The Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) is an important member of the health-care team who assists the nurses with the care of patients in skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, clinics, and hospitals. Experience is gained during this program at a long-term care facility.

Nurse Assistant at SRJC

The NA Certificate includes 226 hours of lecture, skills lab, and clinical practice. The program is offered Spring, Summer, and Fall for 10 weeks, 3 - 4 days a week. Clinical hours are held in a long-term care facility in Sonoma County. The course is limited to 30 students each semester. Upon successful completion of the course with a “C” grade (70%) or better, the student will receive an Acknowledgement of Completion from Santa Rosa Junior College and be eligible to take the State Certification exam.

The Santa Rosa Junior College Certified Nursing Assistant Program is accredited by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Licensing and Certification Program, which oversees compliance of State and Federal regulations for the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare services (CMS). The L&C program works in conjunction with the Healthcare Workforce Branch (HWB) and Healthcare Professional Certification and Training Section (HPCTS), which is primarily responsible for the certification of nurse assistants by ensuring applicants adhere to the the California Health and Safety Code.

Approval letter from the California Department of Public Health

The CNA Program carries 6 academic units. A 6 unit course mandates at least 12 hours per week of study time. 

If a student needs 12 units to qualify for financial aid, online or self-paced classes may be needed, as the CNA course hours prevent any regularly scheduled courses from being taken at the same time.