There is an ever-increasing demand in Texas for entry-level health care professionals, and certified nursing assistants, otherwise referred to as certified nurse aides, are in very high demand today more than ever before. A CNA basically works in a long-term health care facility like a home health care setting, a nursing home, or even in hospitals and clinic settings. One thing though is that despite the high demand and shortage of health care service providers, a full time CNA in Texas takes home an average salary of $21,000 per year, inclusive of benefits. This is way below the national average of CNAs, earnings, but it is a true reflection of the low cost of living in Texas. Because the demand for CNAs is very high in Texas, it is a great place if you are looking to start a lucrative and rewarding career in the health care industry, especially as a certified nursing assistant.
If you are planning to undertake a training program as a CNA in Texas, you can rest assured there are plenty of institutions across the state that train competent and fully recognized certified nursing assistants. NATCEP (Nursing Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Programs) is an abbreviation you will master to recognize if you plan to undertake your course in Texas. All the programs for CNA in Texas are created and formulated by the Department of Aging and Disability Services in Texas, hence you can be guaranteed of high quality education that will give you the skills and competence you will need to become a fully practicing certified nursing assistant. Basically, all CNA programs in Texas should complete a minimum of 75 training hours.
Part of these hours is spent in classroom studies, and the other half is spent on clinical training and laboratory instructions. You can undertake your course on a part-time or full-time basis, whatever works for you. While you can be able to complete your training program in a matter of weeks, the exact duration of the course and its cost will vary significantly from one training facility to another. You will find some employers will pay school fees to undertake a CNA training program but in return you will be expected to work for the employer for a set period of time. In order to receive your certification, you must sit and pass the set certification examination.
CNA Licensing in Texas
As mentioned, upon successful completion of the state-approved training program for CNAs, you will be eligible to sit for the competency examination set by the state, which upon passing successfully you will be listed in the official state registry of licensed Certified Nursing Assistant Practitioners. If you have received an equivalent certification from a different state, you can petition DADs so that you can be listed on the CNA Texas certification registry, a process otherwise referred to as reciprocity.