CNA Classes in Huntington, WV

How Much Does CNA Training Cost in Huntington?

Beyond tuition, plan for the state exam fee ($100 total exam fee, typically paid by the sponsoring employer or training program per federal and West Virginia law), the application/registry fee ($0 state application fee; a $10 fee applies to request a duplicate certificate of completion), a background check, and uniforms or supplies. All in, total CNA training cost in West Virginia typically falls around $0-$1,200 (most West Virginia CNAs train at no cost through skilled nursing facility-sponsored programs because federal and state law requires reimbursement once the candidate is hired).

How to Become a CNA in Huntington, WV

1. 1

   Confirm OHFLAC eligibility and basic prerequisites

   Verify you are at least 18 years old, can pass the West Virginia Cares fingerprint background check, are free of any substantiated abuse, neglect, or misappropriation finding on the OHFLAC nurse aide abuse registry, and can read, write, and communicate in English. While OHFLAC does not require a high school diploma, most West Virginia training providers and employers expect a diploma or GED for admission.

2. 2

   Enroll in an OHFLAC-approved 120-hour Nurse Aide Training Program

   Choose a program from the OHFLAC-approved list, which includes community and technical colleges (BridgeValley, Pierpont, Mountwest, Eastern WV CTC), career and technical centers, and facility-based programs operated inside skilled nursing facilities. Programs must deliver at least 65 hours of classroom and lab instruction and 55 hours of supervised clinical practice in an approved long-term care setting, with curriculum covering basic nursing, restorative care, infection control, residents' rights, and dementia care.

3. 3

   Complete the West Virginia Cares background check

   Submit fingerprints through the West Virginia Cares program managed by the Department of Health. This screening combines a West Virginia State Police criminal history check, an FBI national fingerprint check, and an Office of Inspector General federal exclusion search. The screening must be completed before unsupervised patient contact and must remain current to be eligible for nurse aide employment.

4. 4

   Apply for the West Virginia Nurse Aide Competency Examination through PHD

   Your training program submits a completed PHD application packet (NAECEP-5 form and supporting documentation) to Professional Healthcare Development at (304) 733-6145 within 24 months of finishing training. The $100 examination fee is generally paid by the sponsoring nursing facility under federal Medicare reimbursement rules; self-pay candidates may pay PHD directly by money order, certified check, or major credit card.

5. 5

   Pass the Knowledge Exam and Skills Evaluation

   PHD schedules you at a regional test site. The Knowledge Exam is a multiple-choice written test (also available orally for candidates with reading difficulties), and the Skills Evaluation requires you to perform five randomly selected hands-on tasks scored on a 300-point scale - you must earn at least 225 points, complete all critical steps, and avoid any action that would cause resident harm. Candidates have three attempts within 24 months of completing training to pass both parts.

6. 6

   Get listed on the West Virginia Nurse Aide Registry

   PHD forwards passing results to OHFLAC, which adds your name to the West Virginia Nurse Aide Registry. There is no state registry fee. Employers and the public can verify your status through OHFLAC's online Nurse Aide Verification tool at ohflac.wvdhhr.org/Apps/Lookup/NALookup. Active registry status is the legal prerequisite for paid work as a CNA in any West Virginia long-term care facility.

7. 7

   Maintain certification through paid work and timely renewal

   West Virginia nurse aides must complete at least 8 hours of paid nursing-related work (under RN/LPN supervision) within every 24-month renewal cycle. There is no renewal fee for current certificates, and renewal applications can be submitted up to 60 days before expiration. CNAs who lapse must complete an OHFLAC-approved refresher course or repeat the full training program and competency exam to be reinstated.

Becoming a CNA in West Virginia

West Virginia regulates its CNA workforce through the Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification (OHFLAC), which sits inside the West Virginia Department of Health and is one of the few state agencies that contracts a regional vendor - Professional Healthcare Development, LLC (PHD) - rather than Prometric or Pearson VUE to administer the nurse aide competency exam. OHFLAC sets training, testing, and abuse-registry policy, while PHD handles scheduling, proctoring, scoring, and rule book updates.

Frequently Asked Questions: CNA Training in Huntington