Certified Nurse Assistant

Department: Health Occupations

Pathway Map

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This program, approved by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), provides the instruction and on-the-job training required to become a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) in the state of Missouri. The program teaches basic nursing skills, resident rights, safety, communication techniques and infection control. CNAs are eligible for employment in nursing homes, hospitals, home care agencies and doctor’s offices.

There are three different components that make up the CNA Program and St. Charles Community College offers two of them: class instruction and clinical internship. The state certification exam is coordinated and proctored through an outside agency. Students must complete all three components in order to be certified in the state of Missouri. 

For additional information, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions Web page.

Class Instruction (CNA 100)

Registration for Summer and Fall 2024 is now open!

Summer 2024: Jun. 10th - Aug. 4th 

Registration Deadline: May 24th (unless class fills before that date)

Fall 2024: Sept. 16th - Nov. 8th 

Registration Deadline: Aug. 30th (unless class fills before that date)

Tuition: $600

Book: Hartman's Nursing Assistant Care: Long-Term Care, 5th Edition (ISBN #978-1604251371) AND Workbook for Hartman's Nursing Assistant Care: Long-Term Care, 5th Edition (ISBN #978-1604251388) **Both are available at the SCC Campus Bookstore along with other book sellers, including Amazon**

This class instruction provides the 75 hours of preparation required by DHSS. Classes are held ONLINE ONLY through Canvas (SCC's educational platform). Students must have a combined average of 80% on all exams to pass the classroom portion of the program.

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be at least 18 years of age
• Must have acceptable background screening from the Missouri Family Care Safety Registry (https://health.mo.gov/safety/fcsr/) (no older than 90 days at time of registration)
• Must apply to St. Charles Community College: https://www.stchas.edu/admissions/apply

Registration Requirements

Complete before registration:

• College Application: all students must apply to St. Charles Community College prior to registering for class. Please complete and submit the application here: https://www.stchas.edu/admissions/apply

Items due during registration:

• Acceptable background screening results from the Family Care Safety Registry (https://health.mo.gov/safety/fcsr/) (no older than 90 days at time of registration) - this paperwork can be emailed to healthoccupations@stchas.edu once the below registration form is completed.

Registration can be done:

• Click the link to register online Summer 2024: CNA Summer 2024 Registration Form
• Click the link to register online Fall 2024: CNA Fall 2024 Registration Form
• If needed, registration can also be done in-person on the Dardenne Creek Campus (1 Academy Place, Dardenne Prairie, MO 63368) - office hours are Monday - Friday from 8:00am - 4:00pm

Tuition will be due within three business days of your registration being processed. Payment information will be communicated during the enrollment process.

Clinical Internship (CNA 102)

Tuition: $350

The clinical internship provides the 100 hours of on-the-job training required for CNA certification in the state of Missouri. Students are eligible to register for this component during the last two weeks of class instruction and MUST be registered by the the last day of class. Students will begin their clinical hours the week after class ends. 

Enrollment in the classroom portion of the CNA program does not guarantee acceptance into the clinical internship.

Prior to beginning their clinical hours, students will be required to complete and pass a urine drug screening (done at a facility designated by SCC) and attend a clinical orientation. Information and required paperwork will be provided to the student during the clinical registration process.

Students who are employed at a State of Missouri approved training site (these are Intermediate or Skilled Care Facilities) may elect to do their clinical training through their employer. In this case, students will need to coordinate with their facility to complete the required hours. (Please note: Not all facilities are approved to do this training – please check with your Administrator to verify eligibility.)

Clinical Options

During clinical registration, students will have the opportunity to choose one of the following schedules:

• Monday - Friday (five days per week)
• Monday/Wednesday/Friday (three days per week)
• Tuesday/Thursday (two days per week)

Most schedules are day shifts (approx. 7am - 3pm), but we may have some limited evening shifts each semester (approx. 3 - 11pm). Evening shift availability is not guaranteed. 

*Please note St. Charles Community College only partners with specific intermediate/skilled care facilities within the St. Charles County metropolitan area (St. Charles County, Lincoln County, St. Louis County/City). We cannot place students at facilities outside this area.*

Eligibility Requirements

• Have a combined average of 80% on all classroom exams
• Complete and pass a urine drug screening at a designated facility (paperwork provided during clinical registration)
• Have a current flu vaccine and be able to provide documentation (Sept-March).
• Have negative 2-step TB test results (no older than one year at the time of registration)
• Have been vaccinated against Covid-19 and provide documentation.

Registration Requirements

Provide the following prior to or at time of registration:

• Negative 2-step TB tests (no older than one year at the time of registration)
• Covid-19 Vaccine Documentation
• Flu shot documentation (Sept. - March)

Students who do not provide documentation of receiving the Covid vaccination are not guaranteed clinical placement. Tuition is non-refundable for students failing to submit Covid vaccination documentation. Please forward inquiries to HealthOccupations@stchas.edu  

Final Exam (state certification)

The state certification exam is completed through a third-party vendor (Headmaster). Information on how to register and pay for this exam will be provided in class.

This is a non-credit, certificate course. Tuition and fees are due at time of registration and are non-refundable and non-transferable. 

Tuition and schedules for the CNA program are subject to change without notice. Please check this Web page frequently to stay updated on any changes made.

Salary Outlook

In the state of Missouri, nursing assistants earn a mean average of $25,360 per year. 
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, earnings increase significantly as a worker’s degree of education rises.