Nursing Assistant Registration & Course Information

To enroll in the Nursing Assistant Course, please print and complete the following forms (please print clearly):

Registration Forms

  • Student Data Information
  • Student Rights, Responsibilities & Authorizations for the Collection and Release of Data
  • Nursing Assistant Refund Policy
  • Deferred Payment Agreement (employer must sign the top, student must sign the bottom) ** Please send payment with registration forms if the student is paying**
  • Background Study Form - Minnesota West will submit this electronically to MN Department of Human Services. Minnesota law requires all students providing direct patient care to undergo a background study.

Please mail to:
Minnesota West Community & Technical College
Mel Lamote– Nursing Assistant Registration
PO Box 250
Pipestone, MN 56164-0250

OR email to melinda.lamote@mnwest.edu. If emailing, please remove any private data such as your social security #.

CNA Test-Out Dates

Test-Out or Challenge Candidate Application

Nursing Assistant Reading Test Policy

Students attending a Nursing Assistant class will be required to take an Accuplacer test to measure their ability/proficiency to read and course readiness. Students taking the Accuplacer test must score a 31+ (reading) or 221+ Next Gen Reading unless waived by the following:

  • Act 11+ on reading
  • High School MCA1042+
  • High School transcript
  • Relevant GPA 2.0 or above
  • College-level coursework

Course placement must be reviewed before starting the course.

Tuition Refund Policy

In order to be eligible for a refund, you must officially drop the class. This means that you must notify Mel Lamote at 507-825-6822 or via email (preferred) at: melinda.lamote@mnwest.edu. The date you notify the Pipestone campus will be the official date of the drop. Tuition will only be refunded if the official drop date is within one business day after the first session.

Rates Charged as of August 2025

To be eligible for the Minnesota resident tuition rate, you must be a resident of Minnesota for a minimum of 12 months before registration for this class. Due to negotiated agreements with the states of South Dakota and North Dakota, residents of those states must fill out a reciprocity form to qualify for the lower resident tuition rate. Residents of other states will be allowed to pay the lower resident rate without completing any additional paperwork.

Classes running August 2025 – July 2026 (MN/ND/SD/Non-Resident)

Tuition/Fees: $747.42 | Textbook: $55.00 | Skill Sheet: $12.75 | Total $815.17

TUITION/FEES/BOOKS SUBJECT TO CHANGE. A State Nurse Aide Test fee will be due at the end of training. Full test $250.00 / Retake Knowledge test $110.00 / Retake Skills test $140.00 / NO SHOW $250.00.  

 144A.611 REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES FOR NURSING ASSISTANT TRAINING AND COMPETENCY EVALUATIONS. Subdivision 1. Nursing homes and certified boarding care homes. The actual costs of tuition and textbooks and reasonable expenses for the competency evaluation or the nursing assistant training program and competency evaluation approved under section 144A.61, which are paid to nursing assistants or adult training programs or their fiscal agents pursuant to subdivisions 2 and 4, are a reimbursable expense for nursing homes and certified boarding care homes under section 256R.37.

Nursing Assistant Student Checklist  

All forms should be filled out completely.

  • Location and Date are marked in the upper right-hand corner of the registration form
  • The Payment Agreement CNA course form must be filled out. If a facility is paying, they must fill out the facility section and sign the bottom, along with the student
  • High School transcript should be included with the registration. If you are not able to include your transcript, an Accuplacer reading test will need to be scheduled before you can be registered.
  • Students are registered on a first-come, first-served basis. Incomplete paperwork may delay your registration.
  • Please list a working email. A confirmation of receipt of your paperwork will be sent to you.
  • Classes are held based on enrollment. If we do not meet the required enrollment, classes may be moved or canceled.
  • Self-paying students: Payment must be made BEFORE the first class.
  • If you haven’t received a registration confirmation email, contact Mel Lamote at melinda.lamote@mnwest.edu
  • Have you received a welcome email from your instructor? Be sure to check your spam. You should receive the welcome email 3 days before class starts.
  • StarID/password. You will need to set up a StarID to access the D2L site for the online learning portion of the course. This must be done before you can attend orientation. If you do not have one, please follow the directions at the link. If you currently have a StarID do not set up a new one.

    • Activate StarID

      Click on “I know my email address”. – Use the email address that is on your registration.

      Please make note of your StarID and password, as you will need this to access the class. This information is confidential, and I am not able to retrieve it for you.

  • Books– Will be handed out at the orientation
The Nursing Assistant course curriculum is offered in two different learning formats.

The delivery of each format is detailed below. 

Curriculum Option 1

  • 80-hour course **Students will need a computer for this option**
    • Orientation: 4 hours(on-site)
    • Lecture: 19 hours (all online)
    • Lab: 16 hours virtual simlab/modules (online) Lab:25 hours hands-on lab time(on-site)
    • Clinical: 16 hours (on-site) MDH requirement
  • On-site initial meeting with instructor (get book, sign class paperwork, class tutorial)
  • Upon lecture completion, students then progress to the lab portion of class
  • The virtual lab is completed before coming to class
  • Lab is held on various campuses/sites in a group setting
  • Clinical is held at approved long-term care facilities (background check will be required to participate in clinical)

Curriculum Option 2: Limited availability

80-hour course

  • All face-to-face content, lecture, and lab
  • (lecture, lab, clinical)

Content delivered via PowerPoint presentation, verbally, computer, worksheets, etc.

This three-credit Nursing Assistant Class is designed to prepare students for entry-level jobs in nursing homes and other healthcare facilities. The nursing assistant will be able to perform tasks that are related to patient/resident care and supportive of nursing care. This course is designed to prepare one to complete the Minnesota Nursing Assistant Certification Competency Examination and be able to apply for the Minnesota Board of Health Registry.

Tuition prices are subject to change after June 1 every year. The cost for the class needs to be paid by the student before or on the first day of the class, or the payment form must be signed by the employer. 

Course Dates

Avera Marshall
300 South Bruce St, Marshall, MN
On-Site Dates:

October-November 2025, Curriculum option 1
Orientation: October 1 from 4:30pm - 8:30pm
Lab: October 23,27,30 November 3 from 4:30pm – 10:00pm 
Clinical: November 8,9 from 7:00am – 3:30 pm

December 2025-January 2026, Curriculum option 1 
Orientation: December 15 from 4:30pm – 8:30pm 
Lab: January 5, 8, 12, 13, 15 from 4:30pm – 9:30pm 
Clinical: January 17, 18 from 6:30am – 2:30pm

February-April 2026, Curriculum option 1 
Orientation: February 26 from 4:30pm – 8:30pm 
Lab: March 16, 19, 23, 26, 30 from 4:30pm – 9:30pm
Clinical: April 2, from 4:30pm – 9:30pm; April 6, 9, from 4:30pm -10:00pm

May-June 2026, Curriculum option 1 
Orientation: May 18 from 4:30pm – 8:30pm 
Lab: June 4, 8, 11, 15, 18 from 4:30pm – 9:30pm 
Clinical: June 20, 21 from 6:30am – 2:30pm

July-August 2026, Curriculum option 1
Orientation: July 13 from 4:30pm – 8:30pm
Lab: August 3, 6, 10, 11, 13 from 4:30pm – 9:30pm 
Clinical: August 15, 16 from 6:30am – 2:30pm

September-October 2026, Curriculum option 1 
Orientation: September 17 from 4:30pm – 8:30pm 
Lab: October 5, 8, 12, 13, 19, from 4:30pm – 9:30pm
Clinical: October 22, from 4:30pm – 9:30pm; October 26, 29, from 4:30pm
-10:00pm

Jackson Campus
401 West Ave, Jackson, MN
On-Site Dates:

October-December 2025, Curriculum option 1 **New**
Orientation: October 27 from 4:30-8:30 pm
Lab: November 17, 18, 20, 24, 25, from 4:30 – 9:30 pm.
Clinical: December 1, 4 from 4:30-10:00pm. December 8 from 4:30-9:30pm. 

January February 2026, Curriculum option 1
Orientation: January 12 from 4:30pm – 8:30pm
Lab: January 29, February 2, 5, 9, 12, from 4:30pm – 9:30pm
Clinical: February 17, from 4:30pm – 9:30pm; February 19, 23, from 4:30pm -10:00pm

April-May 2026, Curriculum option 1
Orientation: April 2 from 4:30pm – 8:30pm
Lab: April 23, 27, 30. May 4, 7, from 4:30pm – 9:30pm
Clinical: May 11, from 4:30pm – 9:30pm; May 14, 18, from 4:30pm -10:00pm

June-July 2026, Curriculum option 1
Orientation: June 8 from 4:30pm – 8:30pm
Lab: June 25, 29. July 2, 6, 9, from 4:30pm – 9:30pm
Clinical: July 13 from 4:30pm – 9:30pm; July 16, 20, from 4:30pm -10:00pm

September-October 2026, Curriculum option 1 
Orientation: September 10 from 4:30pm – 8:30pm 
Lab: October 1, 5, 8, 12, 19, from 4:30pm – 9:30pm
Clinical: October 22, from 4:30pm – 9:30pm; October 26, 29, from 4:30pm -10:00pm

January February 2027, Curriculum option 1
Orientation: January 11 from 4:30pm – 8:30pm 
Lab: February 1, 4, 8, 11, 16, from 4:30pm – 9:30pm
Clinical: February 18, from 4:30pm – 9:30pm; February 22, 25, from 4:30pm -10:00pm

Granite Falls Campus | Room 118/121
1593 11th Avenue, Granite Falls, MN 56241
On-Site Dates:

TBD
PSEO/High School classes running

Pipestone Campus | Room 106
1314 North Hiawatha Ave., Pipestone, MN 56164
On-Site Dates:

TBD

Springfield, Allina Health
Basement level, 625 N Jackson Ave, Springfield, MN
On-Site Dates:

TBD

Worthington Campus
1450 Collegeway, Worthington, MN 56187
On-Site Dates:

December 2025-January 2026, Curriculum option 1
Orientation: December 11 from 4:30-8:30pm. 
Lab: January 8, 12, 15, 20, 22, from 4:30-9:30 pm.
Clinical: January 24, 25 from 6:00 am -2:30 pm.

June 2026, Curriculum option 2
Face-to-Face Class, All on-site
June 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, from 8:00am –3:00 pm. June 22 from 7:30am – 3:30pm. 
Clinical: June 24, 25 from 6:00am – 2:30pm.

Trained Medication Aide Course Dates

This document is available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities by contacting the Student Services Advisor at 800-658-2330 or via your preferred Telecommunications Relay Service. Deaf and Hard of Hearing Minnesota Relay Service 800-627-3529. Minnesota West Community & Technical College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org). Minnesota West is a member of the Minnesota State system. An Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Educator/ Employer