CNA Schools in Texas

Education/Degrees/Coursework for Certified Nurse Assistants in Texas

Those interested in employment as a Certified Nurse Assistant in Texas can pursue that journey in different ways. Candidates may obtain certification by completing a completing a Texas-approved nurse aide course and passing the state exam, taking the CNA exam and obtaining a passing score or applying for reciprocity if they are already certified as a nurse aide in another state. Those wanting to bypass the nurse aide training program and take the state CNA examination may do so only if they previously completed a nurse aide course but have not taken the state exam, or if they are enrolled in a LPN or RN nursing program.

The Texas Nurse Aide Registry maintains the official record of all certified nurse assistants qualified to provide patient care services in nursing facilities and licensed by the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS). Nurse aide certificates in Texas do not include expiration dates because renewal is not required by the state, however, nurse aides should contact the registry to update and verify employment status every two years to ensure that their names remain listed as active on the registry.

Texas CNA training programs cover subjects such as basic nursing principles, patient rights, effective communication, job safety, anatomy and medical terminology, ethics, observation and reporting. Programs in Texas are available online, at community colleges, vocational schools and other training organizations and include at least 51 hours of classroom instruction and 24 hours of clinical training. Students learn bedside nursing skills such as making beds, bathing and feeding patients, taking vital signs, answering call lights, and preparing and assisting patients for examinations.

CNA education programs also teach regulations and laws associated with the profession, how to work with nurses, doctors and other health professionals, and skills involving specialized supplies, equipment, and procedures.

Several community colleges in Texas offer a nurse assistant certificate program. This one-semester program requires students to complete 15 hours of coursework. Required class titles include nurse aide for health organization, clinical nursing assistant/aide and medical terminology. Before entering the CNA program, students must be certified in CPR. Graduates of the certification program are eligible to take the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services Certification examination.

Through online programs, aspiring C.N.A.s in Houston, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, Arlington, Corpus Christi, Plano, Laredo, Lubbock and Amarillo, Texas may be able to prepare themselves for the possibility of employment in some of the largest hospitals and healthcare facilities in the state including the Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, Memorial Hermann Hospital, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital and Baylor Medical Centers.