As required by Louisiana state regulations, you have to be listed as certified on the Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry if you want to work in a health care facility. The Louisiana Department of Health has approved many CNA training programs and you must attend one to start your certification process. From there, a test on your skills needs to be passed prior to being certified and ready to begin work in a medical setting of your choosing.

CNA classes will meet a set 80 hours of training. The first 40 hours will be spent in the classroom, and the remaining 40 will be spent actively training in a hands on position. Curriculum is derived from state chosen study course books. You will have to be 18 years old in order to enroll in a nurse aide training program. You should also be prepared to undergo a full physical that includes a two-part TB test. In accordance with federal laws, you will also be required to undergo a criminal background check prior to enrolling.

You should be ready to learn how to engage in communication with residents who are disabled, report to a licensed nurse on resident changes in health, write and read medical terminologies, operate blood pressure cuffs and weight taking machines, obtain CPR certification among many other daily nurse aide tasks.

When you are ready to take the state exam at the end of your program, you will need to register at one of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing approved test locations. You will take the skills test consisting of Five skills you will demonstrate physically on a volunteer for the instructor. Then you will take a written exam in which you will have to traditionally answer a number of questions. You can consider yourself a holder of CNA certification in Louisiana after you pass the tests, and you can find your name on the Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry.

The Louisiana Workforce states that there will be a 30% growth in jobs for the certified nurse aide till the year 2016. As a certified nurse aide in Louisiana, you will make a median CNA Salary of $22,052 a year. There is room for salary growth as you gain experience and additional certifications.

Finding top quality CNA training is very important, and the regions that offer the best programs in Louisiana are Kenner, Lafayette, Hammond,  Baton Rouge, Bossier City,Gretna, Houma,  Shreveport, New Orleans, Lake Charles, Monroe , Lafayette, and Shreveport.

For additional information about free CNA training in Louisiana check out our article that discusses all sorts of options for getting a break on tuition for qualified students.