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 Wisconsin CNA Requirements as of February 2023.

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

Wisconsin 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 within one (1) year of successfully completing a training program.
  • Renewal & In-Service Requirements
    • In-service requirements are the same as federal.
    • Renewal requires 8 hours of nursing or nursing-related duties every 24 months.
  • Hours
    • 75 training hours; At least 16 of those 75 training hours must be in a clinical experience in a clinical setting. The first 16 hours of training shall be provided in a classroom setting before a student has direct contact with clients.
  • Curriculum
    • The training program shall include theory and practice in all of the following care areas:
      • (a) Interpersonal communication and social interaction. The program shall include the theory of and practice in communicating and interacting on a one-to-one basis with a client; serving as part of a team implementing client care objectives; demonstrating sensitivity to a client’s emotional; social and psychological needs through directed interactions; and skills that enable expressions of age-appropriate behavior by allowing a client to make personal choices and by reinforcing behavior that supports a client’s sense of dignity.
      • (b) Basic nursing skills. The program shall include the theory of and practice in basic nursing skills, including bed making, taking vital signs, measuring height and weight, caring for the client’s environment, measuring fluid and nutrient intake and output, assisting in the provision of proper nutritional care, walking, or transferring the client using body mechanics and appropriately selected equipment with regard to principles of client care ergonomics, and maintaining infection control and safety standards.
      • (c) Personal care skills. The program shall include the theory of and practice in basic personal care skills, including bathing, mouth care, grooming, dressing, toileting, and assistance with eating, hydration, and skin care.
      • (d) Basic restorative services. The program shall include the theory of and practice in providing restorative services. Basic restorative services include the application of assistive devices for ambulation; eating and dressing; maintenance of range of motion through appropriate exercises; proper turning and positioning both in bed and chair; proper transferring techniques; bowel and bladder training; and care and use of prosthetic devices such as hearing aids, artificial eyes and artificial limbs.
      • (e) Rights of clients. The program shall provide instruction on the principles of and requirements relating to clients’ rights.
      • (f) Dementias. The program shall include instruction about dementia and specific techniques for meeting the basic needs of clients with dementia.
    • The program shall cover all of the following during the first 16 hours of classroom training:
      • Communication and interpersonal skills.
      • Infection control.
      • Safety and emergency procedures.
      • Promoting residents’ independence.
      • Residents’ rights.