CNA Classes & Programs in Wilmington, Delaware

To work as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in Wilmington, you must meet the statewide CNA requirements set by Delaware. These include completing a Delaware Division of Health Care Quality (DHCQ)-approved CNA training program, passing the Delaware Nurse Aide Competency Examination administered by Prometric, and being placed on the Delaware Nurse Aide Registry.

• At least 91 total hours of training (75 hours of classroom instruction including laboratory, plus 16 hours of supervised clinical skills training)
• Completion of 16 hours of introductory instruction before any direct resident contact
• Required immunizations and tuberculosis screening before clinical training, plus the fingerprint background check and drug test Delaware requires to work in a nursing home or other long-term care facility, or for a home health agency. Admission requirements, such as a minimum age, are set by each program
• Passing the Prometric knowledge examination (60 multiple-choice questions, 90 minutes) and the clinical skills evaluation (five skills, 31 to 40 minutes, with all five required to pass)
• Up to three attempts to pass both components within 24 months of completing training
• Placement on the Delaware Nurse Aide Registry, with certification administered by DHCQ (not the Board of Nursing)

Once certified, you may work in nursing homes, hospitals, assisted living facilities, home care agencies, and other healthcare settings throughout Wilmington and across Delaware. Certification is valid for two years. To renew, CNAs must complete at least 64 hours of paid nursing-related work and 24 hours of continuing education (including 6 hours of dementia training and 2 hours of abuse-prevention training), then file the renewal through Relias at least 30 days before expiration and pay the $25 renewal fee. The Prometric competency examination costs $115 for the combined written and skills tests.

Already certified in another state? Delaware offers certification by reciprocity for nursing assistants who hold a current certification in good standing in another state. Approved applicants are placed on the Delaware registry without repeating training or retaking the exam, but must document either three months (420 hours) of full-time nursing assistant work in the preceding two years or completion of a training program at least as long as Delaware's, and pay a $30 processing fee. Applicants from Maryland must hold a current Geriatric Nursing Assistant (GNA) certificate. Learn more in our CNA License Reciprocity in Delaware guide.

For complete details on training, testing, certification, and renewal, see our full CNA License & Registration in Delaware guide.