All fourteen students taking the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) class at the Franklin campus of Ivy Tech Community College-Columbus have passed the certification exam, according to Teresa Harden, Associate Professor of Nursing. Training to become a CNA involves 48 hours of classroom and lab instruction and 80 hours of clinical instruction. The classroom instruction was given at the Franklin campus; clinical instruction was given at Silver Oaks Health Campus in Columbus.

Coursework to become a CNA covers a broad range of topics, including basic anatomy, residents’ rights, health care regulations, resident care, cognitive impairment, emergencies, and death and dying.

Registered Certified Nursing Assistants work in hospitals, assisted living facilities, long-term care facilities, nursing homes, and mental health facilities. They assist registered nurses in a variety of ways, including performing physical assessments, taking vital signs, helping residents with personal hygiene, and providing emotional support to patients.