How to Get Hands-On Healthcare Experience Without a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Certification

If you’re considering a career as a Physician Assistant, Medical Doctor, Nurse, Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist, or another healthcare professional, you might assume you need to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) before you can gain healthcare experience.

But you don’t need a CNA to get hands-on healthcare experience at ACR Homes.

At ACR Homes, Direct Care Professionals receive comprehensive, paid training that prepares them to provide medical care and support adults with disabilities—all while gaining real-world experience that can help prepare them for a future healthcare career.

What Is a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)?

A Certified Nursing Assistant is an entry-level healthcare professional who provides daily, hands-on care to patients under the supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN).

CNAs often help patients with:

• Eating and drinking
• Bathing and personal hygiene
• Dressing and grooming
• Toileting
• Mobility and transfers
• Taking and recording vital signs
• Positioning and comfort
• Communicating important healthcare information

Once certified, CNAs can work in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other long-term care programs.

How to Become a CNA in Minnesota

To become a Certified Nursing Assistant in Minnesota, you’ll complete an approved nursing assistant training program and competency evaluation before being placed on the Minnesota Nursing Assistant Registry.

The process includes both classroom and hands-on training, followed by the required competency exam.

Depending on the program you choose, the cost of obtaining your CNA in Minnesota can range from approximately $800–$1,400 for the training program, with additional costs for the state competency exam.

But here’s something important for students considering a future in healthcare:

You don’t have to become a CNA to start gaining healthcare experience.

What Is a Direct Care Professional at ACR Homes?

At ACR Homes, Direct Care Professionals (DCPs) work in residential group home settings, providing care for adults with disabilities.

Our paid training program allows you to gain valuable healthcare experience without first getting a CNA certification.

Direct Care Professionals are placed in one of our 45 group homes, where they assist residents with their medical needs and activities of daily living while also building friendships and enjoying everyday activities together.

Unlike a large healthcare facility where a CNA might care for many patients at once, ACR Homes has an average of just four residents per home, typically with two DCPs working together to provide their care.

This smaller setting gives DCPs the opportunity to provide high-quality medical care while also having the time to get to know the people they support and help them enjoy each day to the fullest.

Get Paid to Build Healthcare Experience at ACR Homes

At ACR Homes, Direct Care Professionals receive comprehensive, paid training before and during their work caring for adults with disabilities.

That means you can begin developing real-world healthcare skills without already having your CNA certification.

Our training includes many of the skills you might gain as a CNA, and it takes that experience a step further, allowing you to build a robust resume through an entry-level healthcare position.

ACR training may include:

Medication Administration

Direct Care Professionals receive training to safely administer medications according to individual care plans and physician orders. You’ll learn the importance of accuracy, safety, documentation, and following established procedures—skills that are essential in healthcare professions.

Medical Terminology & Charting

Quality healthcare relies on accurate documentation. At ACR, you’ll learn medical terminology and how to document important information about resident care.

Taking & Recording Vital Signs

You’ll learn how to take and record vital signs and recognize when changes may need to be communicated to the appropriate healthcare professionals.

Positioning & Comfort

You’ll learn how to safely position residents and provide comfort while supporting their individual needs.

Range of Motion

DCPs may assist residents with range-of-motion routines designed to support mobility, comfort, and quality of life.

Physical Therapy & Occupational Therapy Routines

Healthcare experience isn’t limited to medications and vital signs. ACR Direct Care Professionals also help residents with their mobility and take residents through prescribed physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) routines to support their health, independence, and quality of life.

Stretching Routines

You may help residents complete individualized stretching routines as part of their daily care.

Mobility & Transfers

DCPs learn how to safely assist residents with mobility and transfers while using appropriate techniques and equipment.

Eating & Drinking

You’ll gain experience helping residents with meals, eating, drinking, and other individualized nutritional needs.

Working With Specialized Medical Equipment

Depending on the needs of the residents in your home, you may receive training and hands-on experience working with specialized medical equipment, including:

• Gait belts
• Standers
• Manual and power wheelchairs
• AFOs
• Joey feeding pumps
• G-tubes and J-tubes
• EpiPens
• AAC and SGD devices
• Hoyer lifts
• Tracheostomy
• Shower chairs
• Oxygen tanks and monitors
• Nebulizers
• And more

Personal Hygiene & Bathing

DCPs help residents with personal hygiene and bathing while maintaining their dignity, privacy, and independence.

Toileting

You’ll learn how to provide respectful and appropriate assistance with toileting and other personal care needs.

State-Certified CPR & First Aid

ACR provides training that results in state certification in CPR and First Aid, giving you skills that can be valuable throughout your healthcare career and beyond. Typically, people pay for these courses, but instead, you will be paid to take them through our training program.

Dressing & Grooming

You’ll help residents get ready for their day while supporting their individual preferences, routines, and independence.

Advocacy: Learning to Speak Up for the People You Care For

One of the most meaningful parts of working at ACR Homes isn’t simply completing a checklist. It’s knowing and helping the people you support.

Direct Care Professionals may accompany residents to medical and dental appointments and during hospitalizations. Communicating important information in these settings is vital to helping ensure residents receive the care they need—even when they are outside of their group home.

You’ll learn that good healthcare involves more than medical skills. It involves listening, communicating, paying attention, and advocating.

These are skills you can carry with you into virtually any healthcare career.

Healthcare Experience That Goes Beyond the Classroom

A CNA program can provide a valuable foundation, but at ACR Homes, your experience doesn’t stop when your training ends.

As a Direct Care Professional, you’ll continue developing healthcare and caregiving skills while helping residents with their everyday lives.

That may include:

• Meal preparation and eating
• Transportation and appointments
• Household activities
• Community outings
• Helping residents work toward personal goals
• Maintaining relationships
• Supporting hobbies and interests
• Light housework
• And, most importantly, building meaningful friendships

Because at ACR Homes, you aren't just learning how to provide healthcare.

You’re learning how to care for a person.

Get Paid for Your Training

One of the biggest things to know is that you do not have to pay for ACR’s required training the way you would when completing a CNA program.

Instead, because ACR’s training is required for the Direct Care Professional position, you are paid for your training.

You can gain valuable healthcare experience, learn hands-on skills, and earn a paycheck—all without first paying for a CNA certification.

Already Have Your CNA?

If you already have your CNA in Minnesota, you can absolutely bring that experience to ACR Homes.

The hours you work as a Direct Care Professional can count toward the employment hours required to maintain your CNA certification.

So whether you already have your CNA or you’re just beginning to explore a healthcare career, ACR Homes can give you an opportunity to continue building your skills and experience.

Start Gaining Healthcare Experience Without Your CNA Certification

If you’re ready to start gaining meaningful patient care experience, don’t wait until you have your CNA. Start now.

At ACR Homes, you’ll receive paid, comprehensive training and gain hands-on experience caring for adults with disabilities. You’ll develop healthcare skills, learn how to advocate for the people you support, work with medical equipment and therapies, and build relationships with residents along the way.

You don’t need your CNA to get started.

You just need a willingness to learn, a heart for people, and a desire to make a difference.