Nursing students discuss medical practices on a dummy

Nursing Assistant

Nursing Assistant Programs

Choose which program works best for your path!

Nursing Assistant | Advanced Nursing Assistant

Nursing Assistant

This curriculum includes classroom, lab, and clinical experience in a long-term care facility or hospital setting. Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are prepared to provide one-on-one assistance with “activities of daily living” (ADLs), defined as dressing, bathing, walking, feeding, making beds, taking and recording vital signs, and other essential basic services. This care may be provided to hospital patients, care facility residents, or those requiring home healthcare. Day and evening classes are available in Quincy, Pittsfield, and Mount Sterling.

Career Opportunities

  • CNA
  • Home Health Aide
  • Healthcare Assistant
  • Patient Care Assistant
  • Nurse

Steps to register as a Certified Nurse Assistant or a Advanced Nurse Assistant

  1. Be enrolled to JWCC as an active student
    • Call to make an appointment with Allied Health Sciences & Emergency Services at 217.641.4551.
    • Enrollment Services/Admissions and Allied Health Sciences will help with the following steps:
      • Requesting H.S. transcripts or GED scores.
      • Attending a JWCC placement testing session.
  2. You will be notified and registered for class when we have received:
    • Passing Accuplacer Score of 240 or above.
    • Passed Background check from the Illinois Department of Public Health to JWCC with results of your Livescan Fingerprint check.
    • Passed Drug Screen
  3. When you are registered you may begin to prepare for class by completing the following:
    • Physical Exam using the JWCC Physical Form (must be dated within 6 months of starting class)
    • Two negative TB skin tests (also known as 2 step Mantoux) using the blue JWCC TB form

CNA Information Sheet Disqualifications from IDPH

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Suggested Pathway for Nursing Assistant
Do not use this degree plan as a substitute for an advisor. Always meet with an advisor to discuss your specific needs for completing the program before signing up for classes each semester.
NUA 101 Basic Nurse Assistant Details 6
This course provides theoretical and clinical foundation for skills needed to practice as a nursing assistant with introduction to nutrition, anatomy and physiology, and disease processes. Skills are included to prepare students to acquire and maintain employment. Course is required for the basic nursing assistant certificate. 5.5 lecture hours, 1 lab hour.
Prerequisites: Admission to the CNA program; concurrent enrollment in NUA 103
NUA 103 Nursing Assistant Practicum Details 1
Introduces the student to the clinical setting with supervised practice of basic patient care. The focus is on application of principles of patient care skills and developing competencies in the long-term care setting. Course is required for the CNA certificate. 0 lecture hours, 3 clinical hours.
Prerequisites: Admission to the CNA program; concurrent enrollment in NUA 101
NOTE: Only students who do not need additional coursework and who take the number of credits or courses as listed each semester can complete the program in the time given. Others will take longer to complete. Course descriptions may contain IAI (Illinois Articulation Initiative) codes containing information for students transferring their credits to another Illinois higher learning institution. See itransfer.org or the JWCC course catalog for more information on IAI.

Advanced Nursing Assistant

The Advanced Nursing Assistant program has been developed in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Public Health to expand on the skill level and professional opportunities of the Certified Nursing Assistant. Additional skills in oxygenation, wound care and sterile technique are taught, along with an expansion of professional skills and behaviors such as communication and conflict resolution. An expanded clinical practicum will also introduce the advanced nurse assistant to a wider variety of employment options available.

Upon successful completion of the JWCC Advanced Nursing Assistant program, a certificate of completion is awarded and the student is eligible to take the State of Illinois ANATP certification exam. Once a student successfully completes the required written competency examination, employment opportunities for certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are excellent.

Nursing students smiling together

Logo for the Path Grant - Pipeline for the Advancement of the Healthcare Workforce

The PATH program, funded through an Illinois Community College Board grant, aims to serve, create, support and expand the opportunities for individuals in nursing and select health care pathways to obtain certificates and degrees, allowing them to enter and/or advance their careers in the health care industry.

The PATH grant provides free short-term and long-term education/training programs designed to help participants gain employment in high-wage and in-demand occupations within the health care field. Students receive supports, including compensation to help cover basic costs while receiving the training.

More information on the PATH Program

Suggested Pathway for Advanced Nursing Assistant
Do not use this degree plan as a substitute for an advisor. Always meet with an advisor to discuss your specific needs for completing the program before signing up for classes each semester.
FYE 101 Blazing Your Trail Details 1
Directed to new students, this course provides a supportive transition to the culture of higher education. Course objectives aim at preparing students for the college experience by acquiring effective learning techniques and by becoming aware of available college resources for academic and personal growth. This course also develops students' abilities, which will assist them with the complexities of college life.
Prerequisites: (none)
NUA 101 Basic Nurse Assistant Details 6
This course provides theoretical and clinical foundation for skills needed to practice as a nursing assistant with introduction to nutrition, anatomy and physiology, and disease processes. Skills are included to prepare students to acquire and maintain employment. Course is required for the basic nursing assistant certificate. 5.5 lecture hours, 1 lab hour.
Prerequisites: Admission to the CNA program; concurrent enrollment in NUA 103
NUA 103 Nursing Assistant Practicum Details 1
Introduces the student to the clinical setting with supervised practice of basic patient care. The focus is on application of principles of patient care skills and developing competencies in the long-term care setting. Course is required for the CNA certificate. 0 lecture hours, 3 clinical hours.
Prerequisites: Admission to the CNA program; concurrent enrollment in NUA 101
NUA 121 Advanced Nurse Assistant Details 7
Advanced Nurse Assisting is intended for the Certified Nursing Assistant wanting to expand their professional role and practice. Based on the Advanced Nurse Assistant Training Program developed by the Illinois Department of Public Health, the ANA student will expand knowledge on anatomy, physiology and disease process, as well as skills in customer service, conflict resolution, and learning styles, and patient care skills including point of care glucometers and orthostatic vital signs. 6 lecture hours, 3 clinical hours.
Prerequisites: Successful completion of NUA 101/103 or current CNA certification
OFT 281 Medical Terminology Details 3
Teaches medical language of prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms. Students will learn to pronounce and spell medical terms and also learn how to combine prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms to describe a medical term. Course utilizes a body system approach focusing upon specific body systems and providing a brief overview of anatomy and physiology, pathology, word roots, related terms, and special procedures with emphasis on building a working medical vocabulary based on body systems.
Prerequisites: (none)
NOTE: Only students who do not need additional coursework and who take the number of credits or courses as listed each semester can complete the program in the time given. Others will take longer to complete. Course descriptions may contain IAI (Illinois Articulation Initiative) codes containing information for students transferring their credits to another Illinois higher learning institution. See itransfer.org or the JWCC course catalog for more information on IAI.

Gainful Employment: For more information about graduation rates, cost, the median debt of students who complete the program, and other information, please view our Gainful Employment information for the particular certificate of study.