Nursing Assistant: Acute Care
14-week advanced CNA course preparing existing CNAs to work in acute-care hospital units like ER, telemetry, and med-surg.
1800 West Ball Road, Anaheim, CA 92804
Cohorts run multiple times per year
Experience required
Program Philosophy
North Orange County ROP was established in 1971 to give post-secondary and adult learners hands-on, employer-driven career training that leads directly to recognized certifications and licensure. The Adult Career Education (ACE) program emphasizes industry-experienced instructors, rigorous clinical externships at local healthcare worksites, and wraparound supports (counseling, Fresh Success/CalFresh, Care Solace) so adult students can complete training and transition into the regional healthcare workforce.
Started in 2026
Visit program website
California CNAs ready to move from long-term care into hospital acute-care units.
Day program: Fridays and Saturdays. Most recent cohort started July 10.
Certificate of completion in Acute Care CNA; readiness for ER, telemetry, and med-surg hospital roles.
Cost & Outcomes
Tuition is $2,150 before any financial aid. This cost can be reduced through WIOA funding — money from the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, accessed via Orange County's America's Job Centers, that covers training and supplies for eligible jobseekers, dislocated workers, and low-income adults — as well as CalFresh Fresh Success and private healthcare-sector scholarships. Students may also pay out of pocket. Since no student loans are used, average graduate debt is $0.
Who This Program is Built For
This program was specifically designed with these communities in mind. If you see yourself, you belong here.
What Sets This Program Apart
Industry-experienced instructors recruited from working healthcare clinicians and administrators
Hands-on clinical externships at local North Orange County healthcare worksites built into the program
Small adult cohorts taught at the dedicated Career Training Center in Anaheim
WASC-accredited and approved by California state agencies (CDE; CDPH or BVNPT as applicable)
Wraparound supports including ACE counseling, Fresh Success/CalFresh, Care Solace, and Job Board
Stackable healthcare pathway: courses are designed to ladder (e.g., Medical Terminology → CNA → Acute Care CNA → LVN)
Day in the Life
- Instructor-led classroom sessions with industry-experienced faculty
- Skills lab practice with manikins, instruments, and required supplies provided on-site
- Clinical/externship hours scheduled separately at North Orange County healthcare partner sites
- Small cohort of adult learners; peer practice and case-study discussion
- Online coursework via the Orbund Einstein-Freshair student portal between class sessions
Nursing Programs Director Laura Garcia (MSN, BSN, PHN, RN); CNA instructors are licensed RNs with long-term-care and acute-care clinical experience.
Soft and technical skills you'll gain by program completion.
No additional state exam required beyond existing CDPH CNA certification; graduates earn a certificate of completion.
Highs & Lows
The quicker pace and new procedures like telemetry and post-op monitoring require adjustment, and the Friday–Saturday schedule can be tough to fit around an existing CNA job.
The program is a clear career step — moving from long-term care into the faster, higher-acuity world of hospital units, with a gain in both skill and career standing.
Employment Support
On-site adult CTE counseling and case management
Externship and hiring partners drawn from the North Orange County healthcare ecosystem, including local hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, dental and medical practices, surgery centers, and community clinics
Job board listing local healthcare openings (https://nocrop.org/adult-career-education/ace-job-board/)
Externship placements at North Orange County healthcare facilities that frequently lead to hiring
Fresh Success career counseling
Interview training, job search and retention assistance for eligible students
Assistance applying for state certification/licensure exams
Hear From the Program
How It Works
Submit an online application via the Orbund student portal for the specific course.
Receive a confirmation email and follow-up from ACE staff (studentportal@nocrop.us).
Complete required NOCROP consent forms (physical-contact, patient-care, handbook acknowledgment, media release, technology use).
Pay tuition and applicable fees (or apply for Fresh Success / WIOA / scholarships before the start date).
For clinical programs: complete background check, drug test, immunizations/titers, and TB clearance.
Attend orientation and begin the cohort on its scheduled start date at the Career Training Center (1800 W. Ball Road, Anaheim).
Frequently Asked Questions
If you can't find what you're looking for, feel free to contact us.At the Career Training Center, 1800 W. Ball Road, Anaheim, CA 92804.
Yes. NOCROP courses are accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC). Specific programs are also approved by California state agencies (e.g., CDPH for the CNA program, BVNPT for the Vocational Nurse Training Program).
Yes. NOCROP offers Fresh Success (a CalFresh-linked program that helps with tuition and supply costs, career counseling, tutoring, and case management). WIOA funding may be available through Orange County America's Job Centers. Private scholarships, employer sponsorships, and out-of-pocket payment are also accepted.
Enrollment verification is available from the Career Training Center registrar via the Orbund student portal.
Yes. NOCROP provides Adult CTE Counseling, the Care Solace mental-health referral service, the Fresh Success program, and a dedicated Job Board.