CNA Classes and CNA Training Programs in Brownsville, Texas (TX)

In the southernmost point of Texas is the small city of Brownsville, and it is a pleasant location in which to live and work. With a population around 177k, it is a city with plenty to offer, especially if you are interested in studying to become, or working as, a CNA. Whether you intend to do one on one work as a home health aide, or to work in a large hospital as a certified nursing assistant, there are many opportunities for you once you complete your CNA classes in Brownsville.

CNA Classes and Licensing Essentials in Brownsville, Texas

Anyone who wants to seek employment as a CNA in Texas has to go through one of the available CNA programs approved by the Department of Aging and Disability Services, or DADS. These training programs will require a commitment of at least 75 hours of CNA classes. Training is divided into 51 hours spent in traditional classes and another 24 hours of “hands on” or practical training in a clinic, hospital, or nursing home.

Before you can even enroll in classes, however, you will have to pass a basic physical exam, have a criminal background check, and offer evidence of high school graduation or a GED.

After you have completed one of the CNA programs in Brownsville,  you then sit for the State Nurse Aide Exam. When this has been successfully completed you are then put on the state registry and can begin seeking a job as a certified nursing assistant.

CNA Training  in Brownville, TX

Though the DADS website gives a full database of all of the approved programs (divided by regions), the most convenient of the approved programs offering CNA classes in Brownville are listed below:

• South Texas Vo-Tech/Brownsville
• University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost

Skills Acquired in CNA Training

Those who enroll in CNA classes in Brownsville are expected to learn a great deal in such a short period of time. CNA training addresses mandatory skills, but don’t include such “essentials” as patience, a great deal of compassion, and the ability to multi-task. The technical issues you will cover in your training programs include:

• Using medical equipment,
• Infection control,
• Proficiency in the medical language,
• Recognizing abuse,
• Preparing patient meals and feeding when needed,
• Communication between yourself and peers or patients,
• Monitoring patient vitals, fluid intakes and mental state,
• Creating status reports for appropriate agencies and authorities,
• Establishing and promoting independence among the residents,
• Doing transfers and/or patient lifts, and
• Providing personal care such as toileting and changing.

Additionally, all CNAS should consider getting CPR certification through one of the approved CPR programs in Brownsville too.

Earnings Information

Once all of your CNA training is done you will want to begin looking for work, but you must realize that all of the wages for CNAs are not the same. The median annual Certified Nursing Assistant salary in Brownsville, TX is $28,440, as of August 6, 2020, with a range usually between $23,607–$34,095 (Salary.com)

Those who opt to work as a “live in” caregiver will earn around $31k in their first year of employment, and when you choose to provide nursing assistant services you can expect around $37k.

Essential Information about CNA Jobs in Brownsville, Texas

How do you begin finding work of any kind? We recommend that you consider how targeted your search should be. For instance, if you say that you would like to consider entry level work, or just see what sort of openings are available, then the use of the Craigslist pages for the area would be a good choice.

On the other hand, you might say that you definitely want to be a live in or a nursing assistant, and that would mean that a staffing service is a good choice for you. Some reliable providers of such services include:

• Interim Health Care

Biggest Employers

If you are still unsure about the professional direction you would prefer to head, you can always start in a large scale facility in order to get a taste of each facet of CNA work. Such employers would include Valley Baptist Medical Center. Using the resources provided above will help you get all of the CNA training you need to become certified and start looking for a very rewarding career.