Nurse Aide Training Programs in Kentucky

Nurse aide trainees who graduate from a nursing assistant training program in Kentucky and wish to work in licensed long-term care facilities throughout the state must pass the national CNA examination. Passing this exam results in state certification and placement on the Kentucky nurse aide registry. The Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) is the entity in charge of creating the standard template for the nurse aide competency evaluation. All the questions included in the test are created according to the state-approved SRNA curriculum, under the guidance of the Nurse Aide Training Advisory Committee.

To successfully pass the SRNA examination in Kentucky and become a state registered nurse aide, the candidate must obtain a minimum score of 52 or higher (which accounts for 70% accuracy) on the seventy-five multiple choice written exam, and correctly complete all five skills selected for the hands-on examination. A recent graduate from a registered nurse aide program in Kentucky earns approximately $21,000 per year. Those who have been working as nurse aides for extended periods of time usually earn approximately $24,000 per year. If you are considering moving to Kentucky and finding a job as a CNA, remember that the cost of living in this state is considerably lower than in other states and therefore wages are adjusted accordingly.

CNA Training Programs in Barren County

Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College - Glasgow
129 State Avenue, Glasgow, KY 42141
Phones: 270-651-5673 and 270-901-1200

Bell County

Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College - Pineville
3300 South Highway 25E, Pineville, KY 40977
Phones: 606-589-2145 and 606-248-2159

Boyd County

Ashland Community and Technical College
1400 College Drive, Ashland, KY 41101
Phones: 800-928-4256 ext. 62130 and 606-326-2130

Fayette County

Bluegrass Community and Technical College - Lexington
164 Opportunity Way, Lexington, KY 40511
Phones: 859-246-6470 and 859-246-6642

Hardin County

Elizabethtown Community and Technology College
600 College Street Road, Elizabethtown, KY 42701
Phones: 270-769-2371 and 270-706-8464

Harlan County

Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College - Cumberland
700 College Road, Cumberland, KY 40823
Phones: 606-589-2145 and 606-248-2159

Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College - Harlan
164 Ball Park Road, Harlan, KY 40831
Phones: 606-573-4106 and 606-248-2159

Henderson County

Henderson Community College
2660 South Green Street, Henderson, KY 42420
Phone: 270-827-1867

Hopkins County

Madisonville Community College Health Campus
750 North Laffoon Street, Madisonville, KY 42431
Phone: 270-821-2250

Letcher County

Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College - Whitesburg
2 Long Avenue, Whitesburg, KY 41858
Phones: 606-589-2145 and 606-248-2159

McCracken County

West Kentucky Community and Technical College - Paducah
4810 Alben Barkley Drive, Paducah, KY 42001
Phones: 270-554-9200 and 270-444-8486

Perry County

Hazard Community and Technical College
1 Community College Drive, Hazard, KY 41701
Phones: 606-487-3289 and 606-487-3103

Washington County

St. Catharine College
2735 Bardstown Road, Saint Catharine, KY 40061
Phone: 859-336-5082

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

Billy D. on July 27, 2009 at 07:30 PM
I got my CNA certification a while ago in high school in Kentucky, but I let it expire. Do I have to retake the course or just the test?


Admin on July 28, 2009 at 04:14 PM
As far as I know, to become re-certified in the state of Kentucky you are required to repeat the STNA training and pass the state examination unless you can provide proof of a minimum of 8 hours of employment as a state registered nurse aide performing nursing or nursing-related functions for compensation during the previous 24-month period in which case you can only retake the test. Prior to December 2006 you were only required to retake the test but since then the requirements changed and retraining and retesting is mandatory to become re-certified. If you have additional questions about this issue or if you just want to have an official answer to this question you can contact the Kentucky Nurse Aide Registry. Good luck!


Do I need to re-take the nursing assistant classes or do I just have to re-take the CNA test if my Kentucky CNA license expired?

Can I enroll in a CNA class without a high school diploma or GED?

How long do nursing assistant classes take to complete?

After becoming a CNA how much more training does it take to become an RN?

I am really interested in becoming a certified nursing assistant. I am in the military and we go out to sea continuously. I do not have too much time to actually attend a program until next year. Who offers online CNA classes?

CNA Resources

CNA 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.

CNA Training Programs

Nurse Aide Registries

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