CNA Training in Alaska

In Alaska the population of elderly people is expected to increase significantly in the coming years, which means there will be an even higher demand for certified health care professionals across the state. Healthcare facilities will want to hire qualified professionals and registered CNAs will be sought after, particularly in the city of Anchorage. CNA Training Programs are offered throughout the state in twenty-four different locations, such as universities, colleges, and healthcare facilities. Many CNA programs in Alaska offer help to students in the form of financial aid or grants.

Individuals who have not earned high school diplomas are allowed to enroll in CNA programs, but they must either have a GED or have taken the ABLE test. Many programs also require proof of immunizations, a health history including a record of diseases, and a physical exam from a doctor. Most CNA programs in the state of Alaska contain about 160 hours of training. This training takes place in classrooms and clinical settings, and participants typically spent equal amounts of time in each portion. The state requires at least 60 hours of classroom based training and a minimum of 80 hours of clinical experience. The clinical experience must be supervised and before participants begin the clinical hour’s background checks and fingerprinting are usually required.

After completing both the classroom and clinical portions of the training, individuals are eligible to take the state examination which is governed by the Alaska Board of Nursing. Some programs include the fee for the test in the registration cost of the course, but otherwise the test will cost about $340. The exam contains two portions, a practical skills portion that tests clinical knowledge and a written examination. Both sections must be passed for students to officially become a licensed CNA. Once a student is cleared as an official certified nursing assistant they will be placed on the Alaska Nurse Aide Registry confirming that they are certified to work in any healthcare facilities in the state.

Some of the state-approved CNA programs offered in Alaska are listed below:

Kodiak College which is part of the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) offers a highly regarded program that complies with all state standards. The school requires trainees to have a minimum of 140 hours of combined classroom and clinical experience. The time frame and schedule of these hours is determined once an applicant is admitted into the program.

The University of Alaska Southeast in Ketchikan, Alaska offers a nine week CNA training course. Classes take place twice a week for full days. The first six weeks of the course are spent completing the classroom requirement. Students must earn a C on the first part to go on to the clinical portion, which lasts for the final three weeks of the course. The clinical portion takes place in local health care agencies. The school offers scholarship opportunities for students who qualify.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Community and Technical College (UAF) in Fairbanks offers a one-semester CNA training program. The program includes a forty-eight hour clinical experience at a long-term care or assisted living home where students help provide care for patients. These clinical experiences take place in groups of ten students or less and are all led and supervised by experienced licensed nurses.

Alaska’s Institute of Technology, AVTEC, offers intensive eight week CNA programs that are offered throughout the year. The program includes 230 total hours of classroom, skills, and clinical experience and classes take place Monday through Friday for the duration of the eight weeks. An optional skills practice class is offered each week day.