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Lafayette has a smaller selection of Home Health Aide schools than some larger cities, so CNA training is one of the most practical ways to enter home care.
Louisiana-approved nurse aide programs can be completed in as little as two weeks, and Lafayette has both low-cost private programs and a more extensive community-college option.
CNA training can prepare graduates for home health employment while also opening opportunities in nursing homes, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, hospice, and other healthcare settings.
1 Infinity College
Infinity College offers an accelerated Nursing Assistant program approved for Louisiana CNA preparation.
The curriculum includes:
- Communication and interpersonal skills
- Infection control
- Safety and emergency procedures
- Residents’ rights
- Mental-health and social-service needs
- Personal care
- Basic nursing services
- CPR and emergency care
- Supervised clinical experience
The program includes approximately 40 hours of clinical training, giving students substantial hands-on experience before graduation.
Program Length
The program contains 80 hours.
The daytime schedule can be completed in approximately 2 weeks.
Day classes generally meet Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
An evening option takes approximately 4 weeks, with classes generally meeting from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
Cost
The current complete school cost is approximately $730.
The published breakdown includes:
- Tuition: $235
- Registration fee: $100
- Administrative fee: $100
- Clinical and laboratory equipment: $75
- Textbook: $65
- Technology fee: $75
- Supplies: $80
The Louisiana CNA certification examination is not included.
Students should therefore budget additional money for testing and any required health or screening expenses.
Admission Requirements
Students must complete Infinity College’s enrollment process and satisfy Louisiana requirements for Nurse Aide training.
Clinical participation can require:
- Criminal background clearance
- TB screening
- Appropriate identification
- Health documentation
What Makes This Program Worth Considering?
Infinity College combines one of Lafayette’s lowest CNA prices with one of its fastest schedules.
Approximately $730 for an 80-hour program completed in two weeks makes it particularly attractive to students who want to begin working quickly.
The evening schedule is also useful for students who cannot attend full-time daytime classes.
Address: 2600 Louisiana Avenue, Lafayette, LA 70501
2 Sovereign College
Sovereign College offers a fast-track Nursing Assistant program designed to prepare students for Louisiana CNA certification.
Students learn skills such as:
- Bathing and personal hygiene
- Dressing
- Feeding
- Vital signs
- Patient mobility
- Basic nursing care
- Observation and reporting
- Patient safety
The program is conducted completely in person.
Program Length
Training takes approximately 2 weeks.
Classes generally meet Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
Sovereign frequently schedules new classes, with multiple cohorts available throughout the year.
Cost
Current costs are approximately:
- Registration fee: $150
- Tuition: $650
- Background and sex-offender screening: $46
- Louisiana certification examination: $125
That produces a basic training and testing cost of approximately $971.
Students should also budget for any required uniforms, TB testing, or other personal supplies.
Payment plans, Afterpay, and Klarna options are available.
Admission Requirements
Students must:
- Pass a criminal background check
- Pass a sex-offender registry check
- Provide a negative TB skin test by the first day of class
A high school diploma is not required.
A GED is not required.
There is also no entrance examination.
What Makes This Program Worth Considering?
Sovereign College is one of the most accessible options for adults who did not finish high school.
Students can complete training in only two weeks without needing a diploma, GED, or entrance exam.
Frequent class starts also mean students generally do not have to wait months for the next available cohort.
Address: 312 Guilbeau Road, Suite 3A, Lafayette, LA 70506
3 South Louisiana Community College
South Louisiana Community College offers Certified Nursing Assistant training through its Workforce division.
The program provides significantly more instructional time than Lafayette’s two-week private CNA courses.
Students learn fundamental nursing skills through classroom education and supervised clinical experience.
Training covers areas such as:
- Personal care
- Activities of daily living
- Vital signs
- Patient safety
- Infection prevention
- Mobility and transfers
- Communication
- Observation and reporting
Program Length
The program takes approximately 6 weeks.
Students receive 80 hours of classroom instruction plus 45 hours of hands-on clinical experience.
That creates approximately 125 total hours of preparation.
Current Lafayette evening classes generally run from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
Cost
Current tuition is $2,200.
Tuition assistance may be available through workforce programs.
South Louisiana Community College also partners with FMOL Health on a CNA workforce pathway in Lafayette.
Eligible outside applicants can complete CNA training and transition into employment with the health system in exchange for an employment commitment.
Admission Requirements
Students can enroll starting at age 16.
A high school diploma, GED, or HiSET is not required for admission to the CNA course itself.
However, a high school or HiSET credential can be necessary for many financial-assistance programs.
Students must also satisfy the clinical and background requirements associated with Louisiana CNA training.
What Makes This Program Worth Considering?
SLCC costs considerably more than Lafayette’s private accelerated programs, but students receive substantially more training.
The 45 hours of hands-on clinical experience can be particularly useful for someone entering healthcare with no previous experience.
The FMOL Health partnership is another major advantage because qualifying students may be able to move directly from training into employment.
Address: 1101 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette, LA 70506
4 W.D. & Mary Baker Smith Career Center
W.D. & Mary Baker Smith Career Center offers CNA education through Lafayette Parish School System.
Students receive Louisiana-approved Nurse Aide training combining classroom instruction and practical clinical experience.
The healthcare pathway can also provide dual-enrollment college credit through South Louisiana Community College.
Program Length
Unlike Lafayette’s private career schools, this is a school-year program rather than an accelerated adult course.
Students attend in approximately three-hour daily instructional blocks while completing their regular high school education.
Cost
Tuition is $0.
Minor course-related expenses may still apply.
Because the program is part of Lafayette Parish’s public career and technical education system, eligible high school students can obtain CNA preparation without paying normal private-school tuition.
Admission Requirements
This program is not open to the general adult population.
Enrollment is intended for eligible Lafayette Parish high school students, primarily sophomores, juniors, and seniors participating through their home schools.
Students must meet the school system’s eligibility requirements for career and technical education.
What Makes This Program Worth Considering?
For an eligible Lafayette Parish high school student, the value is exceptional.
Students can complete approved CNA preparation without tuition while still in high school and may also earn dual-enrollment credit.
It gives younger students a way to graduate from high school already prepared to begin an entry-level healthcare career.
Address: 200 18th Street, Lafayette, LA 70501
Schools Summary Table
| Rank | School | |
|---|---|---|
|
#1 | Infinity College |
|
#2 | Sovereign College |
|
#3 | South Louisiana Community College |
|
#4 | W.D. & Mary Baker Smith Career Center |
Read the full guide: How to Become a Home Health Aide
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