CNA Classes and CNA Training Programs in Charleston, South Carolina (SC)

Historic, scenic, and extremely popular with students, travelers, and even retirees, the small city of Charleston, SC is an ideal place to live and work. A small city of 116k residents it offers a remarkably pleasant environment that is totally unique from the other cities nearby, and yet it also has a thriving job market too. This is especially true for those who want to complete their CNA classes in Charleston.

Education and Licensing in Charleston, SC

Anyone hoping to work in this rewarding field must obtain their training and licensing before they go job hunting. This means that having successfully completed a training program approved by the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Prior to enrollment, the student is obliged to meet a specific set of state criteria. These include proving that you are over the age of 18, demonstrating proof of a high school diploma or GED, undergoing the mandatory health exam that includes drug screening and a full TB test, and also submitting to a full criminal background check. Once these things are done, the student is enrolled and can begin the course work.

All of the approved courses use a minimum of 80 hours of classroom study and then another 70 hours of clinical work. When all of this is completed, the student will need to schedule their state exam at a nearby Pearson Vue location (which has contracted with the state for all testing). Once this testing is passed, the student is listed on the state CNA registry, and can start to seek a job.

CNA Programs in Charleston, SC

Where are the approved programs in the state? There are hundreds available, but the following are convenient to anyone looking for CNA classes in Charleston:

• Trident One Stop Career Center CNA Program – North Charleston
• Trident Technical College Continuing Education – Charleston

Skills Learned during CNA Training

What skills will the student develop during their CNA training? While doing your training you will be required to learn many different things, and some will be practical while others are purely technical. Training might include housekeeping since CNAs can also work as live in caregivers. The state guidelines may also allow CNA students to learn about dispensing medications and working directly under the supervision of a head nurse or a doctor.

A general list of the things you will study includes:

• How to provide services to the supervising nurses and physicians at a medical facility,
• How to properly care for the patients, including everything from feeding and bathing, to moving them from bed to a chair, etc.,
• How to properly and safely toilet, change, and lift patients,
• The basics of human anatomy and physiology , and
• Using and implementing patient safety techniques.

Wage Information

CNAs working in Charleston can expect to earn around 14% less than the national average.The median annual Certified Nursing Assistant salary in Charleston, SC is $30,650, as of August 4, 2020, with a range usually between $25,454-$36,744 (Salary.com)

Information about CNA Jobs in Charleston, South Carolina

So, where can you look if you are ready to start working as a CNA? We suggest three effective ways for seeking employment. These include very general job searches as well as extremely targeted ones. First, we recommend that you just get a good idea of the job market by visiting Indeed.com. This is going to show the current jobs available and also the wages paid.

The second method suggested is to seek the precise types of work that you want by contacting some of the nursing staffing agencies in the city. This lets you determine if the jobs you hope to do are available, and then puts you in touch with employers.

Key Employers

The final way to seek work is to explore the locations where you will advance your skills and knowledge. This would be the different hospitals, clinics, and medical centers that include:

• Medical University of South Carolina Children’s Hospital
• Medical University of South Carolina
• Bon Secours-St. Francis Hospital

Use the many tools and steps outlined above, and you can start working as a CNA in no time!