Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) training & certification requirements vary considerably across the U.S. In some states, the requirements go beyond the federal minimum while in other states requirements are nearly identical to the federal standards.

This page displays Illinois CNA Requirements as of February 2023.

To see requirements in other states, visit nursinghome411.org/cna-reqs.

Illinois CNA Requirements

  • Eligibility/Screening Requirements
    • Be at least 16 years of age, of temperate habits and good moral character, honest, reliable, and trustworthy.
    • Be able to speak and understand the English language or a language understood by a substantial percentage of the facility’s residents.
    • Provide evidence of employment or occupation, if any, and residence for 2 years prior to his present employment.
    • Have completed at least 8 years of grade school or provide proof of equivalent knowledge.
    • Have a criminal history records check as prescribed by the Health Care Worker Background Check Act with no disqualifying convictions.
    • Have no administrative finding of abuse, neglect or misappropriated property in Illinois or any other state.
  • Education & Training Requirement
    • Individuals must complete a state approved nurse aide training and competency evaluation program.
  • Testing Requirement
    • Individuals must pass both a written and skills test.
  • Renewal & In-Service Requirements
    • In-service requirements are same as federal requirements.
    • To maintain an active CNA certification, a CNA must work at least one 8-hour shift within a 24-month period, performing nursing or nursing-related services for pay under the supervision of a licensed nurse.
  • Hours
    • 120 hours, 80 hours of classroom instruction, and 40 hours of on-the-job training.
  • Curriculum
    • Each skilled nursing and intermediate care facility that admits persons who are diagnosed as having Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias shall require all nursing assistants, habilitation aides, or child care aides, who did not receive 12 hours of training in the care and treatment of such residents during the training required under paragraph (5) of subsection (a), to obtain 12 hours of in-house training in the care and treatment of such residents.
    • Module I – Introduction to Health Care
      • 1) Functions of Health Care Organizations.
      • 2) The Interdisciplinary Team.
      • 3) The CNA Role Across Health Care Settings.
      • 4) Nursing Assistant as a Para-professional.
      • 5) Information Sharing.
    • Module II – Rights and Relationships
      • 1) Rights.
      • 2) Holistic Care.
      • 3) Communication.
      • 4) Interpersonal Relationships.
    • Module III – Infection Control in the Health Care Setting
      • 1) Infection Control Issues.
      • 2) Equipment and Supplies.
    • Module IV – Emergency Procedures
      • 1) Fire Safety.
      • 2) Disasters.
      • 3) Foreign Body Airway Obstruction.
      • 4) Incidents.
      • 5) State and Federal Regulations.
    • Module V – Injury Prevention in the Health Care Environment
      • 1) Risk Management.
      • 2) Resident Safety.
      • 3) Personal Safety.
      • 4) Equipment Safety.
      • 5) Documentation.
    • Module VI – Care of the Resident
      • 1) Resident Living Space.
      • 2) Admission, Transfer, Discharge.
      • 3) Psychosocial Concerns.
      • 4) Promoting Resident Comfort and Managing Pain.
      • 5) Body Structure.
      • 6) Integumentary System.
      • 7) Musculoskeletal System.
      • 8) Gastrointestinal System.
      • 9) Urinary System.
      • 10) The Reproductive System.
      • 11) The Cardiovascular System.
      • 12) The Respiratory System.
      • 13) The Nervous System.
    • Module VII – Fundamentals of Rehabilitation/Restorative Care
      • 1) Philosophy.
      • 2) Objective: upon completion of this unit, the student will be able to discuss principles of rehabilitation.
      • 3) Objective: upon completion of this unit, the student will be able to compare and contrast rehabilitation and restorative nursing.
      • 4) Objective: upon completion of this unit, the student will be able to identify the members of the rehabilitation team.
      • 5) Objective: upon completion of this unit, the student will be able to identify State and federal regulations that have an impact on rehabilitation/restorative care.
      • 6) Objective: upon completion of this unit, the student will be able to recognize the CNA’s role in providing rehabilitation/restorative care.
      • 7) ADL Programs.
    • Module VIII – End-of-Life Care
      • 1) End-of-Life Issues.
      • 2) State and Federal Regulations.
      • 3) Care of a Dying Person.
      • 4) Post-mortem Care.
    • Module IX – Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias
      • 1) Cognitive Impairment.
      • 2) Alzheimer’s Disease.
      • 3) Impacts of Cognitive Impairments.
      • 4) State and Federal Regulations.
      • 5) Ability Centered Care.
      • 6) Understanding Behaviors as Unmet Needs.
      • 7) Safety.
      • 8) Psychosocial Needs.
      • 9) Resources.