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Certified Nursing Assistant Apprenticeship

Saint Louis University’s Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) offers a customizable apprenticeship program and resources that long-term care facilities can use to deliver specialized training for certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and other healthcare professionals.

About the Apprenticeship

The year-long CNA apprenticeship program addresses the growing need for healthcare professionals skilled in age-friendly comprehensive geriatric care. Grounded in the Age-Friendly Health System framework, the program blends on-demand lectures, instructional videos and direct mentorship, providing the clinical competencies and compassion needed for exceptional older adult care. The model and curriculum can be adopted by long-term care facilities, such as skilled care and assisted living communities. Upon completion, graduates receive a geriatric specialist certificate.

Program Benefits

  • Specialized, age-friendly training
  • On-the-job mentorship
  • Long-term resource access
  • Career advancement opportunities

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Program Structure and Curriculum

Facilities can use GWEP's apprenticeship structure and curriculum to deliver a tailored, high-quality training experience for program participants. The curriculum is divided into six sections designed to seamlessly integrate into active clinical schedules. Throughout the year, apprentices undergo regular assessments evaluating both technical knowledge and caregiving attitudes toward older adults.

Section Themes

  • Age-Friendly Care (Weeks 1-10): Master foundational healthcare frameworks and systems, including Medicare, Medicaid and Annual Wellness Visits; aging biases and vulnerabilities; and hospice and palliative care.
  • What Matters (Weeks 11-23): Align care with patients’ personal health outcome goals and preferences.
  • Mentation (Weeks 24-35): Use standardized mental health screening tools to identify, prevent and manage delirium, dementia and depression.
  • Mobility (Weeks 36-45): Encourage safe daily movement and mitigate fall risks.
  • Medications (Weeks 46-50): Prioritize age-friendly prescriptions over high-risk medications with dangerous side effects.
  • Career Development (Weeks 51-52): Build strategies to identify and prevent caregiver burnout.

Weekly Commitment

  • Asynchronous Videos (1 to 1.5 hours): Watch pre-recorded lectures from SLU faculty, clinical specialists and regional older-adult advocates.
  • Mentor Activities (approximately 45 minutes): Collaborate with a mentor to translate conceptual lessons into real-world workplace applications.
  • Reflections (5 minutes): Complete a brief online assessment evaluating material relevance and learning application.

For more information on launching a CNA apprenticeship at your facility, contact the Family Center for Healthy Aging at memoryclinic@health.slu.edu.