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Bakersfield Adult School has been a staple of healthcare education for decades. Many nurses in Kern County have gotten their start by taking Bakersfield Adult School's CNA program prior to enrolling in nursing school. Careers in healthcare continue to skyrocket as the population ages.
The CNA certification program at Bakersfield Adult School is 10 weeks long.
The cost for the CNA program is $800.00, which covers ALL costs, including books, tuition, fees, uniforms, and State Exam. The CNA program at Bakersfield Adult School fulfills the CNA prerequisite for entry into the Licensed Vocational Nurse program. This intensive program includes both clinical and classroom experience in a local Bakersfield Long Term Care(LTC) facility.
More and more nursing programs, for both LVN and RN, are requiring an accredited CNA program as a prerequisite. This makes sense, in order to give the student direct experience. That way, they know whether or not they have what it takes for a career in nursing!
There are currently 6 LVN programs in Kern County. If you're taking a CNA course to fullfill a prerequisite for an LVN program, 3 public vocational nursing programs in Bakersfield(Bakersfield Adult School, Bakersfield College, and Kern River Valley Community College) require CNA certification as a prerequisite.
The 3 private vocational nursing programs(Unitek College, San Joaquin Valley College, and High Desert Medical College) DO NOT require CNA certification as a prerequisite.
There are currently 8 LVN programs in Bakersfield.
There are 4 RN programs in Bakersfield. The 2 public programs(Bakersfield College, Cal State Bakersfield) require CNA certification as a prerequisite. The 2 private programs(Unitek College, North-West College) do not require CNA certification.
There are currently 6 RN programs in Bakersfield.
Kern Valley Medical College(KVMC) has 2 CNA classes: a 21 day full-time program, and a 5 week evening program. Graduates of both programs are eligible to take the exam which is approved by California's Department of Public Health.
KVMC is the only state approved CNA program in Bakersfield that doesn't require a high school diploma or GED as a requirement. Applicants must be at least 16 years old.
The cost of the program is $2,500. There is a $500 deposit that is required at time of registration.
Cellan Central Valley College(CCVC) is one of the few schools in Kern County that offers current CNA's the chance to earn continuing education units(CEUs).
CCVC currently offers 2 CNA programs: a part-time, 46 day CNA program, and a full-time 23 day CNA program. The 23 day program is the most accelerated program in Bakersfield.
Both of their CNA programs are approved by the Department of Public Health(CDPH) in California.
Once the program is completed, graduates can sit for California Department of Public Health's CNA certification exam.
Bakersfield College has 6 CNA courses per semester. None of them are fulltime. They all take a semester to complete. These classes tend to fill up quickly, so returning students usually have the best chance of getting in.
Medical Terminology(MEDS B37) is not a prerequisite class, but BC "strongly encourages" prospective students to take this course.
Classroom instruction is from 8:30am to 1:05pm every Monday during the semester, and hands-on at a local skilled nursing facility every Thursday from 9:00am to 4:30pm.
on the positive side, Bakersfield College has multiple classes every semester. The downside is, it can be difficult to get a spot.
The CNA program at Kern High School District Regional Occupational Center(KHSD ROP) takes 1 year to complete. It is a part-time program. After completing the nursing assistant program, students take the state's CNA exam.
This program is ONLY open to high school juniors. All other programs at KHSD ROP are open to juniors AND seniors.
The classroom portion of the program is 60 hours. Medical terminology, anatomy & physiology, and effective team communication are some of the topics that will be studied.
The "lab" portion of the course is the hands-on clinical rotation. This is the part of the class where students will work at an actual skilled nursing facility.
Other programs at KHSD ROP:
North Kern Vocational Training Center (NKVTC) serves students from 2 districts: Wasco Union High School District, and Delano Joint Union High School District. They have been serving the Central Valley for more than 30 years.
The NKVTC-Delano campus currently has 2 CNA programs. Both take 2 semesters to complete. The early-morning program runs from 6:45am to 9:45am, Monday through Friday. The late-morning program runs from 10:10am to 12:30pm, Monday through Friday.
The NKVTC-Wasco campus has a 2 semester CNA program that runs from 6:45am to 9:45am, Monday through Friday.
The programs at both Delano and Wasco are both a total of 540 hours.
The CNA program at Cerro Coso Community College(CCCC) takes one semester to complete. Students who complete the program with at least a "C" letter grade are awarded 5.5 college credits.
Graduates of the program can then sit for the exam, which is approved by California's Department of Public Health(CDPH).
The class is broken up into 2 parts: the lecture, and the externship. The lecture is done in the class, or online. The externship is 108 hours, spent at a local skilled nursing facility.
CCCC has 2 different medical assisting programs. One is a 2 year associate degree, and the other is a 1 year certification degree. There are also 5 other medical assistant programs in Bakersfield.They also have a 3 semester LVN program. There are now 6 LVN programs in Bakersfield.
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.
There are currently 7 CNA programs in Bakersfield.