CNA Classes in Louisiana | Certified Nursing Assistant Training Programs

Louisiana Department of Health

CNA Classes & Training Programs in Louisiana

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

Find Programs Near You How to Get Certified

Minimum Training Hours

$115

State Exam Fee

$25,500

Average Annual Salary

3-6

Weeks to Complete

About CNA Certification in Louisiana

Begin Your Healthcare Journey in The Pelican State

Louisiana's vibrant healthcare sector offers exceptional opportunities for aspiring Certified Nursing Assistants across the state's diverse communities. From the bustling medical centers of New Orleans and Baton Rouge to rural healthcare facilities in Acadiana and northern Louisiana, CNAs play a crucial role in delivering quality patient care throughout the Pelican State. Louisiana requires 80 hours of comprehensive training, regulated by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), providing a solid foundation for your nursing career while allowing rapid entry into the healthcare workforce in just 3-6 weeks.

The state's rich cultural heritage combines with a growing healthcare infrastructure to create abundant employment opportunities for qualified CNAs. Louisiana's aging population, coupled with healthcare expansion in major metropolitan areas and underserved rural communities, ensures consistent demand for nursing assistants. Major employment centers include New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette, and Lake Charles, with many facilities offering competitive wages, signing bonuses, and comprehensive benefits. Whether you're launching your healthcare career or seeking advancement opportunities, Louisiana provides clear pathways from CNA to LPN and RN through numerous educational institutions across the state.

Complete certification in just 80 hours—fast-track your career
Strong demand in urban and rural healthcare facilities
Competitive wages with growth opportunities
Multiple pathways to LPN and RN advancement

Quick Facts

Training Hours Required 80 Hours

Classroom/Lab Hours 35 Hours

Clinical Hours 45 Hours

Exam Format Written + Skills

Exam Fee $115

Regulatory Body Louisiana DHH

Registry LA Nurse Aide Registry

Browse CNA Schools in Louisiana

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

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Certification Process

How to Become a CNA in Louisiana

Complete State-Approved Training

Enroll in an 80-hour training program approved by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH). Louisiana's curriculum includes 35 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, technical schools, healthcare facilities, and private training centers across Louisiana. Full-time programs typically complete in 3-4 weeks with daily intensive 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, emergency response, and end-of-life care. Upon successful completion, your training facility will provide a completion certificate and submit your eligibility information to the Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry for exam registration.

Pass the State Competency Exam

After completing training, you'll take the Louisiana Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation administered by Prometric. The exam consists of two mandatory 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 proper handwashing, measuring vital signs, assisting with mobility and transfers, providing personal hygiene care, catheter care, or range of motion exercises. 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. Louisiana allows three testing attempts; if you fail all three, you must complete training again. The current exam fee is $115. Testing centers are located throughout Louisiana in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette, Lake Charles, and other cities, with exams offered regularly for convenient scheduling.

Complete Background Check & Registry Enrollment

Before beginning CNA employment in Louisiana, you must complete a criminal background check and register with the Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry. Louisiana requires comprehensive background screening including state and federal criminal history checks and abuse registry searches to ensure patient safety in healthcare settings. Most healthcare employers coordinate the background check process as part of their hiring procedures, though you can also initiate it independently through the Louisiana Department of Health. Background checks typically cost $35-60 and include fingerprinting through an approved vendor. Once you pass both portions of the competency exam, your results are electronically transmitted to the Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry and processed within 10-15 business days. You'll receive an official registry identification number and certification from the Louisiana Department of Health confirming your active status. Louisiana CNAs must maintain active registry status by working at least 8 hours in a paid nursing assistant position within each 24-month certification period. You can verify your certification status anytime through the Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry online portal at ldh.la.gov. With certification complete, you're qualified to work in Louisiana's 275+ nursing facilities, hospitals, home health agencies, hospice programs, and assisted living communities throughout the state.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About CNA Certification in Louisiana

Becoming a CNA in Louisiana typically takes 4-8 weeks from enrollment to certification. Louisiana requires 80 hours of training, including 35 hours of classroom instruction and 45 hours of clinical practice in a licensed healthcare facility. Full-time accelerated programs offered by institutions like Delgado Community College, Louisiana Delta Community College, and Baton Rouge Community College complete training in 3-4 weeks with daily intensive schedules Monday through Friday, making them ideal for those seeking rapid entry into healthcare employment. 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 New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette, and other Louisiana cities. Exam results are usually provided immediately after testing for the skills portion, with final certification processing within 10-15 business days once you're added to the Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry. The complete timeline from first day of training to starting your first CNA position generally ranges from 6-10 weeks. Many training programs coordinate exam scheduling as part of their curriculum to streamline the certification process, and some facilities offer employment commitments before you even complete your exam.

CNA training costs in Louisiana range from $500 to $1,800 depending on the institution type and geographic location. Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) institutions—including Delgado, Baton Rouge, Louisiana Delta, and Bossier Parish Community Colleges—offer the most affordable options at $500-$900 since they receive state funding for workforce development programs. Private vocational schools and healthcare training academies typically charge $1,200-$1,800 but often provide accelerated schedules, smaller class sizes, and flexible scheduling options. Many Louisiana 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 prevalent in rural areas and smaller communities experiencing healthcare worker shortages, especially in northern Louisiana and Acadiana regions. Most program fees include textbooks, training materials, uniforms, and clinical supplies, though you should budget an additional $115 for the state competency exam fee and $35-60 for background check processing. Louisiana residents may qualify for financial assistance through Louisiana Workforce Commission training programs, Federal Pell Grants for eligible students, or TOPS Tech (Taylor Opportunity Program for Students) for short-term technical training. Major healthcare employers like Ochsner Health, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, and Lafayette General Health offer tuition reimbursement programs and signing bonuses ($500-$2,500) that can offset training costs within the first few months of employment.

Louisiana 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 Louisiana Department of Health permits up to 35 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 Louisiana institutions including select LCTCS 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 Louisiana and will not qualify you to take the state competency exam or obtain certification. Federal and state regulations require supervised, in-person clinical training to ensure patient safety and proper skill development. When researching programs, always verify that the provider is approved by the Louisiana Department of Health 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 Louisiana CNA competency exam, administered by Prometric, consists of two mandatory components that comprehensively 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 or have reading difficulties. 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 passive range of motion exercises, providing perineal care, assisting with feeding, measuring urinary output, or providing catheter care. 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, patient dignity, 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. Louisiana allows three testing attempts; failing all three requires repeating the entire training program. The current exam fee is $115 for both sections. Testing centers are conveniently located throughout Louisiana in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette, Lake Charles, and other cities.

Yes, Louisiana 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 Louisiana certification by endorsement through the Louisiana Department of Health. The endorsement process requires submitting a completed application form available on the Louisiana DHH website, requesting verification of your out-of-state certification sent directly from your current state's registry to Louisiana, completing a Louisiana-specific criminal background check including fingerprinting through an approved vendor like IdentoGO, and paying applicable fees (approximately $35-60 for background checks plus a $25-40 endorsement application fee). Louisiana requires that your out-of-state training met or exceeded Louisiana's 80-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, Louisiana may require you to complete a competency evaluation or refresher training before granting endorsement. The entire reciprocity process typically takes 4-8 weeks from application submission to approval. It's essential to initiate this process BEFORE beginning employment in Louisiana, 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 Louisiana Registry identification number and official certification from the Louisiana Department of Health, allowing you to work immediately in any licensed healthcare facility throughout the state. Louisiana's streamlined endorsement process makes it relatively easy for out-of-state CNAs to transfer their credentials, particularly for those relocating from neighboring states like Texas, Arkansas, or Mississippi.

Maintaining Your Certification

CNA Certification Renewal in Louisiana

How to Renew Your Louisiana CNA Certification

Louisiana maintains an employment-based renewal system for CNA certifications. Your certification remains active on the Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry indefinitely as long as you work in a paid nursing assistant position for at least 8 hours (one shift) during each 24-month certification period. Unlike many states requiring formal renewal applications, continuing education credits, or renewal fees, Louisiana automatically maintains your active status through employer-reported work verification. When you're employed as a CNA in Louisiana, your healthcare facility is responsible for reporting your employment activity to the Louisiana Department of Health, 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 $400-900 depending on the training institution and location. After successfully completing either reactivation method, you'll be reinstated on the Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry and eligible to resume CNA employment throughout the state.

It's important to verify your registry status annually by checking the Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry online portal at ldh.la.gov or calling (225) 342-0138. 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, relocation, 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 Louisiana'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-$900

Career Opportunities

CNA Job Outlook & Salary in Louisiana

Louisiana's healthcare sector provides strong employment prospects for Certified Nursing Assistants, with steady job growth projected through 2030. The state's aging population, combined with healthcare expansion in major metropolitan areas and ongoing efforts to improve healthcare access in rural communities, creates consistent demand for qualified CNAs. The Louisiana Workforce Commission projects 11-13% growth in CNA positions over the next decade, significantly exceeding the national average for most occupations. Major employment centers include New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lafayette, Lake Charles, and Monroe, while rural areas in Acadiana and northern Louisiana 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 Louisiana earn competitive wages relative to the state's cost of living, which ranks approximately 8% below the national average. The New Orleans metro area and Baton Rouge typically offer the highest pay at $13-16/hour, while Lafayette, Shreveport, and Lake Charles range $12-14/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 $15-18/hour. Louisiana 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 Louisiana's low cost of living—particularly affordable housing and utilities—means CNAs can achieve comfortable living standards while building long-term healthcare careers in the vibrant culture of the Pelican State.

Average CNA Salary in Louisiana

$25,500

per year

Hourly Wage

$12.26/hr

Nearby States