CNA Classes in Richmond Virginia
Virginia is a great place to live and work as a CNA, or Certified Nursing Assistant. The state is home to some of the nation’s top hospitals, such as Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center Richmond, VA – which is nationally ranked in 3 specialties, as well as regionally ranked in the state. Additionally, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services lists nearly 20% of the Nursing Homes in Virginia with 5-star ratings. One of the main ranking factors of this statistic is the quality of the nursing staff and their medical care. From seeking CNA classes in Richmond VA to Norfolk, Lynchburg to Roanoke, and everywhere in between, there are many great opportunities to study and then thrive in your career as a CNA in Virginia.
The Virginia School for Nurse Aides and Health Education is a large source for CNA classes in Richmond VA, with accreditation via the Virginia Board of Nursing – Henrico VA, the NACES – Austin TX, and the American Red Cross – Richmond VA. The Virginia Board of Nursing lists over two hundred additional approved Nurse Aide education programs in VA. These are composed of mostly community colleges, with some local tech schools and even Red Cross CNA programs in VA. With a large number of CNA classes in Richmond VA, there are still hundreds of other certified CNA training centers throughout the state. This means CNA classes in VA are within a convenient distance for most Virginia residents, whether in a major metropolitan area such as Richmond, or in a rural Virginia.
CNA Training Requirements for Virginia
The Virginia Nursing Board has fairly stringent requirements and training procedures in place for a person to become a CNA within the state of Virginia. This is because of prior instances of abuse and neglect within the medical system. Virginia’s main goal in maintaining strict laws about CNA certification VA is to regulate who is able to obtain such certification. For instance, drug tests and background checks are a requirements in Virginia for CNAs. The hope would be to weed out people of questionable character from working directly with patients. Also, CNAs must have stringent health screenings including a clear TB test. Healthy individuals are wanted for caring for the sick. Beyond these requirements, CNAs must be at least 18 to work in Virginia, they also must have already completed their high school diploma or passed their GED test. If a person meets every one of these requirements they may enroll in CNA classes Richmond VA or wherever they choose to begin the CNA certification training process.
Virginia CNA Classes & Programs
CNA classes in Virginia consist of 120 hours’ worth of training. This is quite a bit more than most states require, and, again, reflects the desire of the Virginia Nursing Board for well-qualified individuals working at the CNA level. A person who has not successfully completed all the required training hours will not be permitted to sit for the state CNA test. The multiple choice section of the Virginia CNA test includes 70 multiple choice questions, the other part of the test is showing your ability to perform the required skills in front of an examiner who evaluates a person’s CNA abilities. After passing the test a person can apply to the Virginia Board of Nursing. Applicants must prove that they have met all minimum requirements, steps, training, background checks, fingerprinting, physicals etc. in order to qualify for registration within the state. Once the registration is approved, a newly certified CNA can begin applying for jobs at Virginia medical centers or nursing home. The CNA certification needs to be renewed every two years, and a person must have worked as a CNA in Virginia to be able to renew their registration. Virginia CNA licenses are reciprocal in most other states, which means if a CNA moves from Virginia they will most likely be able to transfer their certificate to the next state with little effort as long as their certificate is valid and in good standing.
CNA Jobs in Richmond VA
Richmond VA is the state’s capital, and one of the nation’s oldest and most historic cities. While Richmond’s population of nearly 205,000 makes it the 5th largest city in Virginia, it holds the most CNA jobs out of any city in VA. There are over a dozen Virginia Board of Nursing approved CNA classes in Richmond VA, and with 6,280 CNA jobs in Richmond alone, it is a great place to seek CNA training classes and to live and work afterwards.
CNA Jobs in Norfolk, Lynchburg, Roanoke & others
The Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Newport News areas of VA are home to 7,460 CNA jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in a 2014 survey for Nursing Assistant employment. Roanoke VA is strong with 2,470 jobs, followed by Lynchburg at 1,500. Charlottesville has 1,210 jobs, followed by Danville, Harrisonburg, and Winchester. Even rural Virginia has a strong CNA job presance, with the Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area holding 1,670 jobs, a high location quotient of 2.43 (a location quotient greater than 1 indicates a higher than national average rate. 2.43 is within the top 5 nonmetropolitan areas for CNA jobs in the entire country).
Virginia Board of Nursing
Perimeter Center
9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300
Henrico Virginia 23233-1463
Phone: (804) 367-4515
Fax: (804) 527-4455
Website: www.dhp.virginia.gov