CNA Certification in Indiana
How to Become a CNA in Indiana
If you want to become a certified nurse aide in Indiana, you might be pleasantly surprised to find that you can achieve this in as little as six weeks. To get started on this career path, you must first enroll in and complete a CNA Training Program in Indiana. The Department of Health in Indiana will accredit and approve programs that qualify you to take the state-mandated CNA certification exam.
Enrollment and Completing CNA Classes
Step 1
Find a CNA Training Program
During enrollment, you must submit to a criminal background check and a full physical. You must be at least 18 years old to enroll in CNA classes and must have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
Step 2
The Indiana Department of Health requires all potential CNAs to complete a program that includes at least 30 hours of structured classroom education. A proper CNA training program must provide students with a minimum of 75 hours of clinical training in a medical setting including hands-on procedures. Students must have finished a minimum of 16 hours in the program before they are allowed to take part in clinical rotations that involve hands-on skills and patient interaction.
Step 3
Training programs in Indiana allow you to learn the basics of nursing and how to implement them on a day to day basis. This includes learning how to take vital signs, how to write patient records, and how to deal with the day to day needs of various patients and residents. The courses will also include CPR training, dealing with emergency situations, and a number of other skills that nurse aides will need to help nurses.
CNA Testing Procedures and CNA Certification
Step 1
After completing your CNA classes in Indiana, you will be ready to take the nurse aide certification examination. Hopefully, you enrolled in an accredited program that provided you with the minimum course requirements needed to take the exam. You can find more details about that in the Indiana section of our CNA training.
Step 2
You will need to preregister for the exam as testing dates fill up early. There is an increased need for nurse aides in Indiana right now because of a large staff shortage at many of the training schools. Due to staff shortage, less students are being accepted and testing can be delayed.
In Indiana, you might have the option of taking the CNA certification exam at the facility in which you trained. Many students choose to take the exam at the Ivy Tech Community College. The CNA candidate will receive a two-part exam– one part written and the other part on hands-on nursing skills.
The scoring works on a percentage ratio and is based on the amount of questions that are answered right. If you pass the exam, your name will then be put on the Indiana Nurse Aide Registry and you can immediately start job-searching. Many testing sites will give you your score in person while others will mail your final results. Average CNA salary in Indiana averages $ 23,000 a year. You can earn a higher salary with a longer time on the job as well as if you gain additional certifications and skills. The job opportunities within this field are expected to rise nearly 17 percent over the next decade which means many open positions and opportunities for advancement.
Step 3
You will be added to the nurse registry upon approval and will then be eligible for employment. Seek out jobs in specialized nursing facilities, HHA agencies, hospitals, and assisted living facilities. Fill out a profile and resume in our database to quickly get your application out to different employers.
Step 4
Lastly, we encourage you to find out the requirements in your area for nursing schools or LPN schools in Indiana. It might be a very real possibility that you might excel in these programs. Check out our section on RN and LPN degrees.
Indiana State Nurse Aide Registry
Indiana State Department of Health – Division of Long Term Care
Two North Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (317) 233-7351
License Verification: (317) 233-7612
Fax: (317) 233-7750