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Free CNA Training
Get hired/trained as a CNA or PCT
in 6 weeks or less!

CNA Classes in Pinellas Park, Florida

Premier Nursing Academy’s free CNA training is offered to candidates in and around the Tampa metro area. After graduates have completed our Florida Board of Nursing-approved CNA program, they have the skills and are provisionally able to work for their matched employer even before passing the Nurse Aide Exam and receiving their CNA license. Upon passing the exam and completing other background requirements for the state, you’ll be a fully licensed certified nursing assistant in Florida. CNA certification qualifies you for numerous entry-level healthcare career options, including nursing assistants and patient care technicians (PCTs).

Our Pinellas Park location launched in July 2019 as Premier Nursing Academy’s first Florida branch. Our free CNA classes take 6 weeks to complete. We offer three different class schedules to accommodate students with different needs. Consult our class schedule below to see upcoming class start dates and get to know our instructors.

Find Our Free CNA Classes Near You

Our campus in Pinellas Park connects students with employer partners in Tampa and nearby cities, including Pinellas Park, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, and more.

We also offer free CNA classes in Bradenton for students preferring employment in Bradenton, Sarasota, Sun City, Palmetto, and other surrounding areas. If you’re still considering your options, check out our list of other CNA classes in Tampa.

map-section
Premier Nursing Academy – Pinellas Park
6477 102nd Ave.
Pinellas Park, FL 33782

727.300.2464

How to find us: We are located in the Pinellas Place Shopping Center.

Hours
Mon – Thurs,
7:30 AM – 10:30 PM

Apply Now!

Upcoming Class Start Dates

Morning classes
Monday – Thursday
7:30 am – 12:30 pm
Afternoon classes
Monday – Thursday
12:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Evening classes
Monday – Thursday
5:30 pm – 10:30 pm
Next Classes Starting
9/19/2022
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
10/31/2022
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
12/12/2022
Morning
Afternoon
Evening

Apply Now!

COVID-19 Update:
  • All students and staff are required to wear masks while inside our facility.
  • Due to State of Florida Department of Health notices and for the safety of the residents of our employer partners, all instructor-supervised clinical instruction will be completed within our simulation lab instead of on-site at a facility. This will not affect our student’s ability to become licensed certified nursing assistants.
  • Visitors have been restricted from entering our facility. Students and staff must complete a daily health screening prior to entry.

About Our CNA Training Program

Premier Nursing Academy’s CNA program provides a combination of classroom and on-site clinical education. This ensures that our graduates are both work-ready to be successful in their careers, as well as meet all state-required training hours needed to sit for certified nursing assistant exams.

Accepted students receive 100% subsidized training and are provisionally able to begin working for their employer as soon as they’re enrolled. In addition, our health provider employer partners gain a new supply of talented and trained employees.

  • Morning, afternoon, and night classes available
  • 6 weeks training
    Sessions run Monday – Thursday
    5 instructional hours per day
  • 120 instructional hours
    80 hours of classroom-based didactic learning
    40 hours of hands-on clinical-based instruction, mostly conducted on-site with your employer

What is a CNA?

Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are supervised by registered nurses and provide basic patient care. They help with everything from paperwork to assisting patients with daily needs and activities. CNAs may also take vitals, dispense medications, and aid nurses in simple medical treatments, among other activities.

Some people choose to be lifelong CNAs, while others use this as the first step in their medical career paths.

How to Become a CNA in Tampa

CNA requirements in Tampa are the same as those across the rest of the state.

Florida is a “challenge state,” meaning you don’t need to complete a certain number of training hours to become a CNA. Instead, you only need to pass a state exam and meet some other basic requirements, including:

  • Completing an approved training program and pass the nursing assistant competency exam; OR
  • Being at least 18 years old with a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent and passing the nursing assistant competency exam; OR
  • Undergoing a program via the Enterprise Florida Jobs and Education Partnership Grant and passing the nursing assistant competency exam

While the “challenge state” factor may sound great, employers generally prefer to hire applicants who took the time to complete training before taking their tests.

Are you currently a nursing student in Florida?
Check our our new resources guides made for students in Tampa, St. Petersburg, or Bradenton!

Pros and Cons of Being a CNA in Tampa

Like studying and working as a CNA in any other place, there are pros and cons to the Tampa area.

Pros of Being a Tampa-area CNA

Hillsborough County has a ton of different medical facilities, from primary care to assisted living to hospitals. As you study and begin your career in the Tampa area, remember you can start in one type of care and move to another after gaining some experience that may appeal to different types of employers.

The number of potential workplaces in the Tampa area isn’t the only benefit to becoming a CNA there. U.S. News & World Report named Tampa the fourth best place to live in Florida for 2020-2021. The city also ranked in the top 40 for best places to live in the U.S. and as the 20th best place to retire—meaning if you hope to work with older adults, this could be a great place for you to be a CNA.

The cost of living in Tampa is a bit lower than the national average, too.

Apply Now!

Cons of Working as a Tampa-area CNA

If you’re looking for a community of lifelong residents or a youthful environment, Tampa may not be for you. Most people living there are from other parts of the country, and only about 18% of residents are between the ages of 20 and 34

How Much do CNAs Make in Tampa and the Surrounding Areas?

Florida’s CNAs earn an average of $21,090 to $36,600 per year, with a median of $27,100. Those in the Tampa region often earn even more:

LocationMedian CNA Salary
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater$28,460
Pinellas Park$29,287
Brandon$29,280
Largo$29,252

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater salary data are from O*Net (2019). The others are from Salary.com (2021).

CNA pay varies based not just on your amount of training or years worked but also on your workplace. If you work in a specialized hospital, you may earn more than those in assisted living facilities, for instance.

CNA Job Growth in Florida

The nation is experiencing a nursing shortage, which includes CNAs. Florida, in particular, is experiencing a drop in the number of new CNAs every year, meaning this could be a good place to get your start. The number of CNA jobs in Florida is expected to grow and faster than the rest of the country.

  • Florida CNA Growth 2018-2028: 11%
  • National CNA Growth 2019-2029: 8%

Data from O*Net

To put it a different way, Florida expects 12,170 CNA jobs to open, while the U.S. anticipates there will be 174,000 new ones—meaning 7% of all new predicted CNA jobs could be in Florida.

Apply Now!

Our Employer Partners Have CNA Jobs Near You

We partner with healthcare employers all over the greater Tampa metro area. Depending on your location, there may be multiple facilities to choose from. You can fill out our form to speak with an admissions representative and find out which options are available for you.

Premier Nursing Academy is proud to have placed graduates with these Tampa Bay-area employers and many others.

Brandon
Raydiant of Brandon
701 Victoria Street Brandon, FL 33510
Clearwater
Clearwater Center
1270 Turner Street Clearwater, FL 33756
(727) 443-7639
East Bay Rehab Center
4470 East Bay Drive Clearwater, FL 33764
(727) 530-7100
Highland Pines Health and Rehabilitation
1111 South Highland Avenue Clearwater, FL 33756
Palm Garden of Clearwater
3480 McMullen Booth Road Clearwater, FL 33761
(727) 786-6697
Regency Oaks
2770 Regency Oaks Boulevard Clearwater, FL 33759
(727) 791-1500
Seasons Largo Assisted Living & Memory Care
4175 East Bay Drive Clearwater, FL 33764
(727) 330-7898
Westchester Gardens Health & Rehabilitation
3301 McMullen Booth Road Clearwater, FL 33761
(727) 785-8335
Dunedin
Mease Life
700 Mease Plaza Dunedin, FL 34698
Gulfport
Boca Ciega Center
1414 59th Street South Gulfport, FL 33707
Largo
Bardmoor Oaks Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center
9035 Bryan Dairy Road Largo, FL 33777
(727) 395-9619
Encompass Health Rehab Hospital of Largo
901 Clearwater Largo Road North Largo, FL 33770
(727) 586-2999
Palm Garden of Pinellas
200 16th Avenue Southeast Largo, FL 33771
Sabal Palms Health & Rehabilitation
499 Alt Keene Road Largo, FL 33771
New Port Richey
Raydiant Health Care of New Port Richey
8417 Okd Country Road 54 New Port Richey, FL 34653
Palm Harbor
Countryside Rehab and Healthcare Center
3825 Coutnryside Boulevard North Palm Harbor, FL 34684
ManorCare Health Services – Palm Harbor
2851 Tampa Road Palm Harbor, FL 34684
St Marks Village
2655 Nebraska Avenue Palm Harbor, FL 34684
(727) 785-2580
Stratford Court of Palm Harbor
45 Katherine Boulevard Palm Harbor, FL 34684
Pinellas Park
Gateway Center
8600 US Highway 19N Pinellas Park, FL 33782
(727) 541-7515
Gulf Shores Care Center
6767 86th Avenue N Pinellas Park, FL 33782
(727) 548-5566
Plant City
Solaris Healthcare – Plant City
701 North Wilder Road Plant City, FL 33566
Safety Harbor
Living Center of Safety Harbor
1410 Dr M.L.K Jr Street North Safety Harbor, FL 34695
Seminole
Freedom Square Rehabilitation and Nursing Services
10801 Johnson Boulevard Seminole, FL 33772
(727) 398-0379
Living Center of St Petersburg
9393 Park Boulevard Seminole, FL 33777
Palm Garden of Largo
10500 Starkey Road Seminole, FL 33777
(727) 397-8166
South Pasadena
Gulfport Rehabilitation Center
1430 Pasadena Avenue South South Pasadena, FL 33707
Springs at Boca Ciega Bay
1255 Pasadena Ave South South Pasadena, FL 33701
The Health and Rehabilitation Centre at Dolphins View
1820 Shore Drive South South Pasadena, FL 33707
(727) 384-9300
St Petersburg
Baypoint Nursing Pavilion
4201 31st Street South St Petersburg, FL 33712
(727) 867-1104
Carrington Place of St Pete Rehab Center
10501 Roosevelt Boulevard North St Petersburg, FL 33716
Eagle Lake Nursing & Rehab Center
1100 66th North Street St Petersburg, FL 33710
Egret Cove Center
550 62nd Street South St Petersburg, FL 33707
(727) 347-6151
Jacaranda Manor
4250 66th Street North St Petersburg, FL 33709
(727) 546-2405
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
501 6th Avenue South St Petersburg, FL 33701
Kindred Hospital – Bay Area – St Pete
3030 Sixth Street South St Petersburg, FL 33705
(727) 894-8719
Menorah Manor
255 59th Street North St Petersburg, FL 33710
(727) 345-2775
Sovereign Healthcare of Pinellas Point
5601 31st Street South St Petersburg, FL 33712
(727) 867-6955
The Abbey Health and Rehab
7101 Dr Martin Luther King Jr Street North St Petersburg, FL 33702
(727) 527-7231
Tampa
Bayshore Pointe Nursing & Rehab Center
3117 West Gandy Boulevard Tampa, FL 33611
(813) 261-5500
Carrollwood Care Center
15002 Hutchison Road Tampa, FL 33625
Concordia Village of Tampa
4100 East Fletcher Avenue Tampa, FL 33613
(813) 977-4950
Fletcher Health and Rehabilitation Center
518 West Fletcher Avenue Tampa, FL 33612
Gandy Crossing Care Center
4610 South Manhattan Avenue Tampa, FL 33611
(813) 839-5311
Habana Health Care Center
2916 Habana Way Tampa, FL 33614
Kindred Hospital – Bay Area – Tampa
455 South Manhattan Avenue Tampa, FL 33611
(813) 839-6341
Kindred Hospital – Central Tampa
4801 North Howard Avenue Tampa, FL 33603
(813) 874-7575
Northdale Rehabilitation Center
3030 Bearss Avenue Tampa, FL 33618
(813) 968-8777
Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center of Tampa
4411 North Habana Avenue Tampa, FL 33614
Whispering Oaks Health & Rehab
1514 East Chelsea Street Tampa, FL 33610
(813) 238-6406
Tarpon Springs
Penninsula Care and Rehabilitation Center
900 Beckett Way Tarpon Springs, FL 34689
Tarpon Bayou Center
515 Chesapeake Drive Tarpon Springs, FL 34689
Wesley Chapel
AdventHealth Wesley Chapel
2600 Bruce B Downs Boulevard Wesley Chapel, FL 33544
Blue Heron Health and Rehabilitation Center
5085 Eagleton Boulevard Wesley Chapel, FL 33544
Zephyrhills
Heartland of Zephyrhills
38220 Henry Drive Zephyrhills, FL 33542
(813) 788-7114

Apply Now!

Admissions At a Glance

1. Fill out an admissions inquiry form
Submit a form with basic contact info and our admissions team will be in touch.

Get Started

2. Complete an application
Your admissions representative will explain what other info to provide to meet program requirements.
3. Match with an employer partner
Our team will set up interviews so that you can find the best match for your post-graduation job.
4. Submit supplemental paperwork
Once you’re sending in some final paperwork, you’re almost ready to start at Premier Nursing Academy.
5. Start class
Get ready for Day One of your new life and career.

Meet Our Team

Soyini Morris, LPN, BA |Instructor

Soyini, an LPN of 11 years, became a member of the team at Premier Nursing Academy – Pinellas Park in 2020. Before becoming an instructor, she spent time as a disease management nurse and diabetes educator…

READ MORE

Evelyn Haus|Recruitment Specialist

Though she’s a recent addition to the Premier Nursing Academy team, Evelyn is not new to working with students. She has spent a lot of time …

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Student Testimonials

“It’s the best opportunity I’ve ever received. Without Premier Nursing Academy I wouldn’t be able to be in school because I can’t afford it. Jump on this opportunity!”
– Darbi, Tampa campus
“It’s a good program with great teachers who actually care that you get and understand what you’re learning and will go above and beyond.”
– Allyssa, Tampa campus
“I am excited about starting a career as a CNA. Prior to this program, I was struggling but I am confident that I will be a great CNA.”
– Trisha, Tampa campus
“Premier Nursing Academy is the best foot in the door experience in the health care field.”
– Brianna, Tampa campus
“It’s fun, it’s a fairly simple class to do and I definitely think it’s an amazing stepping stone into a great career.”
– Shelby, Tampa campus
“I used to babysit and I would always be home, but now I’m meeting new people and doing something to start my career.”
– Ashley, Tampa campus

Get Started

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Filed Under: Florida

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Premier Nursing Academy
Bradenton
5720 14th St. W
Bradenton, FL 34207
941.217.7360
Premier Nursing Academy
Pinellas Park
6477 102nd Ave.
Pinellas Park, FL 33782
727.300.2464

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