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The demand for Certified Nursing Assistants in California has never been stronger. In 2024, many healthcare facilities are hiring staff right out of school. CNA certification is also a prerequisite for nursing school. The nursing programs at both Cal State Bakersfield and Bakersfield Community College require prospective students to have certification as a nursing assistant.
Students who are planning to work as a certified nursing assistant in California must complete a CNA program that is approved by the state's Department of Public Health(DPH). The Healthcare Workforce Branch(HWB) is a division of the Health Department that is responsible for the certification of nurse assistants.
Certified nursing assistants are critical members of the healthcare team. The need for CNAs in California has grown by 8% from 2019, and is expected to grow another 9% by 2026.
Certified Nursing Assistants typically work under the supervision of licensed vocational nurses or registered nurses. Many CNAs work in skilled nursing facilities or at an assisted living facility. Hospitals also employ certified nursing assistants.
CNAs are typically responsible for:
There are 4 accredited RN programs in Bakersfield. Two of the schools(Bakersfield College, Cal State Bakersfield) require students to have CNA certification as a prerequisite to apply to the nursing program. The other two(Unitek College and North-West College Bakersfield), do not require CNA certification to begin nursing school.
There are 6 LVN programs in Bakersfield. Three of them(Bakersfield College, Bakersfield Adult School, and North Kern River CC) must complete a CNA program in order to attend the LVN programs. The three other schools(High Desert Medical College, San Joaquin Valley College, and Unitek College) do not require an applicant to have CNA certification.
Bakersfield Adult School has a 12 week, 350 hour nurse assistant program. After completion of the program, students are eligible to sit for the California state CNA exam.
CNA certification is required to enroll in Bakersfield College's nursing programs(LVN & RN).
Bakersfield Adult School offers 3 CNA programs per year:
Classes are Monday through Friday 7:30am to 2:00pm.
Prior to acceptance, students must:
The cost of attending the CNA program is $800. Financial aid is available to those who qualify.
Cellan Central Valley College is located on H street in Bakersfield. They have 2 CNA programs: A 23 day full-time program, and a 46 day part-time program. CCVC has different start dates throughout the year.
Their CNA program is approved by the Department of Public Health(CDPH) in California. All legitimate CNA programs in California must be approved by the CDPH. Their program consists of 60 hours of instruction, and 100 hours of a hands-on supervised externship.
Once students are done with either the 23 day or 46 day program, graduates are eligible to sit for California's CNA certification exam.
The CNA program at Bakersfield College has been around FOREVER! The class takes 1 semester to complete. It isn't a full-time program; they have classroom instruction for 4 hours per week, and 1 day per week is hands-on at a local skilled nursing facility.
Classroom instruction is from 8:30am to 1:05pm every Wednesday, and hands-on at a local skilled nursing facility every Friday from 9:00am to 4:30pm.
BC has 6 CNA courses per semester. The upside of taking your CNA program at BC is the varied schedule which allows for students to take either day or evening programs. The downside is that their classes tend to fill up quickly.
So, if you're a returning student to BC, you'll most likely get a slot. But if you haven't attended Bakersfield College, you may be placed on a waiting list.
Although there are no prerequisites to attend the program, BC strongly encourages prospective students to take MEDS B37 - Medical Terminology prior to attending the class.
Kern Valley Medical College has a part-time evening CNA certification class. Their program is approved by California's Department of Public Health(CDPH).
The program is 8 weeks long, with classes running from 5:30pm to 9:00pm Monday through Friday. Prospective students must be at least 16 years old. The CNA program at KVMC is the only one in Bakersfield that does not require applicants to have a high school diploma or GED.
The cost of the program is $2,500. There is a $500 deposit that is required at time of registration.
The Kern High School District Regional Occupational Center(KHSD ROP) has a 1 year nursing assistant program. After completion of the program, graduates sit for California's CNA exam.
While most KHSD ROP programs are open to high school seniors AND juniors, the CNA program is only open to high school seniors.
60 hours of the program are classroom-based. Topics include: Anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, effective communication.
100 hours of the program are spent doing "clinical rotation". This is the actual hands-on part of KHSD ROP's CNA program. Students will train at local Bakersfield nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
One of the externship facilities is the Parkview Julian Convalescent Center. California classifies this facility as long term care.
The other externship facility is The Rehabilitation Center of Bakersfield. The RCB is a skilled nursing home and rehabilitation facility.
The CNA program at High Desert Medical College takes 6 weeks to complete.
The program is a total of 164 hours. 60 of those hours are classroom, the remaining 104 hours are spent in a hands-on externship. Externships give students real-world experience.
Cerro Coso Community College(CCCC) has a CNA program that can be completed in one semester. 5.5 college credits are awarded to graduating students.
After completion of the course, students are eligible to sit for California's CNA exam.
This course is a total of 171 clock hours. 63 of those hours are dedicated to lecture, 108 hours are hands-on in a local nursing/assisted living facility.
The lecture hours are classroom-based. Part of the lectures may be delivered in a hybrid format, which can be partially completed online. Lecture hours go over anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology.
Medical terminology is important for future CNAs to be able to navigate the healthcare environment. It's a critical element to be able to communicate effectively with nurses, physicians, patients, and other CNAs. Using proper terminology allows for healthcare professionals to safely work as a team.
The hands-on, or "laboratory" hours gives students the opportunity to get their hands dirty, both literally and figuratively. Students will assist licensed vocational nurses, registered nurses, and current CNAs in many aspects of patient care.
In order to become a Certified Nursing Assistant, there are some requirements that must be met. First of all, you must have a high school diploma or a GED. This is the first step for anyone planning on becoming certified as a nursing assistant.
Following this, you must complete a 12 week CNA certification program offered at nearly all colleges or healthcare facilities. Once you have completed this course, you must sit for the CNA certification exam.
The training programs for Certified Nursing Assistants teach basic nursing skills, safety, hygiene, life support, nutrition, infection control, clinical anatomy and physiology. Training regulations state that a CNA training program must provide 50 hours of theory and 100 hours of clinically supervised training in order to be CDPH approved. All of the Kern County programs listed here are CDPH approved.
The Nurse Practice Acts of most states(including California) require a CNA to be able to:
Now you’re ready to prepare for the California Department of Public Health(CDPH) test, a competency examination which will test your clinical skills. Administered by Pearson VUE, eligibility requires that:
This exam is administered in 2 parts. Both parts are given on the same day. In order to be certified by the CDPH, both parts of the exam must be passed. The written part of the test is comprised of 70 multiple choice questions. The second part of the test is the Skill Evaluation.
You must perform 5 randomly selected skills that nursing assistants are expected to know. In order to receive CDPH certification, you must be able to successfully perform all 5 skills.
The typical workday for a certified nursing assistant is busy as soon as they clock in! CNAs are involved in nearly every aspect of patient care. Most of a CNAs day will be spent doing hands-on work. Whether it's in a nursing home, assisted living facility, hospital, or clinic, CNAs will be there. They assist patients with ADLs(Activities of Daily Living) like bathing, dressing, hygiene & grooming, and getting into/out of wheelchairs.
In many states, CNAs may hold additional certifications, such as Wound Care, which opens up additional career opportunities.
In almost all cases, CNAs will report directly to an LVN or RN. For very small facilities, the CNA may answer directly to a medical doctor. CNAs will be the most visible healthcare provider, and will spend the most time directly with patients. CNAs are keen observers. They are often the first staff member to spot a potential problem with a patient. When CNAs are present, patients know they'll be receiving personal attention.
As soon as you clock in at your facility, you'll report to the nurse in charge. This is usually an RN or LVN. You'll then receive your assignments for the day. You may also be given specific tasks that need to be completed in a timely manner. Depending on the type of facility you work in, you stay in the same area every day, or you might "float" between departments. You may also be providing break relief for your colleagues.
Many students need to become certified as a nursing assistant because it is a prerequisite for nursing school. But it's not just a stepping-stone for nurses! Medical assistants, Pharmacy Technicians, phlebotomy technicians, occupational therapists, surgical techs, dental hygienists, chiropractors, and home and personal care aides also got their start by working as a certified nursing assistant.