Tuition-free CNA classes enrolling for Fall 2014 semester

INA, Ill. – Though summer just started, it’s already time to start thinking about the fall and where to go with your education. For those interested in the health care field, the tuition-free Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) program is a great place to start.

The CNA program is designed to provide a number of health care needs under the supervision of a Registered Nurse or other nursing professional in a variety of settings. Upon completion of the seven credit hour course, students will be eligible to apply for the state CNA registry examination.

In-district students pay only lab and supply fees for the classes. To enroll in the CNA program, students are required to take a reading placement test and submit to a background check beforehand as mandated by the Illinois Department of Public Health. The CNA program also acts as a prerequisite for RLC’s Nursing degree program.

Each CNA program lasts between eight and 16 weeks, depending on the format of the class, including some with night class options. There is one section of the CNA class on the Ina campus this fall, starting Aug. 19 and lasting through Dec. 23. This section meets from 4 – 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Learning Resource Center, Room 205.

There are also four sections of the class located at the RLC MarketPlace in Mt. Vernon. The start dates are July 29, Aug. 18, Oct. 3, and Oct. 20. Students starting July 29 will go through Oct. 2 from 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at the MarketPlace, Room 210. The following section beginning on Oct. 3 will meet from the same times Tuesdays through Fridays in Room 210 through Dec. 5.

For students starting Aug. 18, classes will run through Oct. 14 from 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays in Room 241. The following section lasts from Oct. 20 through Dec. 22 at the same times and days in Room 241.

Finally, one course will be offered at the Pinckneyville Murphy-Wall campus starting Aug. 4 and going through Dec. 20. The class meets from 5 – 9:15 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays on campus, Room 102.

Kim Robert, RLC Dean of the Allied Health Division, said the program is an excellent way to get a start in an industry with endless possibilities.

“The Certified Nurse Assistant program teaches the basics that students will be required to know when they continue into an Associate Degree or certificate program,” said Robert. “With an aging population, the need for CNAs and nurses will only continue to grow in the next few decades, and at Rend Lake College, we’re preparing our students to fit the needs that our communities are going to see.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the CNA and nursing aides field is expected to grow by 20 percent between 2010 and 2020, adding more than 300,000 new jobs.

To sign up for CNA classes or for more information about Allied Health programming at RLC, call the college’s Allied Health Division at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1251, or send an e-mail to AlliedHealth@rlc.edu.