Weeks of training and studying for Health Science Education students came to a culmination this past week. Twenty-two morning students and eleven afternoon students completed the Indiana State Department of Health CNA certification testing.

Students in this program are given a choice at the beginning of the school year to pursue this certification or not. The training for the certification is in addition to the other dual-credit courses the program offers. However, a significant portion of the course material overlaps and is able to be incorporated into the CNA curriculum if they choose to do so.

Class instructor Kendra Gentry notes, “The CNA curriculum is really the foundation for all healthcare. Therefore, it can be easily integrated into what we are already teaching.”

For students pursuing the CNA certification, the class spends the following 9 weeks covering class material and learning 72 different resident care procedures. While in the classroom they learn about safety, infection control, chain of command and scope of practice, as well as how to perform care for the residents. After their 9 weeks in the classroom, students spend an additional 9 weeks in long-term care facilities learning in the community and training as student nursing assistants. While in this role, students are assigned a resident each day to care for and demonstrate the skills they have learned in the classroom. 

To be eligible to complete the CNA Certification testing, students must have a minimum of 75 hours working as a CNA in a long-term care facility and be able to successfully demonstrate all 72 resident care procedures. 

Through the week of January 17-20 students’ hard work was put to the test as Ivy Tech Community College CNA field tester Angela Steele administered the exam at the Danielson Center. 

Students must pass both written and skills portions of the test to receive certification.

“Students have put in a lot of time and effort to prepare for the exams and are now reaping the benefits of all their hard work,” shared program instructor Angie Talbott. “Many students commented that this was the hardest thing that they have done in their lives, but very much worth the effort.” If you would like more information on the New Castle Career Center Health Science Education Program follow the New Castle Career Center on Facebook, visit their website at nccareercenter.org or call the New Castle Career Center at (765) 593-6680.