The Nursing Assistant Certificate of Proficiency (CP) is designed to provide a curriculum to improve student knowledge about the healthcare field. Successful completion includes the required course content and hours specified by the Arizona Nurse Practice Act making a student eligible to take the Arizona state test to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) or Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA).
This certification not only establishes direct-to-work credentials, it is a creditable foundation for students interested in pursuing other, allied health careers. Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) is a mandatory requirement for entering the NPC Nursing Program.
To qualify for NAT 101, students must provide a DPS Fingerprint Clearance Card prior to enrollment to meet Department of Health Services requirements. Upon completion of NAT 101, students seeking the LNA credential must submit a second set of fingerprints to the Arizona State Board of Nursing and pay an additional fee.
Cost & Time for Completion
The U.S. Department of Education requires NPC to annually publish cost and time for completion data on Career & Technical Education certificate programs. You can access the current data at www.npc.edu/nursing-assistant.
Career Opportunities
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.
Requirements:
To earn the Certificate of Proficiency in Nursing Assistant, a student must complete the program with a grade-point average of ‘C’ or better.
Additionally, under the Arizona Nurse Practice Act, an applicant can be denied certification as a nursing assistant if convicted of a felony or addicted to habit-forming drugs or if the applicant in any other way fails to meet the qualifications required by law. To enter the course, a Department of Public Safety (DPS) Fingerprint Clearance Card, a current TB skin test and immunization (Hep B and MMR) records are required.
Additional Costs and Requirements
Current Hepatitis B, MMR, Varicella immunizations, and a COVID-19 vaccination or clinical agency-approved waiver are required. Clinical agency-approved waivers MAY be available.
Tuition, course fee, media fee, a current negative TB test, textbook, royal blue scrubs, nursing shoes, a watch with a second hand, and current costs of
testing and certification examination and fingerprinting.
Students applying for the certification exam must provide proof of legal presence in the United States, provide an additional set of fingerprints for a criminal background check if seeking the LNA credential and compliance with A.R.S. § 32-1606(B)(17) regarding felony/misdemeanor convictions.
Note: Students planning to enter the NPC Nursing Program must acquire Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) certification from the Arizona State Board of Nursing instead of the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification. LNA requirements are almost identical to the CNA requirements as there is no difference in the curricular or examination requirements. The LNA applicant must pay an additional $100 and provide fingerprints for a complete criminal background check prior to issuance of the LNA license. The fingerprint clearance by the Nursing Board is at a higher level of oversight than the DPS Level I Clearance Card, acceptable at some healthcare facilities. The renewal requirements are also different. LNAs are required to practice a minimum of 160 hours within the past two years to renew their license, while the CNA practice requirement to renew is only eight hours every two years.
See an academic adviser or the Nursing Department for details.
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