THE FRONT RANGE NURSE AIDE TRAINING PROGRAM
Our program is fully approved by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, State Board of Nursing to provide this advance preparatory training. We are also approved by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. We offer both daytime and evening training courses and strive to assist students in becoming professional Certified Nurse Aides (CNA). There are three main principals behind the design of the Front Range Nurse Aide Training Program:
First, it is designed to provide students with a solid foundation relevant to the knowledge, terminology and basic nursing skills that will be expected of a graduate nurse aide, especially in reference to long-term care facilities; Second, it is designed for students who would like to enter the nurse aide workforce rapidly by learning the knowledge and skills that will be required to take and pass the Colorado Nurse Aide Competency & Evaluation exams; Third, it is designed to keep enrollment costs reasonable with no hidden charges or fees for unnecessary supplies. By choice, our facilty is modest but very well equipped in order to keep our operating costs low. This means our enrollment fees are lower than most other programs yet our "pass rates" are often much higher!
The entire program follows a core curriculum developed by Nurse Nancy LLC using national nurse aide course models; input from working CNAs & nurse aide instructors, and; input from medical clinical staffs, including administrators, DONs, and those supervising CNAs. The program therefore meets and exceeds the requirements established by the Colorado State Board of Nursing as specified in Chapter XI, Rules And Regulations For Approval Of Nurse Aide Training Programs (C.R.S. 12-38.1-103(3)).
The Front Range Nurse Aide Training Program provides 87+ hours of intensive but informative instruction including at least 32+ hours of knowledge based classroom instruction, 25+ hours of skills lab training, 21+ hours of actual hands-on clinical instruction, and; 6+ hours of testing. All aspects of instruction are provided, managed and evaluated by an RN and LPN using lectures, discussions, anatomical models, role playing, demonstration/return demonstration, printed handouts and intermittent testing.
We maintain a formal dedicated classroom that can comfortably seat 20 people plus 3 separate "skills training labs" that represent "mock patient rooms". These are fully equipped with nursing supplies, geriatric equipment, functional sinks, closets, privacy curtains and full size med-manikins. During the clinical phase of our training, students practice learned care skills with actual patients and residents at the Colonial Columns Skilled Nursing Center which is located in Colorado Springs.
The FRONT RANGE NURSE AIDE TRAINING PROGRAM provides the advance preparatory training that is required by the Colorado State Board of Nursing before a student is permitted to take the Colorado Nurse Aide Competency and Evaluation Exams (State Boards). This training includes instruction in the technical knowledge and specific nursing skills that will be covered by the State Board exams. At the end of our course, our graduates are issued a Proof-of-Training-Affidavit that is required to submit an application to take the State Boards. This Proof-of-Training-Affidavit is only valid for a period of 24 months, after which it expires. Most of our graduates take the State Boards approximately 01 month after they have completed our course. Once they pass the State Boards, the Colorado State Board of Nursing issues the "Certification" (the "C" in CNA) which remains valid as long as the persons works as a CNA and follows the renewal policies.
