Nurse Aide Training Programs in Idaho

The College of Southern Idaho is one of the leaders in providing cost-effective, high-quality education in the state of Idaho. To address the shortage of qualified health care workers throughout the state, the College of Southern Idaho is offering a large variety of health sciences and human services certification programs. A nurse aide certification program is currently available to students interested in learning basic nursing skills. The CNA class is being offered each semester and it consists of one hundred and twenty hours (120) of study.

A combination of eighty (80) hours of classroom lecture and forty (40) hours of clinical instruction prepare students for taking the CNA competency evaluation. The entire program cost is approximately $400, and the class can be completed in just eight weeks. The CNA class offered by the College of Southern Idaho is state-approved and accredited by the US Department of Education. What is the typical yearly salary for a certified nursing assistant in Idaho? CNA salaries in this state may vary slightly depending on the employer's location and type of facility but the median nurse aide income in Boise, Idaho is $21,500 per year.

College of Southern Idaho Nurse Aide Course - Twin Falls
315 Falls Ave., Twin Falls, Idaho 83303

Lewis-Clark State College - Workforce Training - North Lewiston Training Center
1920 3rd Ave. North, Lewiston, ID 83501

North Idaho College Nursing Assistant Course - Coeur d'Alene
1000 West Garden Ave., Coeur d'Alene, Idaho 83814

Boise State University - Technical Services Building
1464 University Drive, Boise, ID 83725

Boise State University CNA Program - Nampa
2407 Caldwell Blvd., Nampa, Idaho 83651

Idaho State University - Pocatello
921 South 8th Ave., Pocatello, ID 83209

Clearwater Health and Rehabilitation Center Nurse Aide Course - Orofino
1204 Shriver Rd., Orofino, Idaho 83544

Region 2 Academy Health Professions Program - Lewiston
P.O. Box 1414, Lewiston, ID 83501

Nursing assistant programs prepare individuals for challenging the nurse aide certification exam and for entry level positions in health care environments. Each state has the authority to decide how many hours of training a nursing assistant course must consist of, as long as the minimum federal requirement of seventy-five hours is met. Students interested in attending CNA classes have a wide array of choices when it comes to selecting a training facility.

Nursing assistant courses are conducted at nursing homes, vocational schools, private schools, and community colleges. Program length, admission requirements, and cost of training vary depending on the policies of every training facility. Several states have implemented legislation which requires licensed long-term care facilities to reimburse CNA employees for the costs associated with training. An individual who has paid for nursing assistant training classes and who becomes employed by a nursing home within a year of obtaining certification, is eligible for financial reimbursement. Compared to other training programs in the health care field, nursing assistant classes are relatively short and inexpensive. Obtaining state certification as a CNA is the main requirement for securing a nurse aide job at a nursing home, hospital, rehabilitation or skilled nursing facility.

CNA Training Schools and Programs

CNA classes, schools and programs by state.

Questions, Comments, Suggestions

Jennifer on September 08, 2009 at 06:11 AM
I was a CNA for 14 years. I was certified in Montana and Oregon. I let my license expire. I am now in Idaho. Do I need to retake the entire course in order to become re-certified?

Admin on September 09, 2009 at 09:23 PM
If your out-of-state nurse aide certification was active you might have been able to transfer it to Idaho. An expired or lapsed certification does not qualify for transfer. As far as I know you have to complete a nursing assistant training program and pass the competency examination in Idaho in order to become certified. It is best to contact the Idaho nurse aide registry at (800) 748-2480 or (208) 334-6620 to make sure that this information is correct. Good luck!

Is it possible to enroll in a CNA class without a high school diploma or GED?

How long do CNA classes take and what exactly do you have to do?

After becoming a CNA how much more experience, training or school has to be done to become a registered nurse?

I am in the military and I do not have too much time to actually attend a regular CNA program. Who offers online CNA classes?

How do I sign up for CNA training? I am having trouble finding the shortest training program in my area. Can you help me?

CNA Resources

C.N.A Training Requirements

There is a wide disparity between CNA training requirements among the states. The difference lies in the mandatory number of total training hours necessary to complete state-approved CNA classes.


While according to federal law each nursing assistant course should contain a minimum of seventy-five (75) instruction and clinical hours, individual states have the liberty to mandate extra training requirements for certified nursing assistants. The majority of states exceed the threshold federal minimum requirements for nurse aide training programs because they are considered insufficient to result in an optimal and safe level of care for clients.


A review of nationwide state requirements for nurse assistant courses has found that the following states have mandated highest number of CNA program hours: Maine with a minimum of 90 hours of theory, 20 hours of laboratory skills and 70 hours of clinical instruction for a total of 180 hours; California with one hundred and sixty (160) training hours; Delaware and Oregon each requiring one hundred and fifty (150) hours; followed by the state of Alaska with one hundred and forty (140) hours; Virginia, Arizona, and West Virginia have a minimum of one hundred and twenty (120) training hours for state-approved classes.

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