INA, Ill. (March 6, 2015) - Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) who have not worked for two or more years have the opportunity to become recertified at Rend Lake College, thanks to funding from the South Central Illinois Area Health Education Center (SCI-AHEC).
SCI-AHEC Director Kelli Stover said this is the second year the center has offered these $90 recertification scholarships for students in RLC’s district due to an increased need.
“The challenge is that the CNA certificate is a tuition-free program at RLC, but the recertification costs nearly $300. That $300 can be a potential student’s deciding factor in choosing the lengthier program over the costlier but shorter program,†said Stover. “We end up having students who sign up for the free CNA classes and spend weeks in the program instead of taking the eight-hour skills course. SCI-AHEC wants to help get these CNAs back in the workforce as soon as possible, and providing funding is one way we can do that.â€
A handful of students received the scholarships last year to complete the skills course, which is comprised of a trip to a local clinical site to perform the 21 basic skills required by the Nurse Assistant Competency Examination. Successful completion of these skills provides access to the written test. Before enrollment, students will have to undergo a background and fingerprint check.
To find out if you are eligible, call the Illinois Nurse Aide Registry at 217-785-5133. Students interested in the scholarships or who want to schedule a recertification should contact Stephanie Smith in the RLC Community and Corporate Education Department at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1714.