How to Become a CNA in Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education certifies all Nursing Assistants. You must be at least 16 years old to be a CNA. You’ll also need to graduate from a CNA training program that is state-approved. You can find a CNA school in your state and city by using our Free CNA School Finder and entering your zip code. There are many flexible program options for local, hybrid, or online Nursing Assistant classes in Oklahoma.

The state of Oklahoma subdivides the role of Certified Nurse Aide into 6 types: Long-Term Care Aide (LTC), Home Health Aide (HHA), Developmentally Disabled Direct Care Aide (DDCA), Residential Care Aide (RCA), Adult Day Care Aide (ADC), and Certified Medication Aide (CMA).

To apply to a CNA program, you will need to complete a background check and be up-to-date on childhood immunizations. This includes two TB tests and a Flu shot. If you do not have the recent flu shot, you may be required to wear a face mask. You must be able to read, write, and speak in English. If English is your second language, you can take CNA classes en Español as well. But be aware that you’ll need to take the CNA exam in English. Some programs require a COVID vaccine and drug screening. In addition to the program, you must be CPR-certified and hold an American Heart Association CPR for Healthcare provider card, but many of the CNA programs include this step.

Many of these CNA programs in Oklahoma can be completed in a few months and there are accelerated programs available. You can expect to have textbook work, lab work, and clinical work in your program. Each CNA must have a minimum of 16 hours of supervised practical training under the direct supervision of a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse. This hands-on training is known as your clinical work. You will also need to complete 53 classroom hours and 8 skills hours. Make sure to pass your classes with at least a “C” average.

In Oklahoma your graduation certificate is known as a Training Verification Form, and you will need to bring this on the day of the state exam.

A Closer Look at CNA Training

A typical CNA program in Oklahoma will include all the knowledge and skills you must perform for the Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) Competency Evaluation Program. You can expect to learn CNA skills such as:

• Anatomy

• Medical Terminology

• Physiology

• Long-Term Care

• CPR and First Aid

• Phlebotomy

• Fire Safety

• Supportive Theory

• Patient Bathing

• Home Health Care

• Alzheimer’s Care

A CNA Training Program can cost as low as $450 and up to about $1,300. For example, the American Red Cross program costs $1,300. Some schools have different prices for in-person classes vs. online courses. Some tuitions are all-inclusive, whereas others are a la carte. Some of these al la carte expenses can be for an application fee, textbooks, uniform apparel, immunizations, and the certification exam. Some schools include the cost of the exam in your tuition. Always confirm with the school about the details of what your tuition includes. And you can always ask if financial assistance is available, as well as grants and scholarships for free CNA classes.

You can find a CNA school near you using our free location tool. Just enter your zip code to find online and local CNA schools.

The CNA Test in Oklahoma

The state of Oklahoma partners with a private testing company called Prometric to administer the CNA test known as the Oklahoma Nurse Aide Competency Examination.

The test is divided into two parts: a written portion and a clinical skills demonstration. The written exam has 55 multiple-choice questions and you will have 90 minutes to complete it.You may also request to take an oral version of this test rather than written. You must score at least a 70% on this portion in order to pass the exam. The second portion of the test is a skills test. You’ll need to score at least 80% on this skills portion. For the exam you must arrive in scrubs or a similar uniform to perform the skills portion of the test. The skills exam will require you to perform 5 skill sets correctly in 45 minutes. The skills will be chosen at random from a total of 22 possibilities. Some examples of these skills are how to properly wash hands, move a patient using a gait belt, changing linens with a bedridden patient, dressing a patient, and recording a patient’s respirations.

To help familiarize yourself with some of the content you’ll be tested on, read through our Free CNA Practice Test. Don’t bring any electronics or personal belongings into the testing room. Your score on the exam will be printed immediately and given to you before leaving the testing room.

Once you have graduated from a certified Nursing Assistant school and successfully passed the CNA state exam, you can then be officially added to the Oklahoma Nurse Aide Registry and be eligible to start working as a Nursing Assistant. Congratulations!