Now offered to current students from all disciplines and to community members ages 18 and up, Quinnipiac’s six-week CNA training program involves online, on campus and clinical rotations that prepare participants with the knowledge, confidence and skills to provide safe and competent care to diverse individuals across healthcare settings. Its focus on nurse aide theory and competencies is framed using State of Connecticut Department of Public Health regulations and guidelines for CNA training.

The program includes flexibility with lectures del

ivered online for asynchronous learning. Hands-on skills are developed through on-campus laboratory sessions at Quinnipiac's North Haven Campus, where students practice and refine their techniques in a controlled environment. Additionally, clinical experience is gained at local long-term care facilities, providing real-world exposure to patient care in a professional healthcare setting.

“I missed the chance in high school to get my certification, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to learn new skills and to see if working in healthcare was really for me. It definitely opened up my options,” said Pycela.

A recent cancer episode experienced by a family member also inspired Pycela to go into nursing.

“Last year, my mother battled cancer, so that really set my heart on nursing,” said Pycela.

Pycela learned about the chance to apply to join Quinnipiac’s first CNA cohort, launched in early 2025, when speaking with faculty at the School of Nursing about changing her major to nursing.

“When I applied for the CNA program and got in, I was really excited,” said Pycela.

Each cohort of 24 students is led by Quinnipiac CNA program director Angela Falcon. Students work in pairs to become comfortable with working with each other and to build critical communication skills. The course requires learning 22 skills to become certified.

“We offer the space for them to understand what they’re doing, but we also pair up the skill with the rationale – why it’s important for them to understand their skill. That’s what sets us apart. We’re not just teaching them a skill, we want them to really understand why the skill is so important,” said Falcon.

During lab instruction, the CNA course has a 1:12 instructor-to-student ratio. In the clinical setting, there is one instructor for every eight students.

Falcon said it was exciting to launch the CNA program at Quinnipiac’s state-of-the-art School of Nursing with its first cohort of undergraduate students from a variety of disciplines.

“I had a wonderful experience with Emily’s cohort,” said Falcon. “The whole experience of being in the lab and teaching with the students one-on-one helped me to get to know them more, and even though it was only six weeks, they really became a team. It’s a place where they’re able to build their skill sets for communication and with hands-on skills and take that didactic and theory and put it into practice.”

“Our instructor saw the passion each one of us had, and she also made us feel so comfortable,” Pycela said. “She really encouraged us to work with each other to reenact the skills we were learning.”

Pycela said she loved her experience at the long-term care facility where she completed her clinical hours. Quinnipiac partners with several area facilities for the CNA program’s clinical rotation requirements.

“I was nervous about our first clinical, but by the second one, I felt like I worked there! I loved the nursing home we worked with. I’ve had grandparents that I took care of, so it felt like giving back,” Pycela said.

For those considering nursing or other health-related fields, having CNA experience strengthens a resume and demonstrates a commitment to the healthcare field. Pycela said she feels her experience with the CNA program helped to bolster her application to join Quinnipiac’s BSN program as a health science studies major coming from the School of Health Sciences.

CNA’s can also build a professional network of healthcare professionals, opening doors to future career opportunities.

“It’s a respected profession that is part of the healthcare team,” said Falcon. “Completing their certification can be a steppingstone for someone or a career for another. It’s very inclusive and a great opportunity to grow and learn.”

After completing her CNA certification at Quinnipiac, Pycela has accepted a CNA job at the same place where she undertook her clinical rotation.

Thanks to her recent CNA training and clinical experience, Pycela said she feels well-prepared for the next step in her educational journey as a Quinnipiac School of Nursing student.

“It’s a great start. I’m glad I did it, because it makes you feel more confident, especially if you want to pursue nursing in the future,” Pycela said. “I’m really excited about what the School of Nursing will teach me and learning about all the different options there are in nursing.”