1. CNA Training in Alaska
This article posted at the CNA Certification and Training blog.
In Alaska there will be an increasing demand for
CNAs, because the state’s population is getting older, and there are only a few people today
who are qualified to employed as a CNA in the state. Additional, is one of the best places to be
employed as a nursing assistant in the US as employers pay the best salary for them and
comprise a vital segment of the healthcare.
Those who seeking a career in nursing as nurse aide in Alaska should be complete a CNA
training program that meets the academic standards set forth by Alaska Board of Nursing, and
then pass the CNA exam which leads to certification and licensing.
Currently, there are approximately 25 different CNA training programs available throughout
state offered by community and state colleges, universities, technical and vocational schools,
career training centers, public schools, online schools, as well as in many hospitals and medical
centers such as Wrangell General Hospital, Petersburg General Hospital, Providence Valdez
Medical Center, Providence Extended Care, Heritage Place and South Peninsula Hospital. Also
available are training programs made available through the American Red Cross, designed to
prepare students to receive their certification as a nursing assistant.
CNA Job Description
As a nurses assistants, their duties and responsibilities vary depending on their employer's
needs, but common tasks they perform include the daily care of patients, feeding, keeping the
patient’s environment clean, changing bed linens, bathing and grooming, taking vital signs,
escorting and transporting patients, emergency procedures, as well as infection control,
administering medication, proper operating and maintaining of medical equipment, etc
CNA Training Programs and Requirements in Alaska
In order to be eligible for enrollment in one of CNA programs in Alaska, applicant must be at
least 18 years old; is needed to be physically fit, required a high school diploma or GED
certificate, clean criminal record, a negative TB test report of last 6 months and immunization's
proof. Depending on the type of program, the fee that has to be submitted before enrollment
can range from $1000 to $2000 and the length of training about 8-13 weeks.
The Alaska Board of Nursing requires that approved CNA programs offer a minimum of 140
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2. hours of instruction, which includes 60 hours of classroom instruction and 80 hours of clinical
practice which is done in a hospital setting or in nursing homes under the supervision of RN or
LPN. However, you will find that some programs will offer even more hours of training.
During of classroom instruction students can expect CNA courses covering such topics as:
Anatomy and physiology
Basic nutrition
General healthcare
Emergency procedures
Human bodily functions
Legal and ethical aspects in nursing
Mental health disorders
Medical terminology
Patient rights
Preventive health care measures
In the clinical instruction students can to develop interpersonal communication skills as well as
time management skills and perform the following tasks skillfully:
Feeding and grooming of patients
Infection control
Maintaining healthy environment
Measuring height and weight
Patient care and basic hygiene
Proper record keeping
Recording of vital signs
Safe transfer and repositioning of patients
Taking care of basic nutrition
CNA Certification Requirements in Alaska
Within 24 months from completion of an approved CNA program, all applicants must pass the
CNA exam administered by Pearson VUE. These exam are based on the knowledge and skills
taught during an approved CNA training program.
Exam fee is $50 and all examinees will need to submit a fingerprint card ($59) and a recent
passport photograph.
CNA exam consist of a written test with multiple-choice questions on physical care,
psychosocial care and job responsibilities of nursing assistants, as well as a clinical exam which
tests practical nursing skills, such as moving patients, maintenance of hygiene, providing
medication to patients as instructed by the registered nurse, taking vital signs and subjective
measurements, etc. During the clinical examination, the examinee should perform 5 randomly
selected nursing assistant skills out of a set of 25 competency skills, under the supervision of
senior nurses.
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3. Upon successful completion of exam and the background check, candidate's name is placed as
eligible on the Alaska Nurse Aide Registry that maintains records of all those who work as CNA
in state. Recertification is necessary every two years and applicants required to have 12 hours
of continuing education and 160 work-hours as a nursing assistant.
CNA Job Outlooks in Alaska
Students earning their certification in the state of Alaska can kick start their career as certified
nursing assistants at various health care and allied health care settings like convalescent
homes, long-term care centers, nursing homes, hospitals, elderly care centers, home health
agencies , etc.
Presently, CNAs in the state of Alaska are earning an average salary of $34,000 annually.
Therefore, places the median wage of a CNA in Alaska in the top 10 percent of CNAs salaries
across the US. Some employers require at least one year of experience before hiring a CNA.
Alaska CNA Helpful Links
Nursing - American Red Cross
American Nurses Association
National Association of School Nurses (NASN)
National Network of Career Nursing Assistants
National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
National Association of Health Care Assistants (NAHCA)
Nurse Aide Employment Outlook 2010-2011
Alaska Institute of Technology
Alaska State Board of Nursing
Alaska Nurse Aide Registry
Alaska Nurses Association
Alaska School Nurses Association (ASNA)
Alaska Student Nurses Association
Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
CNA Training in Alaska
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