing assistant in different industries of nursing in Massachusetts:
| Designation | Average Annual Pay |
| Psychiatric Aide | USD 43,000 |
| Pediatric Care Nurse Assistant | USD 44,000 |
| Hospital or Nursing Home Nurse Aide | USD 53,000 |
| Nurse Aides working in Long Term Care Facilities | USD 30,000 |
| Personal Caregivers | USD 38,000 |
| Home Health Aides | USD 32,000 |
CNA schools in Massachusetts serve the purpose of training those who wish to jump-start their nursing career; you can complete training within weeks and pass a simple certification exam to get started.
What Does a CNA Do?
When you become a nursing assistant, you will have to assist patients in routine activities like eating, moving around, bathing, dressing, grooming, etc. and doing other duties delegated by a supervising nurse.
But as a nurse aide, you will not be responsible for core medical activities; all the responsibilities will be allied to nurses and doctors’ medical duties.
Conclusion
Massachusetts is one of the states in America with a strong economic background, but its job market has also taken a global slowdown. So if you are looking out for a new job chance, you will have a hard time. But if you have compassion towards the ill and the elderly, you have many better career opportunities.
CNA courses in Massachusetts offer you one such opportunity, which will help you start a nursing career with a little investment of time and money. It may sound unreal, but it is true; you can become a nursing assistant in six to twelve weeks, and the fees charged are not very high.