Iowa CNA Program Basics
All Iowa residents that are interested in becoming a certified nursing assistant are required to take a state approved training program. Any aspiring CNA may opt to take the training program on his/her own or in a facility. In-facility training courses are paid for by the host nursing facility. As required by federal law, the CNA training course should be at least 75 hours in duration. Hands on or clinical exercises will consume the 30 hours, while the remaining 45 hours will be allotted to classroom studies. Upon the completion of the course, the CNA student must pass a state assessment. In-facility CNA trainees are not required to pay for the testing fee.
Iowa CNA Training Requirements
- CNAs in the state of Iowa do not receive a license.
- Instead, CNAs are given an identification number and are placed on Iowa’s nursing assistant registry.
- A CNA will not be required to renew their certification as long as he or she meets the following qualifications: the nurse aide is employed and compensated during each 24-month period; receives 12 hours of in-service training every year, retains a clean record with no allegations of patient neglect or abuse.
- The nurse aide will be required to retake the competency evaluation if he or she fails to work as a CNA or receive regular in-service training.
- All nursing aides that have been convicted in a court of law due to neglect, abuse or stealing patient’s property will be disqualified from being certified in the state of Iowa.
- These records will be kept on the Nurse Aide Registry banning the aide from working in any facility all over the state.
Iowa CNA Training Benefits
- Iowa offers CNA courses that help a person move forward in his or her nursing career through his newly gained education.
- The knowledge and credits acquired from the training course will be a great help to those who wish to become a medication aide, hospital nurse aide or rehabilitation aide.
- The state of Iowa will be instating that a CNA course be considered a prerequisite for taking nursing courses.
Iowa CNA Certification Transfer
- CNAs from other states in the US, along with nurses may file an application to take the state certification assessment without undergoing further training.
- Depending on where the assessment is administered, testing fee ranges from $15-$45.
- In most cases, CNAs that are employed in a facility that offers training will not be responsible for the testing fees.
