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If you decide to attend Geriatric Nursing Assistant classes in Maryland, you will have the opportunity to launch a career in a field of allied health that is among the most-popular in the state and across the country. Other states call them CNAs or Certified Nursing Assistants but in Maryland they are commonly called GNAs or Geriatric Nursing Assistant. GNA classes in Maryland are easier to find than ever and we go out of our way for you to make that happen!

Find the Most Accessible GNA Classes in Maryland Today

How to become a GNA in Maryland

In the state of Maryland the (CNA) Certified Nursing Assistant is the equivalent to the (HHA) Home Health Aide. That being said, the (GNA) Geriatric Nursing Assistant is the equivalent to other states and nationally certified CNA status. In Maryland the CNA is the basic certification to work around the elderly in any capacity you will have to attain GNA status. Below we cover what it will take to get GNA certified.

Step 1 – Have your diploma or a G.E.D.

No matter which career you choose to pursue, receiving a high school diploma should be considered the first step. When it comes to careers in the medical field, this is especially true. Even in the cases when it is feasible to gain employment without a high school diploma, the jobs normally don’t offer much in the way of pay or chances for advancement.

When looking for a nursing assistant certification class, you can expect to find that the majority of schools require students to hold a diploma or G.E.D. before registration. For that reason, no matter your ultimate professional goal, make sure that you take this first step.

Step 2 – Register for a Maryland approved nursing assistant program

The organization in charge of regulating nurse assisting programs in Maryland is the Maryland Board of Nursing. You need to graduate from a program approved by this body if you wish to be approved to challenge to become certified in the state.

It is important to consider several factors when deciding on where to sign up for classes. As you compare your possible choices, you should take these factors into account:

Find and attend and approved GNA training program

After completing a Maryland Board of Nursing approved GNA program it opens you up to take the test for a certification in the state which is the NNAAP. Programs approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing are listed below.

The Full List of Approved Nursing Assistant Programs in Maryland

HIGH SCHOOLS APPROVAL DATE RE-APPROVAL DATE
1. Bladensburg High School 10/2018 10/2020
2. Career & Tech Ctr/Calvert Public Schools 12/2016 12/2018
3. Caroline Career & Technology Center 01/2017 01/2019
4. Carroll County Career & Tech Center 06/2017 06/2019
5. Cecil County School of Technology 08/2018 08/2020
6. Center for Career & Technical Ed 02/2017 02/2019
7. Center of Applied Technology North 09/2018 09/2020
8. Center of Applied Technology-South 01/2018 01/2020
9. Crossland High School 05/2018 05/2020
10. Dorchester Career & Tech Center 02/2017 02/2019
11. Dr. James A. Forrest Career & Tech Ctr 05/2018 05/2020
12. Edmondson-Westside High School 06/2018 06/2020
13. Frederick County Career & Tech Ctr 08/2017 08/2019
14. Harford Technical High 06/2018 06/2020
15. J. M. Tawes Technical High School 09/2017 09/2019
16. Kent County High School 09/2018 09/2020
17. Laurel High School 10/2016 10/2018
18. Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical 05/2018 05/2020
19. Milford Mill Academy 07/2017 07/2019
20. Montgomery County Schools 02/2017 02/2019
21. North Point High School for Science, 06/2018 06/2020
22. Northern Garrett High School 04/2018 04/2020
23. Parkside High School (CNA only) 05/2018 05/2020
24. Parkside High School-Health Occupations 05/2018 05/2020
25. Patterson High School 02/2018 02/2020
26. Queen’s Anne County High School 05/2017 05/2019
27. Randallstown High School 07/2017 07.2019
28. Reach! Partnership Middle-High School 05/2018 05/2020
29. Sollers Point High School (CNA only) 05/2017 05/2019
30. Southern Garrett High School 04/2018 04/2020
31. Suitland High School 08/2016 08/2018
32. Vivien T. Thomas Medical Arts Academy 05/2017 05/2019
33. Washington County Tech. High School 07/2017 07/2019
34. Worcester Technical High School 06/2017 06/2019

COLLEGES APPROVAL DATE RE-APPROVAL DATE

35. Allegany College of Maryland 01/2018 01/2020
36. Anne Arundel Community College/PCT 05/2017 05/2019
37. Baltimore City Community College 11/2016 11/2018
38. Carroll Community College 06/2018 06/2020
39. Cecil Community College 12/2016 12/2018
40. Chesapeake College 06/2017 06/2019
41. Chesapeake College-Integrated Program 07/2017 07/2019
42. College of Southern Maryland 11/2018 11/2020
43. Community College of Baltimore Co. 10/2017 10/2019
44. Coppin State University 11/2015 11/2017
45. Frederick Community College 02/2018 02/2020
46. Garrett College 11/2018 11/2020
47. Hagerstown Community College 04/2016 04/2018
48. Harford Community College 04/2017 04/2019
49. Howard Community College 02/2018 02/2020
50. Howard Community College & Howard 12/2016 12/2018
County Public Schools
51. Montgomery College 12/2016 12/2018
52. Montgomery College Refugee Training 10/2017 10/2019
53. Prince George’s Community College 06/2018 06/2020
54. Prince George’s Community College 06/2018 06/2020
55. Wor-Wic College 09/2017 09/2019
56. Wor-Wic College, ESL Program 09/2017 09/2019
FREESTANDING PROGRAMS APPROVAL DATE RE-APPROVAL DATE
57. AMC Career Institute 11/2018 11/2020
58. American Health Career Institute 07/2016 07/2018
59. American Red Cross 09/2018 09/2020
60. Aspire School of Learning, 01/2017 01/2019
61. Baltimore Academy of Nursing Assistants 11/2016 11/2018
62. Bethel Health Care Institute 06/2018 06/2020
63. Cambridge Nsg. Asst. Trng. Academy 10/2016 10/2018
64. Care ‘Xpert Academy, LLC 06/2016 06/2018
65. Caroline Center 12/2017 12/2019
66. Certified Home Nursing Solutions 04/2017 04/2019
67. Compassionate Nursing Asst. Academy 09/2017 09/2019
68. Demas Academy 09/2017 09/2019
69. Dominion Academy, Inc. 12/2017 12/2019
70. Fomen Nursing Asst Training Academy 05/2018 05/2020
71. Gandhi’s Institute of Health Found. 07/2017 07/2019
72. Greenbelt Career Institute 03/2017 03/2019
73. Health Focus Nrsg Asst. Training 09/2017 09/2019
74. Healthcare Training Solutions 09/2018 09/2020
75. Heart for Life Nsg. Asst Trng Pgm 09/2015 09/2017
76. Heritage Care 06/2018 06/2020
77. I.T. Works 07/2017 07/2019
78. Knowledge First Institute 02/2017 02/2019
79. Maryland Center for Adult Training 05/2016 05/2018
80. Morning Star Academy 09/2018 09/2020
81. The Nursing Assistant Academy 05/2018 05/2020
82. NurseOne, Inc. 10/2018 10/2020
83. Perpetual School of Nursing Assistant 11/2016 11/2018
84. Precise Academy 07/2017 07/2019
85. Premier Healthcare Institute 07/2016 07/2018
86. Quality First Career Center (CNA & GNA) 03/2018 03/2020
87. Silver Oak Academy 07/2016 07/2018
88. Stein Academy 05/2018 05/2020
89. Stein Academy – CNA/Nurse Tech 06/2018 06/2020
90. Top Knowledge Healthcare Institute CNA 08/2017 08/2019
91. Top Knowledge Healthcare Institute GNA 01/2018 01/2020
92, Trinity Nursing Assistant Training 11/2016 11/2018
93. Vision Allied Health Institute 04/2017 04/2019
NURSING HOMES APPROVAL DATE RE-APPROVAL DATE
94. Anchorage Healthcare Center 01/2018 01/2020
95. Charlotte Hall Veterans Home 03/2017 03/2019
96. Citizens Care Center 05/2016 05/2018
97. Crofton Care & Rehab Center 12/2016 12/2018
98. Cumberland Health Care Center 11/2016 11/2018
99. Dennett Road Manor 06/2018 06/2020
100. Devlin Manor 10/2018 10/2020
101. Forest Hill Health & Rehab 02/2018 02/2020
102. Fort Washington 12/2016 12/2018
103. Future Care of Irvington 09/2018 09/2020
104. Genesis HealthCare-Ballenger Creek Center 10/2017 10/2019
105. Genesis HealthCare-Bradford Oaks Center 10/2017 10/2019
106. Genesis HealthCare -Catonsville Commons 10/2017 10/2019
107. Genesis HealthCare -Chesapeake Woods 10/2017 10/2019
108. Genesis HealthCare -Corsica Hills 10/2017 10/2019
109. Genesis HealthCare -Crescent City 10/2017 10/2019
110. Genesis HealthCare -Cromwell Center 10/2017 10/2019
111. Genesis HealthCare Fairland Creek Center 10/2017 10/2019
112. Genesis HealthCare -Franklin Woods 10/2017 10/2019
113. Genesis HealthCare Glade Valley Center 10/2017 10/2019
114. Genesis HealthCare -Hammonds Lane 10/2017 10/2019
115. Genesis HealthCare -Heritage Center 10/2017 10/2019
116. Genesis HealthCare LaPlata 10/2017 10/2019
117. Genesis HealthCare -Layhill 10/2017 10/2019
118. Genesis HealthCare -Patapsco Valley 10/2017 10/2019
119. Genesis HealthCare Powerback Rehab 10/2017 10/2019
120. Genesis HealthCare Salisbury Center 10/2017 10/2019
121. Genesis HealthCare -Severna Park Center 10/2017 10/2019
122. Genesis HealthCare -Shady Grove 10/2017 10/2019
123. Genesis HealthCare Spa Creek 10/2017 10/2019
124. Genesis HealthCare -The Pines 10/2017 10/2019
125. Genesis HealthCare-Waldorf Center 10/2017 10/2019
126. Genesis HealthCare-Waugh Chapel 10/2017 10/2019
127. Goodwill Retirement Home 02/2017 02/2019
128. Long View Healthcare Center 07/2017 07/2019
129. Lorien Nursing Home 01/2016 01/2018
130. Moran Manor Nursing & Rehab. 06/2018 06/2020
131. National Lutheran Communities & Services,
The Village at Rockville 09/2018 09/2020
132. Oakland Nursing and Rehab 12/2017 12/2019
133. Sage Point Nursing Home 05/2018 05/2020
134. Sterling Care at Frostburg Village 04/2018 04/2020
135. The Lion Center for Rehab & Extended Care 05/2018 05/2020
136. Westminster Health Care 09/2017 09/2019
HOSPITALS APPROVAL DATE RE-APPROVAL DATE
137. Baltimore Washington Medical Ctr. 04/2018 05/2020
138. Spring Grove Hospital 05/2017 05/2019
SCHOOL HEALTH AIDES APPROVAL DATE RE-APPROVAL DATE
139. Baltimore County Public Schools 08/2016 08/2018
140. Maryland State Dept. of Education 01/2017 01/2019
(Curriculum only)
141. Annapolis Area Christian School 11/2016 11/2018
142. Anne Arundel County Dept. of Health 09/2018 09/2020
143. Montgomery County Department of Health and
Human Services, School Health Services
Division 08/2018 08/2020

Step 3 – Meet the training requirement for Maryland

Maryland requires that potential nursing assistants complete a total of 100 hours in the classroom and 40 hours in a clinical setting to become eligible to take the NNAAP licensing examination.

Step 4 – Pass the NNAAP

In the State of Maryland, you’ll be required to pass a nationally-recognized examination for nursing assistant certification – the NNAAP. The organization that gives the exam is PearsonVue. The sites in Maryland where the exam is normally administered have been listed on the provider’s website here for dates and times.

The cost is $105 for the full evaluation. The skills exam costs $70 and the knowledge exam will cost $35.

Step 5 – Get on the Maryland Nurse Aide Registry

The final step in the process of becoming eligible for employment as a GNA in Maryland is making sure that your name is recorded on the Maryland Board of Nursing Nurse Aide Registry. The registry is a checklist of all of the geriatric nursing assistants that are eligible for employment in Maryland. After you pass the NNAAP. PearsonVue will then contact the Maryland Board of Nursing Nurse Aide Registry and get you on it. The whole process takes about 1-2 weeks to play out.

Maryland Board of Nursing

Nurse Aide Registry
4140 Patterson Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21215-2298

Nursing assistant jobs and salary in Maryland

The 31% growth in additional jobs for nursing assistants in Maryland is down right amazing. See what the pay and salary is like below with detailed table for Maryland.

LocationPay TypeLowMedianHigh
United StatesHourly$9.64$12.78$18.22
Yearly$20,040$26,590$37,900
MarylandHourly$10.49$13.91$18.66
Yearly$21,820$28,940$38,810
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WVHourly$10.67$14.11$19.13
Yearly$22,200$29,340$39,790
Wilmington, DE-MD-NJHourly$11.09$14.08$18.24
Yearly$23,070$29,290$37,950
Baltimore-Towson, MDHourly$10.72$14.04$18.53
Yearly$22,300$29,210$38,530
Garrett CountyHourly$10.33$14.02$17.61
Yearly$21,480$29,170$36,630
Upper Eastern ShoreHourly$10.38$13.80$18.55
Yearly$21,600$28,700$38,590
Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WVHourly$9.51$13.74$18.86
Yearly$19,770$28,570$39,230
Salisbury, MDHourly$10.17$13.05$17.54
Yearly$21,150$27,140$36,490
Cumberland, MD-WVHourly$10.04$12.95$16.70
Yearly$20,890$26,940$34,730

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