After the completion of the Practicum of Health Science II-CNA class during the fall semester, nineteen seniors earned their Certified Nurse Aide licenses and are now recognized as fully-trained nurses’ aides.  During the class the students completed 51 classroom hours and 24 hours of hands-on training in a long-term care facility.

In order to receive their licenses, students had to successfully complete a skills test and a written exam. The skills test consisted of five randomly chosen skills from a set that consisted of vital signs, assisting with ambulation, occupied bed making, patient bathing and other skills. Seniors Cali Erwin and Madison Matz both achieved perfect scores on their certification tests.

“You have to get your CNA license before you can be a nurse,” Erwin said. “It teaches you that you are never too good to do the hard work involved with being a CNA.”

The Practicum of Health Science II-CNA class is a one-semester class that follows a curriculum provided by the Texas Department of Aging and Disability.

“If you take CNA, be prepared to work and you can’t have a closed mind set,” Matz said. “You have to have a heart for people.”

The nineteen seniors who became certified include Lauren Blackburn, Averi Bulla, Erwin, Brianna Glass, Ileana Gonzales, Taylor Gresham, Cole Gwyn, Darian Irons, Ashley Knotts, Stephanie Maddox, Matz, Kacie McKee, Lauren Miller, Alyzza Potestas, Sydney Robinson, Ripley Root, Abby Velasquez, Tanner Worsham and Marisa Ybarra.