CNA training is available at various community colleges, technical training schools, or local hospitals and other medical facilities. These training centers offer multiple options for class schedules as per the time requirements of the students.
Some of the options available are weekend CNA classes or evening CNA classes and these may be useful to those who are currently employed elsewhere and want to pursue a career in nursing considering the ever-increasing demand for nurse aides or other allied healthcare professionals.
For those who are working somewhere and are ready to sacrifice their family time in pursuit of a new and steady career of nursing assistants, weekend classes are ideal.
Classes Schedule
CNA training includes both classroom and clinical studies; as per the federal requirements of the US government, the minimum training hours of any nurse aide training program is 75 hours, which includes 51 hours of classroom study and 24 hours of clinical training.
Most nursing schools provide for more hours, particularly when it comes to clinical skills for which you need as many hands-on exposures as possible.
CNA evening classes generally last for around 15 to 16 weeks, where full-time courses are conducted on Saturdays and Sundays. Some classes have more hours on Saturdays and half the hours on Sundays while very few classes are conducted only on either of the days.
Features of Weekend Classes
Weekend CNA classes have certain exciting features as follows:
- The prime feature of these classes is that these are conducted over the weekends so that you can continue with your current employment or meet any other commitments
- Considering that the mandatory hours of training must be fulfilled these classes last for 15 to 16 weeks so you have to wait longer for the certification exam as compared to regular courses which are over in six to eight weeks and you are ready for the certification
- The tuition fees of most of such classes include the training fees, uniform cost, medical kits, cardiopulmonary restoration, and first aid training, certification training which includes exam review, practice tests, and exam fee
- The training is of the highest quality to maintain intensity as the training is conducted only at weekends and the students can lose focus over the weekdays. The instructors are highly skilled professionals and have special expertise to teach in these classes.
- Classes allow students to practice clinical skills by crediting additional hours of practice when requested.
- Many of these classes conduct their pre-exam tests to prepare students for the certification exam, based on the evaluation; the students are allowed to take the certification exam. Those who fare poorly in the pre-test are provided for extra training hours to improve their skills and then allowed for the certification test.
- Most of the debates and professional discussions are about the nurse aide skills which involve experts in the field. These classes thus give you maximum exposure to such debates and discussions allowing you to gain insights into the nurse aide profession.
Considerations for Joining The Weekend Classes
If you are thinking about joining one of these classes to become a certified nursing assistant, you should consider the following aspects:
- Make sure that these classes are accredited by the state health department and fulfill the mandatory training hours as stipulated by your state. Some classes wrap up their training quicker and when you submit the program verification for the certification test you may find out that you have been disqualified
- Keep up your intensity to study at the weekends and be prepared to miss out on some fun. Make sure that you don’t miss the classes because these times can be tempting and other activities may pop-up. Remember, as a nurse aide you may have to work in 24/7 environments including the weekends; if you can focus on the training on weekends you can rest assured that you will do well professionally
- Studying over the weekends requires a lot of discipline; you must finish the tasks given to you as a part of the self-study during the weekdays irrespective of your schedule, so set your priorities right and complete the tasks accordingly
- If you think that you lack the intensity or discipline to study on weekends, think twice before enrolling in such classes. If you have other commitments to meet you can consider joining the evening classes which are offered by many community colleges or medical facilities
How to Find CNA Weekend Classes
To find out the best training programs in your state, contact the state nursing board which will be in the best position to guide you in this regard. Some of the most popular weekend training programs are conducted by
- Prime Career College
- CA; Arizona Medical Training Institute (AMTI)
- And Health Care Career Institute (HCCI)
Should you Join CNA Weekend Classes?
Weekend CNA classes are beneficial to those aspiring to become nursing assistants. Still, they have a fulltime job which they need to continue with to meet their financial commitments as these classes are conducted on Saturdays or Sundays and you can quickly complete the training by joining these classes.
Alternative?
Other options for the working population are the evening or night CNA classes if you think you can’t study on weekends. We have dedicated post on CNA evening classes here.