Working as a certified nurse aide in Montana can be beneficial and rewarding on a deeply personal level. Many people choose this career because the have a genuine interest in helping others enjoy better health. There is a high demand for nurse aides for two reasons: One is due to the rising number of elderly within the population and the other is because a large amount of aides move out of this position to become a registered nurse. In Montana, taking a State Survey and Certification Agency approved CNA training is a requirement to pursue a career as a nurse aide. Furthermore, they require a passing grade on the Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program exam to receive a certification and be on the Montana Nurse Aide Registry.

CNA classes will mandate that you take a 50 hour course with a classroom setting, and ayou will be required to take an additional 25 hours of clinical practice where you get hands-on experience in a medical setting. In order to enroll in a certification program in Montana, you need to be at least 18 year of age and possess a diploma or its equivalent. You will be asked to supply an official background check on yourself to prove that you are of good character to qualify to work in the allied health fields. Additionally, students need to undergo a full physical to show they are healthy, and a two-part tuberculosis test is typically a part of this checkup.

Out of your 75 hours of class, there will be a 16 hour focus group on keeping illness at bay as well as other nursing assistant skills that will assist you during your employment like concerns for safety, practicing resident rights, CPR and patient communication and interaction skills will be learned.

Your evaluation exam known as the SCEP, will be approved to be taken once you show your instructor that you are ready for it. You can do this by successfully showing competency on a show of skills test (MNASCC) for your instructor. At that point you take your SCEP. If you pass both the written exam and the clinical skills assessments, you will  be registered immediately on the Montana Nurse Aide Registry. You will not get a certificate but, your certification paper can be printed by going online to the Montana registry web site, which you can find information on within our CNA certification in Montana section.

CNA Salary in Montana is around $21,700 a year at average. According to the Montana Department of Labor, there is projected to be a 22% increase for this position through 2016 statewide.

If you are wondering how you can catch a break on tuition, take a look at our section concerning  free CNA training for tips and advice about how to qualify.