CNA Instructor Certification

Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) instructors are employed by vocational schools, colleges and health-care facilities to teach basic CNA programs for individuals seeking to obtain a CNA license. Most states require instructor applicants to have at least one to two years' experience in the health-care industry prior to admittance.

Prerequisite

• Applicants must hold an active RN license in the same state in which they hope to gain instructor certification. Some states, such as Maine, may waive this requirement if the applicant holds a Train-the-Trainer certification with 15 hours of health-care instruction.

Features

• The training program trains the CNA instructor in teaching learning principles, developing curriculum, defining diseases such as Alzheimer's and demonstrating teaching aids. Additional training includes understanding legal responsibilities and describing the nurse-assistant competency evaluation process and requirements.

Time Frame

• The time frame for course completion averages about one week. However, some programs may take longer, depending on how many training hours the course meets each day.

Cost

• The average cost for a CNA instructor certification course is between $415 and $500 as of 2010. This price includes the necessary materials to complete the course, such as textbooks and/or workbooks.