STNA stands for State Tested Nursing Assistant, and it’s Ohio’s version of what most other states call a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant). The two titles refer to the same role. Ohio simply uses its own naming convention and state testing process. If you’re looking into this certification, you’re likely considering a healthcare career that requires relatively short training and offers steady demand for workers.
How STNA Differs From CNA
It doesn’t, really. A State Tested Nursing Assistant and a Certified Nursing Assistant perform the same job duties and go through similar training. The difference is purely administrative. Ohio’s nurse aide registry uses the STNA designation, while most other states use CNA. If you move out of Ohio, you’ll typically need to apply for reciprocity or retake your new state’s competency exam, but your training and experience carry over.
What STNAs Actually Do
STNAs work under the supervision of registered nurses or licensed practical nurses, handling the hands-on personal care that patients in long-term care facilities need daily. This includes helping residents with bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and mobility. You may also take vital signs, assist with range-of-motion exercises, and help reposition patients to prevent bedsores.
Ohio law draws a clear line around the role: STNAs can perform nursing-related tasks delegated by a nurse, but only when those tasks don’t require a nursing assessment or clinical judgment during performance. You won’t be administering medications, interpreting patient conditions, or making care decisions. The work is physical, repetitive, and emotionally demanding, but it’s also the most direct patient contact of any role in a care facility.
Training Requirements
Ohio requires a minimum of 75 hours of training through an approved Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP). Those hours are split among classroom instruction, hands-on skills lab practice, and at least 16 hours of supervised clinical experience in a skilled nursing facility. Some programs allow a portion of classroom time to be completed online, though clinical hours must be done in person.
Many community colleges, vocational schools, and even some nursing homes offer STNA training programs. The programs typically run two to eight weeks depending on whether you attend full-time or part-time. Costs vary widely, from a few hundred dollars at employer-sponsored programs to over $1,000 at private schools. Some long-term care facilities will pay for your training in exchange for a commitment to work there after certification.
The State Competency Exam
After completing your training program, you’ll take Ohio’s nurse aide competency evaluation, which has two parts: a written knowledge test and a hands-on skills test. The knowledge portion covers infection control, patient safety, communication, residents’ rights, and basic nursing concepts.
The skills test is where most candidates feel the pressure. You’ll be asked to demonstrate five randomly selected nursing aide skills within a 35-minute window, with an evaluator watching and scoring each one. These skills are drawn from the full list you practiced during training, so you need to be comfortable with all of them, not just a few favorites. Common skills tested include handwashing, measuring vital signs, positioning a patient, and assisting with personal care. You must pass both portions to earn your certification.
Background Check and Eligibility
Ohio law requires all applicants for nurse aide certification to complete fingerprint-based criminal record checks through both the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the FBI. This is a non-negotiable step in the process. Certain criminal convictions, particularly those involving abuse, neglect, or exploitation of vulnerable adults, can disqualify you from working in long-term care settings. The Ohio Board of Nursing reviews each case individually after an application has been filed, so a criminal record doesn’t automatically mean rejection, but serious offenses likely will be.
Keeping Your Certification Active
Once certified, your name is added to the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry. To stay on the registry, you must complete 12 hours of in-service education every year. These hours are typically provided by your employer and cover topics like infection prevention, patient rights, and emergency procedures. If you let your certification lapse by not working or not completing your education requirements, you may need to retake the competency exam to reactivate it.
Pay and Work Settings
STNAs in Ohio earn an average of about $19.83 per hour, based on salary data from nearly 6,000 reported positions. Pay ranges from roughly $15 per hour at the low end to over $26 per hour for experienced workers or those in higher-paying facilities. Hospitals and specialty care centers tend to pay more than standard nursing homes.
Most STNAs work in skilled nursing facilities and long-term care homes, but the certification also opens doors to hospitals, assisted living communities, rehabilitation centers, and home health agencies. The role is one of the fastest entry points into healthcare, and many STNAs use it as a stepping stone toward licensed practical nursing or registered nursing programs. Clinical experience as an STNA strengthens nursing school applications and gives you a realistic preview of patient care work before committing to a longer degree program.