CNA Training Program in Northern Virginia — Become a Certified Nurse Aide in 150 Hours
Start a Healthcare Career That Matters — Faster Than You Think
You don’t need years of school or a mountain of debt to enter healthcare. At AVI Career Training in Vienna, Virginia, our Certified Nurse Aide program gives you everything you need to pass the Virginia CNA certification exam and start working in weeks — not semesters.
This is hands-on, state-approved training built for real people with real responsibilities.
“Start in weeks, not semesters — with the credibility employers actually respect.”
Apply Now — It’s Free to Start
Or call us directly: (703) 943-9841
By the Numbers
| ✅ 150 Hours | ✅ COE Accredited | ✅ Financial Aid Available |
|---|---|---|
| Complete your training in one of the shortest state-approved timelines in Virginia | Nationally recognized standard — accepted by employers across the DMV | Federal aid options + GI Bill® accepted for qualifying students |
Why Northern Virginia CNAs Choose AVI Career Training
Not all CNA programs are equal. In a market full of community college waitlists, unaccredited training centers, and online “certificate” programs that can’t fulfill Virginia’s clinical hour requirements, AVI stands out — and for good reason.
✅ COE-Accredited. SCHEV-Certified. Employer-Recognized.
AVI Career Training holds accreditation from the Council on Occupational Education (COE) — one of the most respected accrediting bodies in career and technical education — and is certified by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). These aren’t marketing badges. They’re proof that our program meets rigorous academic and operational standards that many competing schools simply don’t.
When you graduate from an accredited program, employers know what that means. You walk in the door with credibility already built.
Not sure why accreditation matters? Ask us — we’ll explain exactly how it protects your investment and your career.
✅ Hands-On Clinical Training — No Shortcuts
Virginia state law requires CNA candidates to complete supervised, in-person clinical hours. Fully online programs cannot fulfill this requirement — a fact many students discover too late, after wasting time and money.
At AVI, your clinical training happens right here in Northern Virginia, supervised by experienced instructors who work with you directly. You’ll practice real patient care skills in a structured lab environment before ever setting foot in a clinical facility.
Virginia requires hands-on training. We deliver all of it — locally, completely, and thoroughly.
✅ Small Classes. Real Instructor Attention.
AVI is not a massive institution processing hundreds of students through an impersonal pipeline. Our small cohort model means you work closely with your instructors, get feedback specific to your technique, and never feel like a number. If you have a question at 9 a.m. or 2 p.m., your instructor is there.
✅ Flexible Scheduling for Busy Adults
We built this program for people who have lives — jobs, kids, family obligations. Our scheduling options are designed to minimize disruption to what you’ve already got going, while still moving you toward certification as quickly as possible. Reach out and let’s talk about what works for you.
✅ Financial Aid + GI Bill® — Real Options for Real Budgets
AVI is approved to offer federal financial aid and accepts the GI Bill® for qualifying veterans and military-affiliated students. Northern Virginia has one of the largest military communities on the East Coast — we’ve made it a priority to serve that community with accessible funding options.
Don’t let cost be the reason you don’t start. Talk to us about your options before you assume you can’t afford it.
CNA Program Curriculum — What You’ll Learn in 150 Hours
AVI’s 150-hour CNA curriculum is designed to meet Virginia’s state board requirements and prepare you for the Virginia Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation — the state licensing exam that authorizes you to work as a CNA.
Core Skill Areas
🏥 Patient Care Fundamentals
You’ll develop the foundational hands-on skills that define the CNA role: repositioning and transferring patients safely, assisting with mobility, and providing personal care with dignity and professionalism. These are skills you’ll use every single day on the job.
📊 Vital Signs Measurement
Accurate measurement and documentation of blood pressure, pulse, respiration, temperature, and oxygen saturation. You’ll learn when normal becomes abnormal — and what to do about it.
🔄 Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
Bathing, grooming, dressing, feeding, toileting, and oral hygiene assistance — performed in ways that preserve patient dignity and support independence wherever possible. Virginia’s state board exam tests ADL competency directly.
🛡️ Infection Control & Safety
Standard precautions, PPE protocols, hand hygiene, and isolation procedures. Rigorous infection control is a non-negotiable competency in today’s healthcare environment. You’ll know it inside and out.
💬 Communication & Documentation
Effective communication with patients, families, and the nursing team. You’ll learn how to observe and report changes in patient condition, document care accurately, and contribute to a coordinated care environment. CNAs are often the first to notice something is wrong — your communication skills can save lives.
🏢 Nursing Home & Hospital Settings
Clinical exposure covers both long-term care and acute care environments, preparing you for the wide range of settings where CNAs are in demand — nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, home health agencies, and more.
📋 Virginia State Board Exam Preparation
Your entire 150-hour training is structured with the Virginia Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation in mind. You’ll complete the required written and skills-based knowledge components before you sit for the exam — walking in prepared, not guessing.
Program Snapshot
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Total Hours | 150 |
| Format | In-person, hands-on instruction + lab |
| Location | 1595 Spring Hill Rd #720, Vienna, VA 22182 |
| Licensing Prep | Virginia Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation |
| Accreditation | COE Accredited · SCHEV Certified |
| Financial Aid | Available · GI Bill® Accepted |
Career Outcomes — Where a CNA Credential Takes You
You’ll Be Eligible to Work in Healthcare Within Weeks
Northern Virginia and the broader DC metro corridor represent one of the strongest healthcare job markets in the United States. Demand for qualified CNAs is not declining — it is growing, driven by an aging population, expanded healthcare infrastructure, and a persistent national shortage of frontline care workers.
What CNA Employers Are Hiring For Right Now
Graduates of Virginia-approved CNA programs are eligible to work in:
- Nursing homes and long-term care facilities
- Assisted living communities
- Hospitals and medical centers (Inova, Virginia Hospital Center, Reston Hospital, and others in the NoVA corridor)
- Rehabilitation and post-acute care centers
- Home health agencies
- Veterans affairs facilities
- Hospice and palliative care organizations
Compensation — Real Numbers for the Northern Virginia Market
The average CNA in Virginia earns between $17 and $22 per hour, with experienced CNAs in metro DC markets often earning above that range. Many employers in Northern Virginia offer:
- Shift differentials for evenings, nights, and weekends
- Benefits packages including health insurance and paid time off
- Tuition reimbursement for CNAs pursuing LPN or RN credentials
Run the math: At $18/hour full-time, that’s roughly $37,000 per year — with overtime and shift differentials available on top of that. Your CNA training investment can pay for itself within your first month of work.
CNAs Who Keep Going: Your Career Ladder Starts Here
Many students enroll in CNA training not as a final destination, but as a launchpad. The CNA credential is widely recognized as the most practical on-ramp into the nursing profession.
Common paths our graduates pursue:
- CNA → LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse)
- CNA → RN (Registered Nurse) via ADN or BSN programs
- CNA → Medical Assistant
- CNA → Home Health Aide or Patient Care Technician
Starting as a CNA means you begin earning while you explore. You build patient care experience that makes you a stronger nursing school applicant — and in many cases, your employer pays for your continued education.
Your Enrollment Path — 5 Steps from Today to Certified
We’ve removed the bureaucracy. Here’s exactly how you go from where you are now to working as a Certified Nurse Aide in Virginia.
Step 1: Explore — Learn What the Program Involves
Start by understanding the program, the schedule, and what’s expected of you. Read this page. Call us. Ask every question you have. We’d rather spend 20 minutes answering your questions now than have you enroll in something that isn’t the right fit.
Step 2: Apply — Start Your Application (It’s Free)
Submit your application using our simple online form. We’ll review your information and reach out to discuss next steps, scheduling, and financial aid options.
Basic eligibility: High school diploma or GED required. You do not need prior healthcare experience to apply.
Step 3: Enroll & Confirm Financial Aid
Once accepted, you’ll confirm your start date and finalize your financial plan — including financial aid, payment options, or GI Bill® processing. Our team walks you through every step so there are no surprises.
Step 4: Complete Your 150 Hours
Attend your scheduled classes and labs. Develop your skills. Work with instructors who know your name and track your progress. Complete the required clinical hours. At the end of your 150 hours, you’re eligible to sit for the Virginia Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation.
Step 5: Pass Your Exam & Launch Your Career
Take and pass the Virginia CNA certification exam — written and skills portions. Upon passing, your name is entered into the Virginia Nurse Aide Registry, making you eligible for immediate employment anywhere in the Commonwealth.
From today’s application to your first day of work: it’s possible in a matter of weeks.
Tuition & Financial Aid — Let’s Make This Work for You
We believe financial barriers shouldn’t stand between motivated people and meaningful healthcare careers. AVI Career Training offers a range of options to help you fund your CNA training without taking on unmanageable debt.
Financial Aid Options
Federal Financial Aid
Qualified students may be eligible for federal aid through the FAFSA process. AVI’s COE accreditation and SCHEV certification make us eligible to participate in federal student aid programs. Talk to our enrollment team about whether you qualify and what that looks like in practice.
GI Bill® — Veterans & Military Families
AVI Career Training accepts the GI Bill® for qualifying veterans, active-duty service members, and eligible dependents. Northern Virginia is home to one of the largest military communities in the country — we take seriously our responsibility to serve those who have served.
Payment Plans
We understand that a single lump-sum payment isn’t realistic for every student. Ask us about payment plan options that spread your investment over time.
Employer Tuition Assistance
Some students use employer tuition reimbursement programs — particularly those currently working in adjacent fields (healthcare, home care, etc.) who want to formalize and advance their credentials.
The Return on Your Investment
Before you decide tuition feels too high, consider what you’re buying: a credential that Virginia employers are actively hiring for, at wages of $17–$22+/hour, in one of the most stable industries in the economy.
The CNA credential is not a gamble. It’s a proven on-ramp to a real career with real earning potential — and AVI’s 150-hour program is one of the most efficient paths to get there.
Have questions about cost? Ask us directly. We’ll be straightforward about what you’ll pay and what options are available.
Frequently Asked Questions About AVI’s CNA Program
❓ Do I need prior healthcare experience to apply for the CNA program?
No. You do not need any prior healthcare or medical experience to enroll. AVI’s program is designed to take students from zero clinical background to exam-ready in 150 hours. You do need a high school diploma or GED to qualify. If you’re unsure whether you meet the requirements, contact us and we’ll talk it through — no pressure, no obligation.
❓ How flexible is the schedule? I’m currently working and/or have children.
We hear this question constantly — because most of our CNA students are juggling something. Whether it’s a current job, childcare, or other family obligations, scheduling flexibility matters. Contact our enrollment team directly to discuss available cohort schedules and which options might work best for your situation. We don’t believe one-size-fits-all schedules serve adult learners well, and we’ll do our best to find a path that works.
❓ Can I complete CNA training online? I’ve seen programs advertised online.
This is one of the most important questions you can ask — and the honest answer is: not in Virginia, not completely. Virginia state law requires CNA candidates to complete a minimum number of supervised, in-person clinical hours before sitting for the certification exam. Programs that are entirely online cannot fulfill this requirement. Students who enroll in online-only programs often discover they still need to find an approved in-person clinical component on their own — after already paying for an online course.
At AVI, your complete 150-hour program — classroom instruction and hands-on clinical training — is delivered in person, in Vienna, Virginia, by licensed instructors. When you graduate, you’ve completed everything Virginia requires. No gaps, no surprises.
❓ What is the Virginia CNA certification exam, and how does AVI prepare me for it?
The Virginia Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation has two components: a written (or oral) knowledge test and a hands-on skills demonstration. Candidates must pass both to be entered into the Virginia Nurse Aide Registry and legally work as a CNA.
AVI’s 150-hour curriculum is deliberately structured to cover every competency tested on the exam. Throughout your training, your instructors will conduct skills checks, knowledge reviews, and practice scenarios that mirror actual exam conditions. By the time you sit for the test, the material won’t feel new — it’ll feel familiar.
❓ Does AVI help with job placement after graduation?
AVI Career Training prepares you to be job-ready, and we take that responsibility seriously. Northern Virginia’s healthcare job market is robust — Inova Health System, Reston Hospital Center, Virginia Hospital Center, and dozens of long-term care and home health organizations in Fairfax, Loudoun, and Arlington counties are consistently hiring CNAs.
Talk to our team about what career support looks like and what resources we make available to graduates. We’re invested in your success beyond graduation day, because our reputation depends on it.
Ready to Start? Apply to AVI’s CNA Program Today
You’ve read this far because something in you is ready. Maybe it’s time to stop thinking about a healthcare career and actually start one.
150 hours. Real skills. A credential Virginia employers recognize and hire for.
AVI Career Training has helped students across Northern Virginia — from Vienna and Reston to Tysons, Herndon, Falls Church, and Fairfax — launch healthcare careers they’re proud of. We’re not a diploma mill. We’re not a waitlist. We’re a real school with real instructors, real accreditation, and a genuine commitment to your success.
The healthcare field needs people who care. If that’s you, we want to hear from you.
📋 Apply Now — Takes Less Than 5 Minutes
Free to apply. No commitment required to explore your options.
📞 Prefer to Talk First?
Call us: (703) 943-9841
We’re happy to answer your questions, walk you through the program, and help you figure out if this is the right move — before you fill out a single form.
📍 Visit Us in Vienna, Virginia
AVI Career Training
1595 Spring Hill Rd #720
Vienna, VA 22182
Conveniently located for students throughout the Northern Virginia / DC metro corridor: Reston, McLean, Tysons, Herndon, Falls Church, Fairfax, Annandale, Sterling, and beyond.
AVI Career Training is COE-accredited and SCHEV-certified. Financial aid available for qualifying students. GI Bill® accepted. Contact us for current program schedules, tuition details, and enrollment availability.
© AVI Career Training · Vienna, VA · (703) 943-9841 · avicareertraining.com