Illinois CNA Program Basics
Compared to other states in the US, Illinois employs a fairly simple certification process for nursing aides. All Illinois citizens who wish to become a certified nursing assistant must take a state approved CNA training program and participate in the state assessment exam upon the completion of the course. The training program may tackle topics on Nursing 101, Basic Nursing or Fundamentals of Nursing. The applicant must have a clean criminal background in order to be qualified for the CNA certification. In case there have been findings of neglect, abuse or misappropriation of property, the applicant should request for a waiver so he or she can continue with the CNA application. The required educational attainment is at least eight grade levels or the equivalent knowledge. According to the Illinois’ Department of Health, aspiring CNAs must be at least 16 years of age with a good moral character, honest, reliable and trustworthy.
Illinois CNA Requirements for Nursing Students
- Nursing students and active nurses (both LPN and RN) may work as a nursing assistant without applying to the Health Care Worker Registry of Illinois.
- This registry is being maintained and updated by the state’s Department of Health.
- All students who wish to work as a nurse aide while continuing their nursing education must present a letter stating that they have completed a state approved CNA course with at least 40 hours of clinical training.
- A written assessment exam must also be taken and passed.
Illinois CNA Examination
- All aspiring certified nursing assistants in the state of Illinois must pass a written examination.
- Unlike in other states, clinical assessment test is not required.
- The written exam is provided throughout the state by the Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIU-C).
- Test results are forwarded to the state’s Nurse Aide Registry by this University. Written certifications are not issued in the state of Illinois.
- Instead, the CNA name is listed on the Healthcare Worker Registry and will remain active CNAs as long as they maintain a paid nursing job regardless of the number of years they have been certified.
Illinois CNA Certification Transfer
- An out of state CNA must have an active license with no history of abuse, neglect or property misappropriation in their previous nursing jobs.
- The certification must be in good standing in order for a license transfer request to be granted.
- A nurse aid may gain his or her Illinois CNA certification without any further training provided that the certification is valid and the CNA had been employed even in a short period of time within the past 2 years.
