Nursing Assistant Certificate

4 Credits

The Nursing Assistant Certificate course prepares individuals to assist others with personal care needs. This certificate course is approved by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and prepares students to take the National Nursing Assistant Training and Competency Evaluation Test. Upon successful completion of the test, students are placed on the Minnesota Nursing Assistant Registry (NA/R).

The Nursing Assistant (NA/R) provides care under the direct supervision of licensed nurses. Employment is primarily in facilities caring for older adults. The demand for NA/Rs continues to grow due to our aging population.

Skills and knowledge obtained while earning the Nursing Assistant Certificate provide a strong foundation for individuals planning to pursue a career in healthcare.

Required Course

Complete one of the following two courses:

NURS 1057	Nursing Assistant Certificate	4 cr
NURS 1060	Nursing Assistant/Home Health Aide	4 cr

Other Certificate Requirements

• Earn a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 for college-level coursework (courses numbered 1000 and above) completed at Normandale.
• Earn at least one third of the required certificate credits from Normandale.

The following websites provide more information about nursing assistants, information about skills testing and links to the practice test and competency test brochure:

• The “Contacting the Nursing Assistant Registry” page on the Minnesota Department of Health website provides links to Registry forms, training and testing sites.
• The Pearson VUE website offers a test/skills brochure and a practice written test for Minnesota nursing assistants.