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 Montana CNA Requirements as of February 2023.

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

Montana CNA Requirements

  • 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
    • Same as federal.
  • Hours
    • 75 hours
  • Curriculum
    • Role and responsibility of the nurse aide in long term care
      • Professional appearance and conduct
      • Confidentiality
      • Interpersonal relations
      • Chain of command
      • Team approach to care, care planning and discharge planning
      • Responsibility as an effective employee
      • Recognizing the physical and emotional changes of aging
      • Understanding your attitude, the resident’s attitude and family attitude toward the aging process
      • Medical terminology
      • Reporting and charting
    • Basic rights and needs
      • Rights of residents (including Montana residents’ rights)
      • Resident abuse, neglect and misappropriation of property (including Montana Elder Abuse Act)
      • Legal and ethical issues
      • Residents’ records
      • Basic human needs (physical, emotional, social, sexual)
      • Spiritual needs
    • Communication
      • How to communicate
      • How to listen
      • Body language
      • Communicating with residents who have specific problems (speech and hearing disabilities, cognitive deficits, etc.)
      • Communicating with family
      • Communicating with staff
      • Telephone courtesy
    • Resident’s physical environment
      • Bed making
      • Keeping a clean environment
      • Care of resident’s personal possessions
      • Care of resident’s clothing
    • Personal care of the resident
      • Admission, transfer and discharge procedures
      • Bath (bed, tub, shower)
      • Pericare
      • Nail care
      • Hair care (shampoo, grooming)
      • Oral care (teeth brushing, denture care, mouth/gums care)
      • Shaving (male & female)
      • Toileting
      • Dressing
      • Turning & positioning
      • Special skin care (lotion massage, pressure sore care, skin-at-risk)
      • Obtaining specimens (urine, feces, sputum)
      • Range of motion
      • Catheter care
      • Safe use of oxygen
      • Heat and cold applications
      • Application of anti-embolitic stockings
      • Circulation observation
      • Helping the sensory impaired (including care of hearing aides, glasses, etc.)
      • Restorative care (ADLs, bowel & bladder programs, ambulation programs, etc.)
      • Measuring vital signs (temperature, pulse, respiration & blood pressure)
    • Resident safety and emergency care
      • Preventing injury
      • Preventing falls
      • Proper use of restraints
      • Fire and disaster training
      • Use of mechanical lifts; wheelchair safety
      • Use of good body mechanics
      • Cleaning and care of equipment
      • Heimlich maneuver/unconscious choking victim
      • CPR (recommended, not mandatory)
    • Death and dying
      • Death with dignity
      • Assisting the dying resident; support of family
      • Dealing with your feelings about death
      • Resident care after death
    • Nutrition and fluid balance
      • Assisting residents to eat
      • Well rounded diet
      • Results of poor eating/fluid intake
      • Measuring height and weight
      • Measuring intake and output
    • Prevention and control of infection
      • Basic microbiology, modes of transmission
      • Blood and body fluid precautions; use of gloves
      • Common infections in the elderly and chronically ill
      • Prevention of infection
      • Hand washing
      • Principles of isolation, isolation techniques
    • Personality and behavior
      • Personality problems
      • Memory loss; cognitive deficits
      • Depression
      • Anxiety
      • Combative behavior
    • Basic anatomy and physiology
      • Respiratory system
      • Circulatory system
      • Digestive system
      • Genito-urinary system
      • Musculoskeletal system
      • Integumentary system
      • Endocrine system
      • Nervous system
      • Sensory systems (incl. eye & ear)
    • Meeting the needs of special residents (as needed by facility)
      • Alzheimer’s disease
      • Multiple sclerosis
      • Mentally ill/mentally retarded
      • Developmentally disabled/brain injured (infants, children, young adults)
      • AIDS
    • Note: Newly hired, uncertified nurse aides must receive 16 hours of classroom training prior to being assigned to resident care covering the following topics:
      • Communication & interpersonal skills
      • Fostering independence
      • Residents’ rights (including Montana law)
      • Safety (fire, disaster, ambulation and transfer techniques)
      • Basic infection control (hand washing/gloving, concept of clean vs dirty, linen handling, handling dishware/utensils, cleaning & disinfection, etc.)