CNA Training Program in Northern Virginia — Become a Certified Nurse Aide in 150 Hours
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You Care About People. Let’s Make That a Career.
Northern Virginia’s healthcare employers are hiring right now — and they need compassionate, credentialed Certified Nurse Aides who are ready to work. At AVI Career Training in Vienna, VA, our COE-accredited CNA program gives you the skills, the state board preparation, and the confidence to step into one of the fastest-growing healthcare roles in the region.
No years. No waitlists. No guesswork. Just 150 focused hours standing between you and a healthcare career that actually means something.
Start Your Application Today →
📞 Prefer to talk first? Call us at (703) 943-9841
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At a Glance
| ✅ 150 Program Hours | 🏛️ COE Accredited | 💰 Financial Aid Available |
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| Complete your training in weeks, not semesters | Recognized by employers and licensing boards across Virginia | Tuition assistance options including GI Bill® acceptance |
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Why Choose AVI Career Training for Your CNA Certification?
There’s no shortage of CNA programs in Northern Virginia. So why do motivated career-changers, recent graduates, and aspiring healthcare professionals choose AVI? Because we do things differently — and our students feel that difference from day one.
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1. COE Accreditation You Can Trust — and Employers Recognize
AVI Career Training is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education (COE) and certified by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV). That’s not just a credential on a wall — it’s the assurance that your training meets rigorous educational standards that Virginia’s healthcare employers, licensing boards, and continuing education programs actually respect.
When you walk into a job interview with an AVI credential, you’re walking in with proof that your training was held to a higher standard.
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2. Small Classes. Real Instructors. Actual Hands-On Practice.
Healthcare is a hands-on field. You can’t learn patient care from a slide deck. At AVI, our cohort sizes are intentionally small, which means:
This is the opposite of what you’ll experience at large national training chains or packed community college programs with waitlists stretching six months out.
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3. Start Sooner. Finish Faster. Work Sooner.
Northern Virginia Community College has a respected CNA program. It also has waitlists. Rigid semester schedules. Bureaucratic enrollment timelines. If you apply to NOVA, you might be waiting months before you ever set foot in a classroom.
AVI’s streamlined enrollment process means you can apply today and start working toward your certification quickly — not next semester, not next year. For career-changers who need to move fast and families who can’t afford to tread water, that timeline matters enormously.
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4. You’re Not Locked Into One Employer
Hospital-sponsored CNA programs sound appealing — until you read the fine print. Many employer-linked programs come with strings: limited seats, selective admission, and an expectation that you’ll work for that one employer after graduation.
AVI graduates are free agents. You’ll be qualified to work at:
One credential. The entire Northern Virginia healthcare market. Your choice.
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5. Local School. Local Knowledge. Local Connections.
AVI isn’t a national chain that parachuted into Vienna because Northern Virginia tested well in a demographic study. We’re part of this community. We understand the NOVA healthcare hiring landscape because we live and work here. Our team knows which employers are hiring, what they’re looking for in a CNA candidate, and how to help you put your best foot forward when the time comes.
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What You’ll Learn: CNA Program Curriculum
Virginia’s Nurse Aide curriculum is defined by the state and designed to ensure that every graduate is genuinely prepared to provide safe, competent, compassionate care. AVI’s 150-hour program covers every required domain — and our instructors bring each topic to life with the clinical context you actually need on the job.
Core Skill Areas
Patient Care Fundamentals
Understand the role of the nursing assistant within the healthcare team. Learn how to assist patients with daily living activities while respecting dignity, privacy, and patient rights.
Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)
Bathing, grooming, dressing, toileting, feeding, mobility assistance — the real, essential, hands-on work of a CNA. You’ll practice these skills until they’re second nature.
Vital Signs Measurement
Accurately measure and document blood pressure, pulse, respiration rate, and temperature. Know what normal looks like — and recognize when something isn’t.
Infection Prevention & Control
Handwashing, PPE use, standard precautions, and isolation procedures. In any healthcare setting, your ability to prevent the spread of infection protects both your patients and yourself.
Communication & Interpersonal Skills
Learn to communicate clearly with patients, families, and clinical team members. Practice active listening, de-escalation techniques, and professional documentation.
Safety & Emergency Procedures
Patient safety is every CNA’s responsibility. You’ll learn fall prevention, proper body mechanics, restraint alternatives, and how to respond appropriately in emergencies.
Long-Term Care & Hospital Settings
Understand the distinct environments where CNAs work — skilled nursing facilities, acute care hospitals, memory care units, and more — and how your role adapts across each setting.
Virginia State Board Exam Preparation
We don’t just teach the curriculum and wave goodbye. AVI’s program is structured to prepare you for the Virginia Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation, the state certification test that includes both a written knowledge exam and a clinical skills demonstration. You’ll enter exam day prepared — not guessing.
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Program Hours Summary
| Component | Hours |
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| Classroom & Theory Instruction | Included in 150 hours |
| Lab & Clinical Skills Practice | Included in 150 hours |
| State Board Exam Prep | Included in 150 hours |
| Total Program Hours | 150 Hours |
150 hours is the Virginia state-required minimum for nurse aide training — and our curriculum is designed to use every one of those hours effectively.
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Career Outcomes: Where Your CNA Credential Takes You
The Northern Virginia Healthcare Market Is One of the Strongest in the Country
The DC metro area — and Northern Virginia in particular — is home to a dense, growing healthcare ecosystem. Fairfax County alone has hundreds of healthcare facilities. Add in Arlington, Loudoun, and Prince William Counties, and you’re looking at a regional job market that consistently outpaces national averages for healthcare employment.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects consistent job growth for Nursing Assistants over the next decade, driven by an aging population that needs more care, not less. In a region with Northern Virginia’s demographics and healthcare infrastructure, that demand is amplified.
What CNAs Earn in Virginia
Salary data is approximate and based on regional market trends. Individual compensation will vary by employer, experience, and setting.
Where AVI CNA Graduates Work
The CNA as a Career Launch Pad
Many of our CNA students don’t see this as their final destination — they see it as the fastest, smartest way into healthcare. And they’re right. Your CNA certification is recognized and valued by LPN, RN, and other clinical training programs across Virginia. You’ll graduate with real clinical experience under your belt, which makes you a stronger candidate for:
Start here. Go anywhere.
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Your Path to Becoming a Certified Nurse Aide
We’ve designed our enrollment process to be simple, supportive, and fast. Here’s exactly what to expect:
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Step 1: Explore — Learn Everything You Need to Know
Have questions before you commit? That’s not just normal — it’s smart. Contact our admissions team to ask about the program schedule, tuition, what a typical day looks like, and whether CNA is the right fit for your goals. We’ll give you honest, complete answers.
Reach Out to Our Admissions Team →
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Step 2: Apply — It’s Simpler Than You Think
Submit your application online. Our team reviews applications promptly and will be in touch quickly to discuss next steps. You don’t need a college degree, a spotless academic record, or years of healthcare experience. You need a high school diploma or GED, a genuine desire to care for people, and the commitment to show up and do the work.
Prerequisites at a Glance:
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Step 3: Enroll & Begin Training
Once accepted, you’ll finalize your enrollment — including reviewing your financial aid options, confirming your schedule, and getting everything you need to show up on day one ready to learn. Our staff walks you through every step so nothing feels overwhelming.
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Step 4: Complete Your 150 Hours
Attend your classes, engage in your lab sessions, practice your skills, ask questions, and lean into the training. AVI’s instructors are here to see you succeed — not just to deliver content and disappear. If something isn’t clicking, we help you work through it.
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Step 5: Pass the Virginia Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation
After completing your program hours, you’ll be eligible to take Virginia’s state certification exam, which includes:
AVI’s curriculum prepares you specifically for both components. You won’t walk into that exam guessing what to expect.
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Step 6: Get Listed on the Virginia Nurse Aide Registry & Start Working
Once you pass, your name is added to the Virginia Nurse Aide Registry — the official state record that healthcare employers verify before hiring. From there? You’re a credentialed, state-recognized CNA. Go get the job.
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Tuition & Financial Aid
We’ll be straightforward with you: training costs money, and we know that’s a real concern for many of the people considering our program. The good news is that you have options.
Financial Aid Is Available
AVI Career Training participates in financial aid programs designed to make career training accessible — not just to those who can afford to pay out of pocket. We encourage you to connect with our admissions team early in the process to explore what assistance may be available to you.
GI Bill® Accepted
If you’re a veteran or military spouse, AVI Career Training accepts the GI Bill®. Your service has already given so much — your education benefits are there to be used. We’ll help you understand how to apply them toward your CNA training.
Think of Tuition as an Investment With a Measurable Return
CNA salaries in Northern Virginia start around $36,000 per year and go up from there. When you frame your training cost against that earning potential, the math becomes clearer. Many of our graduates find that their training investment pays for itself within their first months on the job.
Payment Options
AVI works with students to find payment arrangements that make sense. Contact our admissions team to discuss tuition, payment plans, and aid options with no pressure and no obligation.
Talk to Us About Financial Aid →
📞 (703) 943-9841
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Do I need any prior healthcare experience to enroll in AVI’s CNA program?
No prior healthcare experience is required. Our program is designed to take motivated students from beginner to state-certified — including the foundational clinical knowledge and hands-on skills that make a CNA effective on day one of the job. What you do need is a genuine desire to care for people and the commitment to complete 150 hours of training. We’ll teach you the rest.
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How long does it take to become a CNA in Virginia?
Virginia requires a minimum of 150 hours of state-approved nurse aide training before you can sit for the Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation. At AVI, that means your classroom and lab training can be completed in a matter of weeks — significantly faster than semester-based programs at community colleges. After completing training, you’ll schedule and complete your state board exam, and upon passing, you’ll be added to the Virginia Nurse Aide Registry. From first day of class to first day of work, many students are employed within a few months of starting.
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Is the CNA certification exam difficult? What if I’m worried about failing?
This is one of the most common concerns we hear, and it’s a completely understandable one. The honest answer: the exam is not easy, but it is very passable for students who complete their training and take preparation seriously. AVI’s curriculum is structured around the actual competency evaluation — both the written/oral knowledge section and the clinical skills demonstration. We walk you through what the exam looks like, practice the clinical skills you’ll be tested on, and help you build the kind of familiarity that transforms test anxiety into quiet confidence. You won’t be walking in blind.
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Can I work while I’m in the CNA program? Is the schedule flexible?
We understand that most of our students can’t simply stop working to attend school full-time. Contact our admissions team to discuss current schedule options — we work hard to offer training that fits real life, not just ideal circumstances. The 150-hour program is compact enough that it doesn’t stretch on forever, which helps balance training with existing responsibilities.
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Does AVI help CNA graduates find jobs after completing the program?
We don’t operate a formal staffing agency, and we won’t promise you a job — that wouldn’t be honest. What we will tell you is this: Northern Virginia’s healthcare job market is genuinely robust, and credentialed CNAs are consistently in demand across the region. We know this market. Our team can speak to the landscape, help you understand what employers are looking for, and support you in putting your best foot forward. The credential you earn at AVI carries weight with employers — and the relationships you build during your training are yours to take forward.
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What is the minimum age to enroll in Virginia’s CNA program?
Virginia state regulations set the minimum age requirement for nurse aide training. Contact our admissions team to confirm the current requirement and whether you meet eligibility criteria before applying.
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Ready to Start? Your Healthcare Career Is 150 Hours Away.
Every shift a CNA works, someone’s day gets a little better. A patient feels seen. A family feels less afraid. A healthcare team has the support it needs to do its best work. That’s not a small thing. That’s a career that matters.
Northern Virginia’s healthcare employers need CNAs right now. Not next semester. Not after you’ve spent two years in a prerequisite loop. Now.
AVI Career Training is ready when you are. Small classes, real instructors, COE accreditation, financial aid options, and a straightforward path to Virginia state certification — everything you need to move from “thinking about it” to “doing it.”
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🎯 Take the First Step Today
Fill out our quick contact form and an AVI admissions team member will be in touch promptly — no pressure, no scripts, just real answers to your real questions.
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📞 Call or Text: (703) 943-9841
📍 Visit Us:
AVI Career Training
1595 Spring Hill Rd #720
Vienna, VA 22182
Located in the heart of Northern Virginia — convenient to Tysons Corner, McLean, Reston, Herndon, Falls Church, Fairfax, and Arlington.
🏛️ COE Accredited · SCHEV Certified · Financial Aid Available · GI Bill® Accepted
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AVI Career Training’s CNA program is approved by the Virginia Department of Health. Completion of the program makes graduates eligible to sit for the Virginia Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation administered by Prometric. Salary figures cited represent regional market estimates and are not guarantees of individual earnings. Financial aid availability subject to eligibility.