Orlando CNA Classes

Well-known for being the home of numerous world-famous amusement parks, including Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida, also offers many other educational attractions, including the Kennedy Space Center and the Maitland Art Center, as well as fun points of interest, including Pointe Orlando and the historic walkable areas in downtown. Orlando is a great city for seniors looking for a more temperate climate and for families looking for a fun place to raise children.

Because there is such a high number of seniors in Orlando, this is a great area for those working in health sciences. With nine hospitals local to the city and 28,306 individuals over the age of 65, those wanting to become CNAs here have plenty of opportunities to find work. There are currently 10,510 individuals employed as CNAs here. Plus, there are plenty of opportunities for CNA training with six Orlando schools approved by the state.

There are two basic ways to become a CNA in Orlando. The first option is for those who are 18 or older and who have graduated from high school and earned a diploma. These individuals can take the CNA examination without receiving any training. If they pass within their first three attempts, they can become a state-approved CNA.

However, those who do not meet these requirements or who do not pass the test within the first three attempts will need to attend CNA training. You must be at least 16 years old, test negative for tuberculosis and have updated immunizations to enter training. You will also need a physical assessment proving that you are able to lift at least 40 pounds. Finally, you will need to provide a clean Florida background check.

Training at one of the six Orlando CNA training schools requires at least 120 hours total of which 40 hours must be spent in providing direct patient care during clinicals.

CNA training classes are often held in community colleges in Orlando, but they can also be found in some vocational schools. Classroom training comes first before students move into direct patient care environments, such as nursing homes. With a minimum of 80 hours in the classroom, students will learn medical terminology and basic human anatomy and physiology. They will also become CPR-certified. While medical knowledge is vital, learning how to communicate with patients as well as with other medical personnel is an important part of training.

After completing CNA training, you will be ready to take the examination. This is a two-part examination administered by Prometrics. It will include 60 multiple-choice questions along with a clinical skills section during which testers demonstrate five patient care tasks.

As a CNA in Orlando, you can expect to find a variety of great job opportunities in the many hospitals, nursing homes or other health care centers throughout the city. There are currently 271 full-time CNA job openings in Orlando and another 97 that are part-time. The average salary for a CNA here is $12.15 per hour with an annual salary of $25,270.

CNAs in Orlando can look forward to helping nurses and other health care team members provide direct nursing services to patients of all ages although seniors are the largest patient demographic. CNAs always work under the direct supervision of a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse. Direct patient care includes such daily necessities as helping patients bathe, dress and eat. CNAs also help make beds, answer call lights, communicate between patients and nursing staffs, help patients ambulate and take vital signs.

Because Orlando is such a large city, you will want to feel comfortable getting around it as you settle into your new CNA job. Most people travel by car because the city is vast. The roads are generally well-maintained but they can be busy during peak rush hours. Because Interstate 4 is the busiest highway in the U.S. it is best to avoid it whenever possible. Parking in Orlando is easy with plenty of private lots along with nine public garages, two surface parking lots and plenty of street-side parking spots in downtown.

If you prefer to take public transportation, LYNX provides bus services throughout the city as well as into adjacent counties. LYMMO is a free bus service for downtown Orlando. SunRail offers commuter train service with four stations in Orlando. If you want to ride on your own time, try Uber or Lyft, both of which provide service throughout the metropolitan area.

Orlando also offers over 40 miles of bike trails with plenty of bike lanes and bike racks throughout downtown as well as in the southeastern and southwestern suburbs. While Orlando is not considered highly walkable because of its spread-out neighborhoods, the most walkable areas are in downtown, Winter Park and Thornton Park.

Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology offers three main campuses, one of which serves Orlando. It is known for being a student-centric school with gorgeous facilities full of classrooms and plenty of hands-on labs. CNA graduates from Cambridge have plenty of opportunities for future employment through several top employers in the region, including Sunbelt Apopka, Visiting Angels, St. Mary’s Healthcare and Aspire Health Partners.

Cambridge offers fast-paced CNA training that only takes five weeks to complete. Learning is provided through class lectures from experienced teachers, on-campus labs and off-campus clinical rotations provided in long-term care facilities. You will study health care basics, vital sign measurements, direct patient care and medication administration. Altogether you will graduate with 120 training hours in both the classroom and clinicals and plenty of knowledge to pass the CNA examination. Training starts in January, April, July and October of each year. CNA tuition is $1,100 plus a $50 application fee and an $80 graduation fee. Books and supplies are included in this tuition cost.

Although CNA training is affordable, you may want to find free CNA training to help you achieve your goals with a minimum of expense on your part. There are several ways that you can do this in Orlando. One of the most popular ways is to apply for federal financial aid through FAFSA. This application is free to prepare and may give you a grant or a loan. The Pell Grant is a popular option for free federal grants. You can also apply for a scholarship through your training school. These are often offered for students in financial straits.

Another option is to find a nursing home, hospice or other health care employer that will pay for your training. This training usually takes several weeks, and, in return for an accepted offer of employment, you will be completely reimbursed or will never be charged for the class. This is an excellent way to complete training while assuring yourself of a steady job once you graduate.

One such example is Solaris Healthcare Skilled Nursing and Rehab in Orlando, which offers a three-week preparatory course along with an all-expenses-paid examination for CNAs. Solaris is a five-star rated health care setting that provides classes on Mondays through Fridays from 9 am through 3 pm.