Nursing students discuss medical practices on a dummy

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.

Two healthcare workers on the job.

Career Opportunities

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

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Suggested Degree Plan 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.

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.