CNA Classes in Kentucky | Certified Nursing Assistant Training Programs

Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services

CNA Classes & Training Programs in Kentucky

The Bluegrass State | Start Your Healthcare Career in as Little as 3-6 Weeks

Find Programs Near You How to Get Certified

Minimum Training Hours

$125

State Exam Fee

$28,000

Average Annual Salary

3-6

Weeks to Complete

About CNA Certification in Kentucky

Begin Your Healthcare Journey in The Bluegrass State

Kentucky's healthcare landscape offers promising opportunities for aspiring Certified Nursing Assistants, with growing demand across urban centers and rural communities throughout the Commonwealth. The state's diverse healthcare infrastructure—from Louisville's renowned medical centers and Lexington's university hospitals to small-town nursing facilities in Appalachian regions—creates consistent employment opportunities for qualified CNAs. Kentucky requires only 75 hours of training, one of the shortest requirements nationally, making certification accessible and achievable in as little as 3-6 weeks. Regulated by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, the state's streamlined certification process provides a solid entry point into healthcare careers.

The Bluegrass State combines affordable living costs with competitive CNA wages, making it financially attractive for healthcare workers. Kentucky's emphasis on long-term care, particularly serving its aging population, ensures stable demand for CNAs. Major employment centers including Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, Owensboro, and Covington offer abundant opportunities, while rural areas often provide incentives like signing bonuses and tuition reimbursement to attract healthcare professionals. Whether you're starting your healthcare journey or seeking career advancement, Kentucky offers clear pathways from CNA to LPN and RN through numerous educational institutions and bridge programs across the state.

Just 75 hours required—fastest certification path in the region
Strong job market in urban and rural healthcare settings
Low cost of living with competitive compensation
Excellent advancement opportunities to LPN and RN programs

Quick Facts

Training Hours Required 75 Hours

Classroom/Lab Hours 30 Hours

Clinical Hours 45 Hours

Exam Format Written + Skills

Exam Fee $125

Regulatory Body KY CHFS

Registry KY Nurse Aide Registry

Browse CNA Schools in Kentucky

Explore our directory of Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services-approved nursing assistant training programs. Filter by location, cost, and program type to find the perfect fit for your career goals.

View All Schools

Certification Process

How to Become a CNA in Kentucky

Complete State-Approved Training

Enroll in a 75-hour training program approved by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Kentucky's compact curriculum includes 30 hours of classroom and laboratory instruction covering nursing fundamentals, infection control, patient safety, communication skills, and residents' rights, plus 45 hours of supervised clinical practice in a licensed healthcare facility such as a nursing home, hospital, or assisted living center. Training is available through community colleges, vocational schools, healthcare facilities, and private training centers across Kentucky. Full-time programs typically complete in 3-4 weeks with daily classes, while part-time options accommodate working students over 6-8 weeks with evening or weekend schedules. You'll master essential skills including vital signs monitoring, assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs), patient transfers and positioning, infection prevention protocols, and emergency response procedures. Upon successful completion, your training facility will provide a completion certificate and submit your eligibility information to the Kentucky Nurse Aide Registry for exam scheduling.

Pass the State Competency Exam

After completing training, you'll take the Kentucky Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation administered by Prometric. The exam consists of two components: a written or oral knowledge test with 60 multiple-choice questions covering nursing skills, infection control, safety procedures, communication techniques, and patient rights (you need 70% or 42 correct answers to pass), and a hands-on clinical skills demonstration where you'll perform 5 randomly selected nursing skills from a list of 25 possible tasks. Skills may include handwashing, measuring vital signs, assisting with mobility and transfers, providing personal hygiene care, or catheter care. The complete exam takes approximately 2.5-3 hours. You must pass both sections on the same testing day to earn certification—if you pass one component but fail the other, you only need to retake the failed portion. Kentucky allows three testing attempts within two years of training completion; if you exhaust all attempts, you must complete training again. The current exam fee is $125. Testing centers are located throughout Kentucky in Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, Owensboro, Paducah, and other cities, with exams offered multiple times weekly for convenient scheduling.

Complete Background Check & Registry Enrollment

Before beginning CNA employment in Kentucky, you must complete a criminal background check and register with the Kentucky Nurse Aide Registry. Kentucky requires comprehensive background screening including state and federal criminal history checks and abuse registry searches to ensure patient safety. Most healthcare employers coordinate the background check process as part of their hiring procedures, though you can also initiate it independently through the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Background checks typically cost $30-50 and include fingerprinting. Once you pass both portions of the competency exam, your results are electronically transmitted to the Kentucky Nurse Aide Registry and processed within 7-14 business days. You'll receive an official registry identification number and certification from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services confirming your active status. Kentucky CNAs must maintain active registry status by working at least one 8-hour shift in a paid nursing assistant position within each 24-month certification period. You can verify your certification status anytime through the Kentucky Nurse Aide Registry online portal. With certification complete, you're qualified to work in Kentucky's 280+ nursing facilities, hospitals, home health agencies, hospice programs, and assisted living communities throughout the Commonwealth.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About CNA Certification in Kentucky

Becoming a CNA in Kentucky typically takes 4-8 weeks from enrollment to certification. Kentucky requires just 75 hours of training—one of the shortest requirements in the United States—including 30 hours of classroom instruction and 45 hours of clinical practice. Full-time accelerated programs offered by institutions like Jefferson Community and Technical College, Bluegrass Community and Technical College, and Gateway Community and Technical College complete training in 3-4 weeks with daily intensive schedules Monday through Friday. Part-time programs extend over 6-8 weeks, offering evening or weekend classes to accommodate students with work or family obligations. After completing training, you'll schedule your state competency exam through Prometric, typically available within 1-2 weeks at testing centers in Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, and other Kentucky cities. Exam results are usually provided immediately after testing, and successful candidates are added to the Kentucky Nurse Aide Registry within 7-14 business days. The complete timeline from first day of training to starting your first CNA position generally ranges from 5-10 weeks, making Kentucky one of the fastest states for entering the healthcare workforce. Many training programs coordinate exam scheduling as part of their curriculum to further streamline the certification process.

CNA training costs in Kentucky range from $400 to $1,500 depending on the institution type and geographic location. Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) institutions—including Jefferson, Bluegrass, Gateway, and Elizabethtown Community and Technical Colleges—offer the most affordable options at $400-$800 since they receive state funding for workforce development programs. Private vocational schools and healthcare training academies typically charge $1,000-$1,500 but often provide accelerated schedules and personalized instruction. Many Kentucky nursing homes and healthcare facilities offer FREE CNA training programs in exchange for a 6-12 month employment commitment—this "earn while you learn" model is particularly common in rural areas and smaller communities experiencing healthcare worker shortages. Most program fees include textbooks, training materials, uniforms, and clinical supplies, though you should budget an additional $125 for the state competency exam fee and $30-50 for background check processing. Kentucky residents may qualify for financial assistance through Kentucky Career Center (formerly Department for Workforce Investment), Federal Pell Grants for eligible students, or Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship covering tuition for short-term certificate programs. Major healthcare employers like Baptist Health, Norton Healthcare, and CHI Saint Joseph Health offer tuition reimbursement programs and signing bonuses ($500-$2,000) that can offset training costs within the first few months of employment.

Kentucky allows hybrid CNA training where theoretical classroom instruction can be completed online, but hands-on clinical training must be conducted in person at an approved healthcare facility. The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services permits up to 30 hours of didactic coursework—including lectures, reading assignments, instructional videos, and written assessments—to be delivered via distance learning platforms. However, the mandatory 45 hours of clinical skills training must be completed face-to-face in a licensed nursing home, hospital, or long-term care facility under direct supervision of a qualified registered nurse instructor. This hybrid model provides valuable flexibility for students managing employment, family responsibilities, or transportation challenges while ensuring you gain essential hands-on patient care experience. Several Kentucky institutions including select KCTCS colleges and private training providers now offer hybrid programs combining online theory modules with weekend or evening clinical rotations. It's critical to understand that FULLY online CNA programs (100% virtual with no in-person clinical component) are NOT recognized by Kentucky and will not qualify you to take the state competency exam or obtain certification. When researching programs, always verify that the provider is approved by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services and includes the required 45 hours of supervised clinical training in a licensed healthcare facility. Check the official state registry of approved programs before enrolling to ensure your training will be accepted for certification.

The Kentucky CNA competency exam, administered by Prometric, consists of two mandatory components that test your knowledge and practical nursing skills. The written or oral knowledge test contains 60 multiple-choice questions covering basic nursing skills, infection prevention and control, safety and emergency procedures, communication and interpersonal skills, residents' rights and independence, and personal care assistance. You have 90 minutes to complete the exam and need a score of 70% (42 out of 60 questions correct) to pass. The test is available in English and Spanish, and an oral version is offered for candidates who prefer auditory testing. After completing the written portion, you'll immediately proceed to the clinical skills evaluation where you'll demonstrate 5 randomly selected nursing procedures from a list of 25 possible skills. Common skills include proper handwashing technique, measuring and recording vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, respiration, temperature), assisting residents with ambulation using safety devices, performing range of motion exercises, providing perineal care, assisting with feeding, or measuring urinary output. You'll perform these skills on a mannequin or volunteer "patient" while a trained Prometric evaluator observes and scores your performance using a detailed checklist focusing on safety, infection control, and proper technique. The skills test typically takes 45-60 minutes. You must pass BOTH sections on the same day to earn certification—if you pass one section but fail the other, you only retake the failed component. Kentucky allows three testing attempts within two years of completing training; failing all three requires repeating the entire training program. The current exam fee is $125 for both sections. Testing centers are conveniently located throughout Kentucky in Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, Owensboro, Paducah, and other cities.

Yes, Kentucky accepts CNA certifications from other states through reciprocity or endorsement, provided you meet specific requirements. If you hold an active, unexpired CNA certification from another state and are in good standing on that state's nurse aide registry, you can apply for Kentucky certification by endorsement through the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. The endorsement process requires submitting a completed application form available on the Cabinet's website, requesting verification of your out-of-state certification sent directly from your current state's registry to Kentucky, completing a Kentucky-specific criminal background check including fingerprinting through an approved vendor, and paying applicable fees (approximately $30-50 for background checks plus a $25-40 endorsement application fee). Kentucky requires that your out-of-state training met or exceeded Kentucky's 75-hour minimum standard—since most states have equal or higher requirements, this is rarely problematic. If your certification has expired for more than 24 months or you haven't worked as a CNA during that period, Kentucky may require you to complete a competency evaluation or refresher training before granting endorsement. The entire reciprocity process typically takes 4-6 weeks from application submission to approval. It's essential to initiate this process BEFORE beginning employment in Kentucky, as federal regulations prohibit healthcare facilities from hiring CNAs who aren't properly certified in the state where they're working. Once approved, you'll receive a Kentucky Registry identification number and official certification from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, allowing you to work immediately in any licensed healthcare facility throughout the Commonwealth. Kentucky also participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact for RNs and LPNs, though this doesn't apply to CNA certification which requires state-specific endorsement.

Maintaining Your Certification

CNA Certification Renewal in Kentucky

How to Renew Your Kentucky CNA Certification

Kentucky maintains an employment-based renewal system for CNA certifications. Your certification remains active on the Kentucky Nurse Aide Registry indefinitely as long as you work in a paid nursing assistant position for at least one 8-hour shift during each 24-month certification period. Unlike many states requiring formal renewal applications, continuing education credits, or renewal fees, Kentucky automatically maintains your active status through employer-reported work verification. When you're employed as a CNA in Kentucky, your healthcare facility is responsible for reporting your employment activity to the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which keeps your registry status current without any action required on your part.

If your certification lapses due to not working for 24 consecutive months, you must reactivate it through one of two pathways. The first option involves completing a competency evaluation where you demonstrate proficiency in required nursing skills through testing with an approved evaluator, typically costing $150-300 depending on the testing provider. The second option requires completing a state-approved refresher training course (usually 40-60 hours of instruction) followed by passing the clinical skills portion of the state competency exam. Refresher courses cost $400-800 depending on the training institution. After successfully completing either reactivation method, you'll be reinstated on the Kentucky Nurse Aide Registry and eligible to resume CNA employment throughout the state.

It's important to verify your registry status annually by checking the Kentucky Nurse Aide Registry online portal at chfs.ky.gov or calling (502) 564-2888. If you change employers, confirm that your new healthcare facility properly reports your employment to maintain your active certification status. If you're planning an extended leave from healthcare work—such as for education, family care, or personal reasons—try to work at least one 8-hour shift before your 24-month activity window expires to avoid allowing your certification to lapse. CNAs working in multiple states should maintain separate active status in each state independently, as Kentucky's registry operates separately from other state registries and reciprocity agreements don't automatically transfer renewal requirements across state lines.

Renewal Fee

Work Requirement

8 Hours/24 Months

CEU Requirement

None Required

Reactivation Cost

$150-$800

Career Opportunities

CNA Job Outlook & Salary in Kentucky

Kentucky's healthcare sector provides strong employment prospects for Certified Nursing Assistants, with steady job growth projected through 2030. The Commonwealth's aging population—Kentucky ranks among the top states for percentage of residents over 65—combined with increasing demand for long-term care services, creates consistent need for qualified CNAs. The Kentucky Center for Statistics projects 10-12% growth in CNA positions over the next decade, significantly exceeding the national average for most occupations. Major employment centers include Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green, Owensboro, and northern Kentucky (Covington/Newport area), while rural Appalachian regions often provide competitive wages and incentives including signing bonuses ($1,000-$3,000), relocation assistance, and tuition reimbursement to attract healthcare workers to underserved communities.

CNAs in Kentucky earn competitive wages relative to the state's cost of living, which ranks approximately 12% below the national average. The Louisville metro area and northern Kentucky typically offer the highest pay at $14-17/hour, while Lexington, Bowling Green, and Owensboro range $13-15/hour. Hospital-based CNAs generally earn premium wages compared to long-term care facilities, and night shift differential pay often adds $2-3 extra per hour. Experienced CNAs working in specialized settings like intensive care, emergency departments, rehabilitation facilities, or dialysis centers can earn $16-19/hour. Kentucky healthcare employers typically provide comprehensive benefits including health insurance, dental and vision coverage, retirement plans with employer matching, generous paid time off, tuition reimbursement for nursing school advancement (LPN/RN programs), and flexible scheduling options. The combination of reasonable wages and Kentucky's low cost of living—particularly affordable housing and utilities—means CNAs can achieve comfortable living standards while building long-term healthcare careers.

Average CNA Salary in Kentucky

$28,000

per year

Hourly Wage

$13.46/hr

Nearby States