An STNA, or State Tested Nursing Assistant, is Ohio’s version of what most other states call a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant). Becoming one requires completing a state-approved training program of at least 75 hours, then passing a two-part competency exam. The entire process can be finished in a matter of weeks, making it one of the fastest entry points into healthcare.
What an STNA Actually Does
STNAs provide hands-on care to residents in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospitals, and home health settings. The day-to-day work centers on helping people with basic needs: bathing, dressing, eating, repositioning in bed, taking vital signs, and documenting changes in a patient’s condition. You work under the supervision of a licensed nurse, and you’re often the person who spends the most time with each patient. That makes you a critical set of eyes and ears for the nursing staff.
Complete a State-Approved Training Program
Ohio requires a minimum of 75 hours of training through a program approved by the Ohio Department of Health. Those hours are split across three components: classroom instruction covering topics like infection control, patient rights, and body mechanics; hands-on skills practice in a lab setting; and at least 16 hours of supervised clinical experience in a skilled nursing facility.
Some programs allow a portion of the classroom instruction to be completed online, though the skills lab and clinical hours must be done in person. You’ll find approved programs at community colleges, vocational schools, the American Red Cross, and some nursing homes that train their own staff. Program length varies, but most run between two and eight weeks depending on whether you attend full-time or part-time. Costs typically range from a few hundred dollars at a nursing home-sponsored program (sometimes free if you agree to work there afterward) to around $1,000 or more at a community college.
There’s no college degree or prerequisite coursework required to enroll. Most programs ask that you be at least 18, pass a background check, and show proof of a negative tuberculosis test. Some accept students at 16 or 17 with restrictions.
Pass the State Competency Exam
After completing your training, you need to pass Ohio’s competency evaluation, which has two parts: a written (or oral) knowledge test and a hands-on skills demonstration. The written portion covers the fundamentals you learned in class, presented as multiple-choice questions. The skills test requires you to correctly perform a set of nursing aide tasks, such as measuring blood pressure, assisting with ambulation, or providing perineal care, in front of an evaluator.
You must pass both sections. If you fail one part, you can retake it without repeating the other, but Ohio limits you to three attempts total. If you don’t pass after three tries, you’ll need to complete another training program before testing again. Most candidates pass on their first or second attempt with some focused study and practice.
Get Listed on the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry
Once you pass both parts of the exam, your name is added to the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry. This is the official database that employers check to verify your certification before hiring you. Being listed on the registry is what makes you eligible to work as an STNA in long-term care settings across the state.
To stay on the registry, you need to work at least one paid shift (7.5 consecutive hours, or 8 hours within a 48-hour period) of nursing-related services every 24 months. If more than 24 months pass without verified work, your certification lapses. At that point, you’d need to either provide documentation proving you did work during that window or retake a training program and competency exam to get recertified.
Transferring Certification From Another State
If you’re already a certified nursing assistant in another state, you don’t have to start from scratch. Ohio offers a reciprocity process: you submit a Nurse Aide Registry Request for Reciprocity form that includes information and a signature from the state where you’re currently certified. Your certification in the other state must be in good standing, and you’ll still need to meet Ohio’s background check requirements. The process avoids the need to repeat training or retake the exam.
Where STNAs Work and What They Earn
The most common workplaces are skilled nursing facilities and nursing homes, but STNAs also find jobs in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, assisted living communities, and home health agencies. Shifts often include evenings, weekends, and holidays, since patient care doesn’t pause for the calendar. Twelve-hour shifts are common in many facilities.
The average hourly pay for an STNA in Ohio is about $19.82, based on salary data from Indeed drawn from thousands of job postings. That works out to roughly $41,000 a year for full-time work, though your actual pay will depend on the employer, your location within the state, the shift you work (nights and weekends often carry differentials), and your experience level. Urban hospitals and specialized facilities tend to pay more than rural nursing homes.
Using STNA as a Career Stepping Stone
Many people use STNA certification as a launchpad into other healthcare careers. Working as an STNA gives you direct patient care experience that strengthens applications to nursing school, and some employers offer tuition assistance for STNAs pursuing an LPN or RN degree. The clinical exposure also helps you figure out which area of healthcare interests you most, whether that’s geriatrics, rehabilitation, pediatrics, or something else entirely. Even if nursing isn’t your goal, the certification gives you a credential that’s in consistent demand across the state.