(3-14-25) Tri Star Career Compact’s Med Prep Program hosted Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) Certification testing on Saturday, February 8th. Fifteen senior Med Prep students were among the area students who took the certification test which had previously been known as the STNA (State Tested Nurse’s Aide).

Students who earned CNA certification are pictured above right:
Front row (l-r): Lilly Wilker, Carmen Price, Hailey Garrity, Whitney Tangeman, Erica Sutter, MAddie Steinlage, Avery Knapke, Calleigh Crabtree, and Amber Dirksen. Back row (l-r): Alana Hernandez, Natalie Vogel, Ivan Jatios, MAckenzieBohman, Alanna Mescher, and Ally Kremer

In Tri Star’s two-year program, the CNA curriculum is covered over a four-month period as part of the overall Med Prep curriculum, and students have a choice as to whether they want to complete the extra work and become CNA certified. Students in the Med Prep program train to learn specific nurse aide skills and information, which will allow them to work in a skilled nursing facility or hospital.

The extra work for the CNA students included completing 75 hours of instruction with 16 clinical hours (minimum) worked in a nursing home. They had extra assignments and instruction plus they spent time practicing 21 different skills for the hands-on portion of the exam. Those who completed the course requirements then had to take a 79-question written test through D & S Diversified Technology; plus they had to demonstrate three to five skills from a random pick of the 21 skills that they had mastered.

Tri Star Med Prep instructors, Brenda Speck and Annette Albers said-

”These students have put in a great deal of work to complete their CNA. We are very proud of our students and the dedicated work they put into the completion of this medical certification to help fill the needs of the community!”

Speck and Albers reported that all 15 students have passed both the hands-on skills and written knowledge portion of the test.