CNA Classes and CNA Training Programs in Springfield, Massachusetts (MA)

Just north of the Connecticut border and set along the I-91 corridor, the thriving city of Springfield, MA (population 156k) is a great place to live and to work. It is also one of the best states in which to find employment as a CNA because this field is in high demand, and also earns some of the highest wages based on national CNA averages.

Primary Skills Learned in CNA Training Programs

What will a CNA do? When you read the list below that you can see that you will be tasked with mastering a blend of practical and technical skills throughout your training, but you must also have ample patience, compassion, an ability to multi-task, and a good sense of humor too. In your CNA classes, you will master:

• How to clean, bathe, feed, and generally care for patients in many settings;
• Listening to and responding to common patient concerns, and how to communicate this to physicians and nurses;
• Lifting and moving techniques;
• How to take vital signs;
• How to properly toilet and dress patients;
• Safety of the patient;
• Encouragement of independence for the patients;
• Enforcing patients’ rights; and
• Control of infection.

You may also want to study and obtain CPR certification as well.

CNA Classes and Licensing in Springfield

What is taught in these CNA programs? According to the official state guidelines as established by the Department of Public Health programs must first be reviewed and approved before they can enroll students for classes. Students must also meet specific criteria for admission as well. Firstly, they must have graduated high school or have a GED. They must then submit to a physical exam that includes drug screening. Finally, they have to pass a criminal background check.

CNA programs will always require 100 hours of work that is divided into 75 hours of specific CNA classes and another 25 hours of clinical and hands on training. When the student completes this portion of the training they can then schedule their exam.

The state CNA Certification Exam is usually administered at a Red Cross facility, but some programs are allowed to give the exams too. When this is done, the student becomes licensed as a certified nursing assistant and placed on a state registry.

Wage Information

What can they anticipate earning as a CNA in Springfield, MA? The median annual Certified Nursing Assistant salary in Springfield, MA is $33,730, as of August 4, 2020, with a range usually between $28,018-$40,436 (Salary.com).

Best Employers to Contact in Springfield

So, how do you go about getting one of these financially rewarding positions in Springfield? The most common approach is to start with the likeliest employers – hospitals and clinics. Here you can discover how to use your skills and which tasks you enjoy the most. The top names in the Springfield area include award winning facilities like:

• • Baystate Medical Center
  • Kindred Hospital Park View

Shriners Hospital for Children – Springfield

Details about CNA Jobs in Springfield, Massachusetts

Of course, you may want more of a “one on one” experience, or an entirely different sort of working environment. If that is the case, the next approach would be to explore the entire job market. Using an online resource such as the Craigslist pages for this region is a great way to start. You will see what is available and what the rates of pay might be for the various types of work.

You can also contact staffing agencies that can steer you directly towards the types of facilities or settings you would prefer to perform your CNA duties in. Some of the most reliable names include:

• Favorite Healthcare
• O’Connell Care
• Heritage Hall

When you use the information provided above, you can become licensed and ready to work as a CNA in a short amount of time. You can then set out to find work as a certified nursing assistant of almost any kind in the Springfield area.