CNA Classes in Montana (Top Schools)

Montana Certified Nurse Aides are regulated by the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS).

It’s the department that mandated that to be a CNA, you must satisfy the following:

• Complete a state-approved Nurse Aide Training Program (NATP)
• Pass the Montana Nurse Aide Competency Exam (MT-NACE)

Taking on a CNA Training Program in Montana

Training to be a nurse aide means you’ll receive state and federal standardized education.

Per the regulation, you will train for a minimum total of 75 hours, with 16 hours of supervised clinical training.

You need those 16 hours if you are to have any direct contact with a resident during the program.

After completing NATP, you will be ready to perform nurse aide tasks under the supervision of the senior nurse.

The training facility will also issue you a Certificate of Completion.

Here’s a list of CNA training facilities that you may be interested in checking out.

Evaluating a CNA Candidate

The path to the competency evaluation exam only opens after finishing all obligatory nurse aide courses.

It will be D&SDT-Headmaster that administers MT-NACE.

In the exam, you will take two assessments: a knowledge test and a manual skills test.

For the knowledge test:

• You can take either a paper-based test or an electronic one.
• An oral test is available upon request and if you opt for an electronic knowledge test
• The test is available only in English.
• You have 90 minutes to complete the 72 multiple-choice questions.
• Passing score is 75%.

For the manual skills test:

• You’ll demonstrate correctly five randomly selected nurse aide tasks.
• You have 35 minutes to complete all five tasks.
• Passing rate is 80% on each task, with all key steps performed completely.

Do note that you only have six months from the date of completing NATP to pass the exam.

If you haven’t applied for the exam within that time, you will no longer be eligible to test in this cycle.

Also, if you want to reschedule, make sure to request for it at least one business day before the exam.

Exam Fees

For you to take MT-NACE, you need to pay the following fees:

• Knowledge test – written – $20
• Knowledge test – oral – $31
• Manual skills test – $77

Note that you’ll pay the same amount should you retake any of those tests.

Exam Results

D&SDT-Headmaster makes it easy for you to view your exam results.

Simply go online to their TestMaster Universe software to know how you did on the MT-NACE.

If you pass, they will forward your results to DPHHS so you can:

• Be added to the CNA Registry
• Receive your certificate as a CNA

If not, you have two other attempts to pass both tests within six months after completing NATP.

Should you fail to secure a satisfactory result, you’ll have to retrain to retake MT-NACE.

Exam Challengers

There will be candidates who will want to challenge the exam even without proper nurse aide training.

For them to be allowed to do so, they must send to D&SDT-Headmaster online the following forms:

• Registry Placement Application Form
• Scheduling and Payment Form

The test vendor will then schedule their exam date at their chosen testing site.

They’ll also receive a confirmation email with detailed exam instructions.

Do note that challenging the exam will mean you have one chance to pass it.

Otherwise, you’ll have to complete Montana’s NATP to be allowed to retest for it.

Potential Salary

Becoming a CNA is a dream for many who want to share their time with people in need of tender loving care.

That’s why this job needs remuneration that’s equivalent to the services you provide.

Currently, the average salary of CNAs in Montana is $28,725 annually.

Naturally, the level of income will vary depending on the experience, seniority, and place of work.

For more detailed per-city salary information, please consult the table below.