The A – Z Guide To Understanding Red Cross CNA Training

To become a certified nursing assistant, the American Red Cross Training program is one of the best programs you can enroll in. The organization has a great history and reputation for providing medical aid since 1881. The Red Cross training program provides candidates with all the required knowledge and practical training in basic nursing care.

Although the requirements of each state in America differ when it comes to CNA training, the program structure at Red Cross is such that it is tailor-made to meet the necessities of all the states; so much so that a CNA trained at Red Cross is more in demand across the country as compared to any other nursing assistant school.

The American Red Cross was established in 1981 and since then, it is constantly working for the sake of sick and disabled people through the field of medical and health care.

The Red Cross has become an important name in the health care industry by now due to its various work facets in the medical and allied industry.

The Red Cross also offers training courses for becoming a certified nursing assistant to work in the same professional field later. This step of Red Cross is in response to the rising need of nursing professionals in the allied health care field.

It serves to train and prepare the best candidates to work as certified nursing assistants. The main purpose of this is to meet the increasing demands of the nursing professionals in the industry.

The Red Cross has its various chapters all over the country and 36 of them do conduct CNA classes. Due to different locations, aspects of certified nursing assistant classes can vary.

However, it never compromises with the quality of education and cost-effectiveness.

Minimum Requirements for Applying Red Cross CNA Program

You will have to be eighteen years old and should have completed at least high school diploma. You should be completely fit and would have to submit a certificate indicating the same.

You will have to co-operate in the background check which is mandatory in every institute including the Red Cross. You must not be convicted of any crime or felony in the past and you may also have to submit two letters from officials who hold respectable positions in the healthcare sector.

The medical checkup is compulsory as you will be expected to work closely with the patients and you should be free of infections or diseases to take care of the patients effectively.

You will also have to be fit to complete the classes and training sessions which may be tiring and exhausting The fee for the whole program will be minimal as Red Cross offers it and you can also avail the grants offered by the government through such organizations.

There would be a minimal screening fee of $35 which would not be refunded if you are not selected for the program.

Let’s recap the requirements

  • The student must have completed 18 years of age.
  • The student should not be involved in any serious crime.
  • The student cannot be pregnant while the classes are going on.
  • The student should not have any infectious disease.
  • The student must give proof of a negative TB test.
  • The student must present background check proof.

CNA Training Structure

The structure of classes here is almost the same as classes at other institutions. The Red Cross CNA training classes include theoretical sessions, skills lab and clinical sessions. The duration of the classes differs from one state to the other. The quality of training is very high and you would be expected to perform up to the expected level to be qualified for the final examination.

The duration of the course is similar and varies from one state to the other. You should think and decide whether you can put in enough effort and dedication to pursue the program as the CNA training course is said to be tougher. Red Cross CNA certification is one of the best programs and the standards are set high to provide the best professional training possible.

You will have to attend the classroom and clinical sessions compulsorily as attendance is given utmost importance for the successful completion of certification. The performance of the students in classes and tests should be satisfactory to get certified.

You need to get the required percentage of marks in the final examinations as well to get a license through a reputed organization like the Red Cross.

The organization is known for its aim to provide medical help to people who need it and cannot afford it. So, a certification by the American Red Cross is recognized across all the states.

Red Cross CNA Classes

Certified nursing aide training at Red Cross chapters are held at flexible timings, but the duration depends upon the location of the chapter. The course content exactly meets the standards set by the state authorities and covers all the essential aspects related to nursing.

The course is divided into technical sessions and practical sessions. The technical part is covered by the highly qualified nurses in theory sessions (also called classroom sessions), while the practical part is covered in the hands-on clinical session in the actual clinical environment.

After completing the course program, the students have to clear the exam approved by the state successfully. This exam tests their knowledge in both senses, technical as well as clinical.

If one passes both the tests, then only one can get the certified nurse assistant certification and license. Of note, there is an option of reappearing for the respective test.

The 171 hour of American Red Cross Nurse Assistant Training course aims at providing quality care to residents in nursing homes.

Part 1:
The first part of nurse assistant training takes place in the classroom. During classroom training, students will learn different aspects of patient care through lectures as well as demonstrations followed by practice.

Part 2: 
After completion of the classroom training, the candidates will begin with a program that consists of clinical training. During this training, the students will work directly with patients in a health care facility or nursing homes, where they will be supervised by a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or a Registered Nurse (RN).

This assures personalized instruction. During this externship, you will also have to work with other aides, nurses and medical professionals and some times even with doctors. You will learn the exact duties of a certified nursing assistant working in the organization.

Part 3: Exam 
Once you have completed with training, you will be ready to appear for the certification exam. This entitles the CNA certification degree and this will be of great advantage in various ways.

The fact that the Red Cross certified nursing assistant training being recognized wide across the country will help you in obtaining many lucrative job offers from some of the renowned health-care facilities in your state.

But, you will have to clear the state-recognized examination first to get certified by the Red Cross. You will then be listed as a certified nursing aide in your state’s registry after which you can explore the job opportunities in health-care facilities in your area.

Red Cross CNA training classes are valued by many in the nursing industry, as the standards of training have been set high and the kind of training you obtain is at par with the best training offered in nursing schools and colleges.

To obtain this advantage, though you will have to work hard and be determined as the performance level should be higher than the expected level.

Enrolment Options

Red Cross offers CNA training both in conventional as well as online classes. You can choose whichever method as per your convenience. If you want a more practical oriented program, the conventional classes will suit you, but if you have time constraints the online course is also well structured.

Red Cross has CNA training programs in almost all the states of America. You may be in Georgia, California, Pennsylvania or any other state; you can get all the information at the local chapter.

Working as a CNA is a noble profession and Red Cross CNA training puts this point across to its student in an affirmative way so that they understand the importance of nursing assistant as a profession and it develops a desire to help mankind.

Training program fees

The Red Cross CNA program course fee is round about USD1,500, which is assumed to be costlier but if one cannot afford the fees, then they can apply for free training.

Red Cross offers many such free courses as it the humanity organization. This course especially requires specific study material and equipment to practice.

The program fees depend on various factors. Red Cross CNA training programs vary in time length starting from the mandatory 75 hours to 110 plus hours.

There are some courses where students are not only provided with course material but also with various medical equipment for practice.

Some programs even provide for the medical and background check necessary for the certification.

Taking all these factors into consideration, the local chapters decide about the fee structure of various courses. Some chapters provide services like education finance at very affordable rates.

Tuition fee includes:

  • Training books
  • 2 Uniforms, Stethoscope and Training Supplies
  • Stethoscope & Blood Pressure Equipment
  • State Exam for Certification
  • Charges of Instructors that are approved by the CA Department of Public Health
  • Fees of the Trainers that share their valuable experience and guidance to achieve your goals

However, you can reduce the costs considerably if you can approach the institutions owned by the government, as they provide grants or scholarships.

There is a criterion for these scholarships. You will have to clear a qualifying examination that would be conducted by the respective Red Cross organization in your state.

You should be prepared for this exam if you want to apply for the scholarship program.

For more information on Red Cross Nurse Assistant Training Program,
Contact :

American Red Cross Headquarters
E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006

Time frame for the course

The time required to complete the course depends on the local requirements.

The local chapters of Red Cross have complete responsibility to formulate the course as per the state laws, considering the minimum hours of training required in the particular state.

Some courses are completed in four weeks, while other programs take six to eight weeks.

Syllable Covered in the Red Cross CNA Program

The Red Cross CNA training covers all the aspects necessary to prepare students for certification and make dedicated nursing assistants. Students are taught to monitor vital signs like recording temperatures, blood pressure, pulse etc.

Students learn to assist patients with their daily activities of bathing, exercise and bathroom use along with maintenance of personal hygiene and keeping the surroundings clean. Appropriate methods of safely helping patients in moving and transfers along with documentation is also a part of the training program.

The topics can be broadly termed as following:

  • Anatomy and physiology
  • Nutrition
  • Medical ethics
  • Disease and prevention
  • Basic health and environmental studies
  • Basic science
  • Medical terminology
  • Physiology and anatomy
  • Basic hygiene
  • Patient care
  • Ethical treatment and patients’ rights
  • Input and output measurement
  • Understanding vital signs
  • Keeping health charts and records
  • Interpersonal communication

Besides these regular topics, training in handling and operating sophisticated equipment, diagnosis, etc. is also given to the students. It also provides clinical practice.

This exclusive combination of training imparts the students a considerable proficiency in all the essential aspects of nursing and allied health care fields.

Registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) who work as instructors at the Red Cross chapters take care of all the technical and practical skills of their students.

Rules and Regulations

  • 100% attendance is mandatory
  • No student is allowed to miss more than 6 hours of the classes, which also one has to make up later
  • The final exam must be cleared with a minimum score of 80%

Benefits of Red Cross CNA Programs

The CNA training program at a local Red Cross chapter is considered to be excellent and students passing out of here are considered best in the field.

The possibilities of a student ending up with jobs in the best medical facilities are very high and these nursing assistants have a proven record of a higher growth rate as far as succeeding in the field is concerned.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) the ratio of students success is more than average, hence a CNA from Red Cross draws higher hourly wages as compared to other training programs.

The training conducted by the Red Cross is the most cost-effective program and to be trained by an organization like the Red Cross sums it up even more.

The organization provides greater exposure to nursing during training which will give you an added advantage at startup and will be a morale booster for you.

  • National recognition
  • Certified nursing assistant programs can be done at Red cross online or offline as per one’s convenience
  • Red Cross chapters’ location and timings are flexible
  • The students can give their exam in their classrooms only
  • The best quality education is obtained at a very affordable cost
  • Placement facility after completing the classes
  • Financial support to worthy students coming from a low economic background
  • Once the Red Cross certified nurse assistant certification is obtained, one can work anywhere in the country

One of the most important plus points of the Red Cross certified nursing aide program is that it assists its students in searching and getting the best possible jobs after they accomplish their classes and exam.

The Red Cross students are considered to be skilled and talented nursing assistants, as they are trained under registered nurses and they get exposure to the actual clinical environment as well as practice during their clinical hands-on training sessions.

Therefore, becoming a Red Cross certified nurse assistant is the first step towards a bright career in the profession of nursing. Red cross certified nurse aide training gives the students the national recognition and along with the best training in nursing techniques and skills.