Nursing Assistant

For your convenience, the lecture portion of the Nursing Assistant (NAT) training course is offered in interactive video or face-to-face formats. Hands-on laboratory training is offered at the Show Low, Snowflake/Taylor and Winslow campuses, as well as the Whiteriver and Springerville centers. (Actual clinical sites may vary each semester. Check with your academic adviser or the NPC Division of Nursing & Allied Health for details.)

Royal blue scrubs, nursing shoes, a watch with a second hand and course textbook.

Students are also responsible for the cost of providing proof of required TB testing and immunizations, and the DPS Fingerprint Clearance Card, prior to admission to the NAT 101 course, and a second set of fingerprints if seeking Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) certification.

Prerequisite for admission to the CNA course/program:

• Satisfactory reading and math placement scores;
• Healthcare Provider CPR and First Aid certification (EMT 104 CPR & First Aid or equivalent);
• A current TB skin test and proof of immunization for Hep B and MMR must be provided;
• Students are required to provide fingerprint identification for a criminal background check and proof of legal presence in the United States when applying for a CNA/LNA license.

Under the Arizona Nurse Practice Act, an applicant for CNA/LNA licensure can be denied certification if convicted of a felony or addicted to habit-forming drugs or if the applicant in any other way fails to meet qualifications required by law. – A.R.S. §32-1606(B)(17)

Pursuant to A.R.S. 15-108, NPC prohibits the possession and use of marijuana on all campuses and in all off campus student activities, including internships and clinical learning experiences in health programs, regardless of whether the possessor or user is in possession of a medical marijuana card. Medical marijuana, or its metabolite, is not an accepted substance in urine drug screens and will result in a positive urine drug screen. Students with a prescription for medical marijuana are NOT considered exempt from urine drug screening. ALL nursing assistant students are required to submit to urine drug screening prior to the start of clinical experiences.

See Nursing Assistant Training 101 course costs for 2022-23

See Nursing Assistant Program Cost Estimates for Navajo County Residents

Nursing Assistants work in nursing and residential care facilities and in hospitals. They are often physically active spending much of their time on their feet as they take care of many patients or residents. The work of nursing assistants can be strenuous as they may need to help lift or move patients.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunity for nursing assistants is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2024. This is due to long-term care needs of a growing elderly population, plus the many advancements of modern medical technology that save and extend lives, increasing the need for long-term care provided by nursing assistants. 

Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), nurse's aide, orderly

The NPC Nursing Assistant (CNA/LNA) program is approved by the Arizona State Board of Nursing.

Applicants to the NPC Nursing program must have a current Arizona Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) license in good standing.

Between July 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021, 84% of students who successfully completed NPC's Nursing Assistant Training course passed the state written and skills testing necessary to become a Certified Nursing Assistant.