This summer marked an important milestone for Cristo Rey St. Martin. 39 students completed the school’s first Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program through a new partnership with Dominican University. Running from June 17 through August 15, the program combined classroom learning, lab work, and clinical experience to prepare students for the Illinois Nurse Assistant Competency Exam (INACE).
Classes met twice a week, with mornings dedicated to theory and afternoons in the Sim Lab on CRSM’s campus. By the end of the program, each student completed 40 classroom hours, 18 lab hours, and 40 clinical hours at local healthcare facilities, including Whitehall in Deerfield and Presbyterian Homes facilities The Moorings in Arlington Heights and Lake Forest Place.
“For these students, I always say that being a CNA is the stepping stone into healthcare,” explained Program Coordinator Cassidy Barth. “Then we actually go onsite at different clinical locations that we have partnerships with in the community, and they actually have experience, hands-on to interact with real patients in real time at real healthcare facilities.”
The experience paid off. Nearly 70 percent of CRSM students passed the CNA exam on their first attempt, surpassing the 62 percent pass rate of comparable dual credit programs.
Deigo C., a CRSM Junior, reflects on his experience with the program: “I got a lot of experience helping out and really seeing what it’s like to be a CNA. It showed me that I do want to be involved in the medical field.” Diego adds, “My career goal is to go into radiology, and this program helped me take the first steps.”
“I love the CNA program. It really showed me that in my future, I would be able to succeed in the medical field. That being said, it’s not for everyone. You see things, hear things, and you also experience bad events. You need to be strong-minded and sure that this is for you. Especially when you might get attached to a resident, and those might pass away soon. You will only be able to succeed if you have empathy but also the ability to be strong,” said Junior Abril G.
A special thank you goes to Dominican University, our facilities team, and our work study team for helping launch this program. We are proud of our students’ dedication and look forward to seeing where their healthcare journeys take them next.