Grayson College Fills Need for Certified Nurse Aides in Texoma
Grayson College’s Center for Workplace Learning is now an in-facility test center for the Nurse Aide Competency Exam administered by Prometric. In-facility test center approval from Prometric means that Grayson College’s Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) students can receive training and test for certification in the same location on Grayon’s main campus in Denison.
“Grayson College has again met a need in service to its students and the Texoma community,” Workforce Solutions Executive Director Janie Bates said.
“When the administration of CNA certification exams changed to Prometric in September 2020, the number of testing centers fell dramatically,” Director of Continuing Education at Grayson College Kate Corder explained. “Students were successfully completing our training program and employers wanted to hire them, but there was very limited availability at testing centers to get our students certified. That’s when we decided to do something about it.”
To meet the in-facility test center requirements, Grayson College’s Maintenance Department installed a sink with hot and cold running water in a classroom. Additionally, Health Sciences Instructor Crystal Wilcoxen collected the required testing room equipment and supplies. The testing center requirements include a working hospital bed, call light, wheelchair, full-size mannequin and a lengthy list of other supplies.
“Offering the Nurse Aide Competency Skills Exam in a place that’s familiar and known to students should reduce test anxiety and improve test performance,” Wilcoxen said. “Students earn a higher wage if they’re certified so this designation not only saves students money in terms of travel costs; it also helps them earn more money.”
According to data from Workforce Solutions Texoma, there are 482 annual openings for nursing assistants in the Texoma area. In 2020, 105 students enrolled in Grayson College’s Patient Care Technician and Certified Nurse Aide training programs making them eligible for certification as a Nurse Aide. These recent successful completers of the Certified Nurse Aide course will be the first to take their Nurse Aide Competency Exam at Grayson College.
With funding from the Texas Workforce Commission’s COVID-19 Special Initiative and Self-Sufficiency grant programs, Grayson College will continue to offer full tuition scholarships for upcoming Certified Nurse Aide classes. The next class will begin May 10 and additional classes in June and July will be added soon. Prospective students interested in the scholarship for training can learn more by visiting grayson.edu/cwl or by calling Grayson College Center for Workplace Learning at (903) 463-8765.