What is a CNA?

A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is a healthcare professional who supports patients with daily activities like bathing, dressing, and eating. CNAs work in hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities, ensuring patients' well-being under the supervision of registered nurses (RNs) and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs).

What Does a CNA Do?

CNAs CNAs perform a variety of tasks to ensure patients' comfort and well-being, including:

• Assisting with daily personal care (bathing, dressing, grooming)
• Helping patients with mobility and transfers
• Monitoring and recording vital signs
• Providing assistance with meals and feeding
• Offering emotional support and companionship
• Assisting nurses with basic medical tasks (but typically not administering medication)

CNA is a great gateway if you want to venture into the medical field and you don’t know where to start. The high demand for CNAs in Texas nearly guarantees job security and can also give you time and opportunity to advance your skills further.

CNA Salary in Texas: How Much Do CNAs Make?

Accordng to BLS, the average CNA salary in Texas is approximately $35,370 per year or $17.01 per hour. However, wages vary based on experience, location, and work setting. Hospitals and travel CNA jobs typically pay higher than nursing homes.

How to Become a CNA in Texas: Step-by-Step Guide

To be a CNA in Texas, you'll need to have the required documents, pass a background check, complete a state-approved CNA class, and pass the CNA state exam.

We'll break down the steps in detail below:

1. Have required documents

Almost all CNA schools in Texas require a Social Security Card and State ID (usually your driver's license). The Social Security Card is to verify your work authorization. Some schools may require other documents as well, including a TB test, state ID, immunization records, CPR certification, or birth certificate.‍

Do you need a high school diploma to become a CNA in Texas?

You do not need a high school diploma to become a CNA in Texas. According to the Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC), the federal regulation and the state do not impose a minimum education requirement for nurse aides. However, some schools will require it, especially colleges. If you do not have a high school diploma, you should look for a private accelerated program. With these, you will need to take an 8th-grade math/reading test. This may be done through Wonderlic, or the school may have its own test.

2. Pass a background check

You must pass a background check before starting your CNA certification program. Certain convictions can disqualify you from employment in facilities and agencies regulated by HHSC. A list of these offenses can be found on the HHSC website. You can't have felonies of any kind or misdemeanors involving assault or theft in the last 5 years.

Employers generally follow the same requirements, but some may be more strict. For example, some employers may not want candidates with any felonies at all, and others require drug tests before hiring.

Employers also can’t hire anyone on the Texas Employee Misconduct Registry. This registry checks for different things than the background checks run by different schools and employers. ‍

3. Complete state-recognized training

Texas CNA programs are at least 100 hours long: 60 hours of class lectures and 40 hours of clinical skills training. The first portion of the class, often called the “theory” portion, can be done online, but not every school offers online training. The second portion, often called “clinicals,” must be done in person at a nursing home. CNA schools aren't legally allowed to be fully online, so if a school is claiming to be "Online" they really mean that the theory portion is online, and clinicals are done in person.

Find a list of state-recognized CNA programs on Dreambound and search for "cna classes near me"!

4. Pass the exam

In Texas, CNA trainees can work for four months before needing to pass the state exam. Prometric administers the state exam and includes two parts: one for written knowledge and one for practical skills. The written portion is a multiple-choice test. In the skills portion, a proctor gives you a few different procedures that you will need to demonstrate how to do.

Once you are a CNA and your name is on the registry, you can start searching for CNA jobs near you and start your career!

Where Can a CNA Work in Texas?

CNAs in Texas have an exciting array of workplace options, each offering unique opportunities to grow your healthcare career. Let's explore where you can put your CNA certification to work!

• Nursing Homes: Nursing homes remain the most popular workplace for Texas CNAs – and for good reason! These facilities offer entry-level CNAs to build their skills and have a stable work environment with consistent schedules and regular patient interactions.
• Hospitals: Want to level up your CNA career? Hospitals typically offer higher-paying positions and benefits, though they usually require at least six months of prior experience. The fast-paced environment will give you exposure to different aspects of healthcare!
• Assisted Living Facilities: Assisted living facilities often don't require CNA certification to start! While the pay might be moderate, these facilities offer flexible scheduling options, making them perfect for building your foundational care skills.
• Home Health: Love working one-on-one with patients? Home health might be your calling! This role offers incredible flexibility and independence and like assisted living, you can often start without CNA certification.
• Travel CNA: Ready for an adventure? Travel CNA positions through specialized agencies offer premium pay rates plus housing stipends! These 13-week contracts let you explore new cities while building your career.

Where to Find CNA Classes in Texas

Search for CNA classes near you in major cities like:

• Houston
• Austin
• Dallas/Fort Worth
• El Paso
• McAllen
• San Antonio

You can also search by zip code on Dreambound, which will allow you to see different payment options available, upcoming class dates, and more.

What Do I Need to Buy for the CNA Class?

The things you need to buy for a CNA class may vary for each school in Texas. Schools generally don’t provide uniforms, books, shoes, textbooks, stethoscopes, or BP cuffs, so you may need to pay for those out of pocket. However, some schools include everything, so you might make a one-time payment together with the tuition fee. Be sure to ask your school as well if the tuition fee includes the cost of the exam.

Some schools and employers in Texas require COVID-19 vaccinations before admission to a CNA class and employment. Clinical sites may also require swab tests when clinicals start.

In case you are not vaccinated, a letter of exemption (for medical or religious reasons) is a must. Most of the time these are accepted when signed by your religious leader or doctor.

How to Register for a CNA Exam?

After you complete your 100-hour CNA training, your school will register you for the state exam. Students can’t apply without the endorsement from their school that they completed the class. The Texas CNA state exam costs $120-125. If you want to take the multiple-choice portion of the exam orally or in Spanish, the exam costs $130-135.

After your school endorses you, you will then log in and fill out the application on the Texas Unified License Information Portal (TULIP) website. After creating an account, scheduling for completed applications or rescheduling of exams will continue at www.iqttesting.com.

If you have any issues or need to reschedule your exam, you can contact Prometric at:‍

1. Phone: 800.488.5787
2. E-mail: [email protected]

You can take the exam up to 3 times. If you are not able to pass within three tries, you will need to retake your CNA class.

How to Prepare for My CNA Exam?

Taking the CNA exam might be a little intimidating, but all of our Texas CNAs have been through the exam as well. Your teacher will provide you with a lot of different resources to prepare for the exam. Everything you need to know about the Texas CNA exam can be read through our helpful blog! Prometric also prepared a guide for both written and clinical readiness exams over here. We also recommend checking out YouTube videos to study for the skills portion of the exam, although be sure to look for Texas-specific videos posted after 2020. Each state has a different curriculum, and Prometric only started administering the Texas state exam on 9/1/2020.

How to Get My CNA Certification?

After you pass your exam, it will take about a week for your exam information to be updated in TULIP. To print your certificate, please log into your TULIP account.

Your license is valid for two years and you should contact the Nurse Aide Registry and verify your employment to remain in active status. As of June 2024, there are 4 options to renew your nurse aide certification in Texas.

As of June 2024, if you’re licensed through another state and want to transfer your license to Texas, the Reciprocity process map is the way.