Certified Nursing Assistant bears the responsibility of carrying basic needs and every day care of patients in hospitals, nursing homes, health clinics and long-term care units. CNA is very important member of medical team, who is entrusted to look after the patients in the hospitals and long term care units. CNA works under the direct supervision of registered nurse.

The basic duty of certified nursing assistant is to provide nursing cares, such as bathing, dressing, feeding patients or serving meals, administrating medications, glucose, injection, water, assisting patient movements, helping patients with stretcher or wheel chair, exercising and walking patients. As registered nurse could not spare enough time due to the added responsibilities, CNA works as a mouth and ear piece, by staying in constant touch and reporting about condition of patients to the registered nurse.

Every state has formulated nursing aide training programs for certification but it is mandatory that their training follows minimum requirements, as prescribed by the federal authority.

Nurse Aide Training Programs in Massachusetts consist of 75 hours classroom and clinical training. The nursing aide student is eligible to appear for the competency evaluation tests, only after completing stipulated training period of 75 hours. After passing the competency test or CNA examination, nursing aide is certified and can work in Hospital Care, Home Care, Long-term Care, Occupational Health, Public Health and other health care units as certified nursing aide.

For students, who have a zeal to work with patients but unable to undertake CNA programs, due to financial constraints, can avail the opportunity of financial scholarship, programs and resources to meet their CNA training costs. Even long term care units sponsor such needy students with their fees; text books etc., provided they assure to work in the organization after the completion of free CNA trainings.

The average annual salary for a full-time certified nurse aide job in Massachusetts is estimated to be approximately around $29,000.

Nursing Aide programs in Massachusetts:

Community Action Inc. – Haverhill
145 Essex Street, Haverhill, MA 01832

Health Care Training Services (HCTS) C.N.A. Class – Fall River
657 Quarry Street, Fall River, Massachusetts 02723

Bunker Hill Community College – Boston
250 New Rutherford Ave, Boston, MA 02129

Cape Cod Community College Nurse Aide Course – West Barnstable
2240 Iyannough Road, West Barnstable, Massachusetts 02668

Springfield Technical Community College
One Armory Square, Suite 1, Springfield, MA 01102

North-Shore Community College Nursing Assistant Course – Danvers
1 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, Massachusetts 01923

Bristol Community College – Fall River
777 Elsbree Street, Fall River, MA 02720

Bristol Community College Nurse Aide Program – New Bedford
188 Union Street, New Bedford, Massachusetts 02740

Bristol Community College – Attleboro
135 County Street, Attleboro, MA 02703

American Red Cross Nurse Aide Training – Cambridge Headquarters, Central
139 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142

American Red Cross Nurse Assistant Program – North, Peabody
85 Lowell Street, Peabody, MA 01960

American Red Cross CNA Program – North, Melrose
786 Main Street, Melrose, Massachusetts 02176

American Red Cross – South, Quincy
1495 Hancock Street, Quincy, MA 02169

American Red Cross Nursing Assistant Program – MetroWest, Waltham
863-867 Main Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451

American Red Cross CNA Training Course – South Coast, New Bedford
995 Rockdale Avenue, New Bedford, MA 02740

American Red Cross Nurse Aide Training Course – South Coast, Fall River
315 Pleasant Street, Fall River, Massachusetts 02721

American Red Cross CNA Course – Southeast, Brockton
281 Pleasant Street, Brockton, MA 02301