North Shore Health continues CNA training program with new sessions
North Shore Health is continuing its certified nursing assistant (CNA) training program this spring, with a session scheduled from late April through July and another planned for September.
The program includes 75 hours of training and provides students with opportunities to work near the end of the course. Participants can have their training costs covered by North Shore Health if they agree to a 1,000-hour work commitment at the hospital’s care center.
“It’s a profession that you get a certification for, and you can work in all different healthcare settings to do that,” North Shore Health Education Coordinator Meghan Flynn told WTIP. “We here at North Shore Health are looking for CNAs to work in long-term care. So our program is very focused to aging services.”
North Shore Health offers the training regularly, and it is also a prerequisite for other health care career paths, such as radiologic technologist or physician assistant programs. In the past, the program was limited to students who agreed to the work commitment, but Flynn said the hospital now accepts students seeking certification only.
“I’m kind of growing capacity, getting really comfortable, and I feel ready to take that on, but we’re still offering seats for this promissory note, 1000-hour contract,” Flynn said.
The education program was piloted in Minnesota in 2020, and North Shore Health was among the first facilities to offer it. Flynn said she has received inquiries from Two Harbors and other hospitals interested in developing their own CNA certification.
Previously, CNA training was available through the high school and Cook County Higher Education, but those programs required students to travel long distances to complete certification exams. North Shore Health now offers testing within the hospital.
Running the program takes time and effort. Students learn 53 practical skills and train in a lab designed to simulate a resident’s room. The program also requires qualified instructors. One of which is Flynn. who has been a registered nurse since 2009.
“I have to say that our clinical instructor, as well, has had extensive experience in the care center. She’s amazing. She does such a great job with the students,” Flynn said. “So they’re getting education from, you know, professional RN staff, in addition to this big skills lab.”
The program has helped North Shore Health develop and retain staff. The organization currently employs six workers who have completed the CNA certification. Some continue to work in the care center, while others have moved into different roles within the hospital
“It all adds up to good care for our residents, which is our goal,” Flynn said.
Josh Hinke April 13, 2026
