What is an STNA?

STNA stands for State Tested Nurse Aides, and it’s the term the state of Ohio prefers to call its CNAs.

There’s nothing different with the job an STNA does from a CNA either.

You’ll still work in long-term care facilities and nursing homes, providing direct patient care to residents.

  • Clean and bathe patients
  • Help patients use the toilet and dress
  • Help patients with ambulation
  • Turn, reposition, and transfer patients between beds and wheelchairs
  • Listen to and record patients’ health concerns and report that information to nurses
  • Measure patients’ vital signs
  • Serve meals and help patients eat
  • First aid

Also, you’ll undergo the same nurse aide training and certification as the CNAs.

For more information, you can go to https://www.cnaclasses101.com/ohio/.

Where Can I Find an STNA Training Program?

You can take nurse aide classes in the following institutions:

  • Community colleges
  • Technical-vocational schools
  • High schools
  • Medical facilities
  • Long-term care and nursing homes
  • Private entities

Today, some of them offer online courses for students looking for learning flexibility and convenience.

Reminder: When looking for a program, be sure that it has approval from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH).

In this way, you’ll receive nurse aide education that meets the OBRA requirements.

For a list of state-approved STNA training facilities, you can visit ODH’s website.

How Long Does It Take To Get STNA Certification?

It depends on…

  • The curriculum of the Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP) you’ve taken
  • When you plan to sit for and pass the Ohio STNA Exam

Some NATCEPs can take as little as two weeks to complete, while others are as long as 12 weeks.

Regarding the exam, you have until the end of the eligibility to test period* to successfully complete it.

If you can pass the exam on the first attempt, you can receive your STNA certification in less than six months**.

Otherwise, it will take more than six months for you to earn it.

*Usually 24 months after the date of training completion
**Timeframe includes the NATCEP duration

How Much Is an STNA’s Expected Salary?

As an STNA working in Ohio, you can expect to receive an average salary of…

  • Hourly – $15.06
  • Annually – $31,330

Take a look at the percentile wage data below to know more about the salary of STNAs.

PercentileAverage Annual Salary
10%$23,910
25%$28,900
50%$29,840
75%$36,280
90%$37,400

Information retrieved from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), May 2021

What’s the Job Outlook for STNAs?

With the aging boomer population, STNAs are urgently needed to care for the elderly.

Per BLS, there were 58,830 STNAs employed as of May 2021.

With a location quotient of 1.21, Ohio has exuded a higher employment share than the national average.

This indicates that the future of STNAs is good and will continue to grow in this decade.

Currently, you can find most STNAs working at nursing homes, retirement centers, and hospitals


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