Module 4
How you actually get certified here.
You don't sign up for a class to start. You apply for the job, work on the floor as a paid helping hand, and when you're ready the facility sponsors your paid certification training. Here's the full path.
Step 1 — Apply for a helping-hand role
You don't register for a class to get started. You apply for the job. Once hired, you work on the floor at the facility as a paid aide-in-training, supporting the care team.
Step 2 — Get paid from day one
You earn a paycheck while you learn. No tuition, no upfront cost. The facility invests in you because they want you to stay.
Step 3 — Learn on the floor
You shadow CNAs, learn the residents, and pick up real skills under real supervision. Your team will tell you when they think you're ready for the next step.
Step 4 — Facility sponsors your training
When you and the facility agree you're ready, they send you to paid certification training. The facility covers it — you stay on payroll.
Step 5 — Complete training and testing
You finish a state-approved nurse aide training program and sit for the Prometric written and clinical skills exams. NORA and your recruiter help you prep.
Step 6 — Become a certified CNA
Once you pass, you're listed on the NYS Nurse Aide Registry and move into a full CNA role at the facility — at CNA pay and with a real career path ahead of you.
Is this path right for me?
A quick honest checklist. If most of these are yes, you're well-positioned to start as a helping hand. If not, talk to a recruiter — there are often ways to make it work.
- I'm willing to start on the floor as a paid helping hand, not in a classroom.
- I have reliable transportation to the facility.
- I can show up on time for the shifts I commit to.
- I'm open to feedback from the care team about when I'm ready for certification training.
- When the facility sponsors my training, I can commit to attending and passing the Prometric exams.
Frequently asked questions
NYS Prometric exam and training pathway — answered.
Source: NYS Department of Health · Prometric Nurse Aide Candidate Handbook