Certified Nursing Assistant
CHART YOUR COURSE
BECOME A Certified nursing assistant (CNA)
Our three-week* Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program will lay the foundation for your future career in healthcare. Typical responsibilities include bathing, grooming, transferring or rooming patients, and advocating for their concerns to their healthcare providers. As a CNA, you’ll be a critical member of patients’ healthcare teams, advocating and caring for them through your work.
Please note: the schedule for the upcoming CNA cohorts is currently in development. To be the first to get updates about Mercy College’s CNA program, please contact Tim Pearson at Timothy.Pearson@MercyOneIowa.org, or by clicking the register button below.
Hour Basic CNA
Median Wage1
Projected Job Growth Rate1
(2022 – 2032)
Weeks of Lecture, Lab, & Clinical Experiences2
OUR BODY OF WORK
ABOUT OUR CNA PROGRAM
Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) work alongside medical professionals to ensure that patients are cared for throughout their health journey. Through this course, you will learn the skills necessary to care for patients and their families under the direction of a licensed healthcare professional. The first two weeks of Mercy College’s CNA program include classroom instruction and lab practice, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. During the third week of the course, you will work in your clinical experience with our local healthcare partners.
Faculty in the CNA program are highly motivated and skilled healthcare practitioners comfortable with the latest technology and evidence-based practices in their specialty areas of healthcare. They average more than 23 years of clinical experience! In addition, our full-time liberal arts and science faculty members are PhD-prepared and adept at integrating their subject matters into a comprehensive health science curriculum. As a student, you will receive an exceptional level of personalized instruction from experienced educators dedicated to your success.
The Certified Nursing Assistant tuition includes the cost for the CNA course and required textbook. The total tuition cost is $875. For additional cost information, please view the course details on the Mercy College Training Center’s website.
The clinical and lab experiences have given me a great introduction to what it’s actually like to be a nurse. Student activities and clubs like Student Senate have rounded out my college experience. Mercy College has shown me all the ways students like me can make a positive impact in the future of our College and our community.
Madison M., BSN Candidate, 2022
The Certified Nursing Assistant program is offered through the Mercy College Training Center. To get started, simply enroll in the class through the Training Center’s registration page.
The following is an example of the current schedule for the Certified Nursing Assistant Program.
Week 1 & 2
Monday – Friday
9 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Classroom & Lab Skills
Week 3
Monday – Thursday
6 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. – Clinical Experience
The Certified Nursing Assistant program offers start dates throughout the year to match your needs. View the Mercy College Training Center’s full schedule for more information.
QUESTIONS?
MERCY COLLEGE
TRAINING CENTER
921 6th Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50309
Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Telephone: (515) 643-6671
Fax: (515) 643-6664
1Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Nursing Assistants
2An optional fourth week of the program is available by appointment for remediation or skills practice if necessary.
