Blessing Hospital’s Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Training Program reached a milestone recently, when its 100th graduate passed the Illinois state certification examination.

“To think that 100 people have come through this course over the first two years and started their healthcare careers, it’s really amazing,” said Jonna Egan, RN, BSN, CNA program coordinator, Nursing Professional Development, Blessing Hospital. “It’s been a really amazing way to help support the bedside staff and to jump start people’s careers in healthcare.”

Blessing created the CNA Training Program in 2020 because it could not find enough already-certified nursing assistants to fill open positions. Through the program, people who meet all other job qualifications are hired by Blessing Hospital into an open CNA position. They are then paid to take the four-week, 120-hour classroom-and-hands-on-clinical course as part of their job orientation, pass the state-certification test and then come to work for Blessing as a CNA.

Approved by the State of Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), the program has a first-time exam pass rate of 95%. 

“They are very complimentary of the program,” Egan said. “IDPH has told us we are one of the most successful in the state, both in pass rate and in student interest.”

Three registered nurses, along with Egan, teach in the program.

More impressive than the numbers the staff has delivered over two years are the student success stories.

“I have a graduate who is an EEG tech now,” Egan shared. “She’s an incredible success story. She was in my first class and began her career with Blessing in Environmental Services. She joined the CNA Training Program to enhance her career by learning to provide bedside care.  It worked.” 

As it enters the third year, the Blessing Hospital CNA Training Program is enhancing the education and experience it offers. With the support of the Blessing Foundation, a bariatric mannequin has been purchased on which students will develop some of their clinical skills.

“It’s going to be a game-changer,” Egan said of the new addition to the program. “It will help us teach kind, compassionate, dignified care for our bariatric population.”

Anyone interested in learning more about the Blessing Hospital CNA Training Program can call Jonna, 217-223-8400, ext. 4834; or Alex Burry, Talent Acquisition Specialist, Blessing Human Resources, 217-223-8400, ext. 6868; or click on this link, https://pm.healthcaresource.com/CS/blessing/#/job/17759.