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Georgia

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CNA Training in Georgia

Georgia often called the Peach State, offers something for everyone. Bordered on its eastern side by the Atlantic Ocean and the north by the Blue Ridge Mountains, it offers a variety of climates and geographies. Although the best-known city is Atlanta, which provides numerous businesses and a thriving nightlife, Georgia also offers classic Southern charm with picturesque small towns and wildflower-lined dirt roads. Georgia is a growing state with a population of over 10 million. Of this number, nearly 1.3 million residents are over the age of 65. This makes this charming Southern state an excellent opportunity for aspiring CNAs.

About Georgia

– Capital: Atlanta
– Minimum Wage: $7.25
– Number of Hospitals: 144
– Number of Nursing Homes: 39,883

Population

– Total Population: 10,097,343
– Population (ages 45-64): 2,577,733
– Population (ages 65+): 1,251,538
– Population (ages 85+): 131,194

Top Colleges & Unversities

– Emory University
– Georgia Institute of Technology
– University of Georgia

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in GA

Choose a Topic of Interest

CNA Training Requirements

Taking the Exam

Reciprocity Applicants

Renewing & Expired Certification

Applications & Forms

Contacts & Additional Resources

Students must train in a Georgia-approved program to be eligible to take the CNA examination in the state. To get into a training program, applicants must have a high school diploma or a GED. They must also complete a background check and have two fingerprint cards and two passport-sized pictures on record. Students must be up-to-date on their immunizations and have had a negative tuberculosis screening in the past six months. Of course, students will need to be able to push, pull and lift up to 50 pounds to work at clinicals.

Training in Georgia consists of two basic parts, which are CNA theory classes and CNA clinicals, performed at area healthcare facilities. Students must complete at least 16 hours of classroom training before beginning any patient contact. They must complete at least 85 hours of training altogether to be eligible to sit for the examination. The first 16 hours of training must cover six major topics, including communication, infection control, safety, residents’ rights, residents’ independence and interpersonal skills. Following this, students will be required to train in the areas of basic nursing skills, care of the cognitively impaired patient, mental health care, patient personal care and more.

All Georgia CNA programs are required to include the previously mentioned classes. Some may also include additional courses for further certification, such as first aid, CPR or blood borne pathogens.

Following successful completion of a CNA program, students will need to apply to the Georgia National Nurse Aide Assessment Program to take the CNA examination, which is administered by Pearson VUE. Students must send in the fee along with the application before they are scheduled for the test. The knowledge and skills tests cost $112 for both the written as well as the oral versions. The tests must be completed within one year of completing the training program to avoid retraining. Also, each test can be taken up to three times to avoid retraining.

The CNA examination is taken by those who have never been certified before as well as by those who have allowed their certifications to lapse. The knowledge portion can be taken in writing in the English language or orally in English or Spanish per the applicant’s wish. The written test consists of 70 multiple-choice questions while the oral test consists of 60 multiple-choice questions plus ten additional questions to test comprehension. Applicants have two hours to complete the knowledge portion.

During the skills portion of the examination, applicants will be asked to perform five randomly chosen skills in front of a nurse aide evaluator. They will have 25 minutes to complete the section and will perform the skills on a volunteer candidate. Applicants will find out whether or not they have passed while at the testing site. Those who pass will have their names submitted to the Alliant Georgia Nurse Aide Registry.

Georgia practices reciprocity with other states. This allows CNAs to transfer their certifications to Georgia. The process is free but requires individuals to fill out a Reciprocity Application and mail it into the Georgia Medical Care Foundation. Applicants must have an active certification and must not be listed on an abuse registry. In addition, applicants must have worked at least eight hours for pay within the past two years to be eligible. Private duty CNAs must have worked under the supervision of a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse and must send in a notarized statement that includes the nurse’s license number. The process takes 14 days to transfer from a state with an online registry but longer for states without this convenience.

Georgia CNA certification lasts for two years. CNAs must renew before this time is up to avoid having to retest. Those who let their certification lapse for more than three years will need to retrain using a Georgia-approved training program. To renew, CNAs must be able to prove that they have worked at least eight hours for pay within the past two years. Private duty CNAs must have worked under the supervision of a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse and must include a notarized statement of duties and the nurse’s license number. CNAs will need to a statement of income, such as a pay stub, as proof. It takes approximately two weeks to receive a new certificate in the mail. Renewal is free.

Links

Georgia Department of Public Health
Georgia Board of Nursing
Georgia State Nurses Aide Registry
License Verification

Contacts

Georgia Medical Care Foundation
Nurse Aide Training Program
P. O. Box 105753
Atlanta, GA 30348
www.mmis.georgia.gov

Employment Information for GA

Average Salary for CNAs in GA

A CNA may not be the highest paid worker in the state but can rest in the fact that they are performing a task that is integral to the wellbeing of thousands of people. CNAs make, on average, $10.72 per hour, which works out to approximately $22,290 per year. This compares well with the average salary in Georgia of $ 25,182 annually.

Job Outlook in GA

There are currently 36,350 CNA jobs in Georgia, giving nurse aides plenty of job security. Also, as the Georgia population continues to age, CNAs here will find that they have even more job opportunities at one of the tens of thousands of healthcare facilities in the state. Within the next 20 years, another 2.5 million Georgia residents will be over the age of 65, and many of these people will require the expert hands-on care provided by compassionate CNAs.

Employment Opportunities

Top Hospitals in GA
Hospital NameAddressCityStateZipPhoneWebsite
Emory University Hospital1364 Clifton Road NEAtlantaGA30322404-712-2000Website
University Hospital1350 Walton WayAugustaGA30901706-722-9011Website
Medical Center Of Central Georgia777 Hemlock StreetMaconGA31201478-633-1000Website
Northside Hospital1000 Johnson Ferry Road NEAtlantaGA30342404-851-8000Website
Emory St. Joseph'S Hospital5665 Peachtree Dunwoody Road NEAtlantaGA30342678-843-7001Website
Kennestone Hospital677 Church StreetMariettaGA30060770-793-5000Website
Northeast Georgia Medical Center743 Spring Street NEGainesvilleGA30501770-219-3553Website
St. Joseph'S-Candler5353 Reynolds StreetSavannahGA31405912-819-6000Website
St. Joseph'S-Candler11705 Mercy BoulevardSavannahGA31419912-819-4100Website
Athens Regional Medical Center1199 Prince AvenueAthensGA30606706-475-7000Website
Emory University Hospital Midtown550 Peachtree Street NEAtlantaGA30308404-686-4411Website
Wellstar Douglas Hospital8954 Hospital DriveDouglasvilleGA30134770-949-1500Website
Anchor Hospital5454 Yorktowne DriveAtlantaGA30349770-991-6044Website
Appling Healthcare System163 East Tollison StreetBaxleyGA31513912-367-9841Website
Atlanta Medical Center303 Parkway Drive NEAtlantaGA30312404-265-4000Website
Atlanta Va Medical Center1670 Clairmont RoadDecaturGA30033404-321-6111Website
Bacon County Hospital And Health System302 South Wayne StreetAlmaGA31510912-632-8961Website
Barrow Regional Medical Center316 North Broad StreetWinderGA30680770-867-3400Website
Bjc Medical Center70 Medical Center DriveCommerceGA30529706-335-1000Website
Bleckley Memorial Hospital145 East Peacock StreetCochranGA31014478-934-6211Not Available

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