CNA Continuing Education (6 CEUs)

What this session covers

This continuing education session delivers 6 CEUs and refreshes core CNA competencies, covering current best practices in patient care, infection control, safety, and documentation. The hours are structured to count toward the in-service training California requires active CNAs to complete to keep their certification current.

Who this is for

This session is for currently certified CNAs who need continuing education or in-service hours toward renewal. If you are not sure how many hours you still need, bring your renewal notice or registry information and our team will help you confirm.

Confirm your renewal requirement

Continuing education and in-service hour requirements and renewal timelines are set by the state, so we recommend confirming your exact renewal date and hours owed directly with the California CNA registry alongside booking your session with us.

CDPH form 278D

The California Department of Public Health provides form CDPH 278D for certified nurse assistants. Download the current version directly from the CDPH website using the button below, so you always have the official copy, and follow the instructions printed on the form. Bring it to your session and our team will help you complete anything related to your continuing education hours.

Download CDPH 278D (PDF)

Serving the greater Sacramento area

Our CNA continuing education session is held at our Orangevale campus, convenient to Citrus Heights, Fair Oaks, Folsom, Carmichael, and the greater Sacramento area, so active CNAs nearby can complete their in-service hours close to home.

CNA continuing education and in-service overview

Continuing education keeps your skills current after you finish your entry-level training and start working as a Certified Nursing Assistant. In California, the hours you complete after certification are commonly called in-service hours, continuing education, or CEUs. For CNAs these terms point to the same thing: structured learning that refreshes the clinical and safety knowledge you use at the bedside every shift.

The idea is simple. Patient care standards, infection control guidance, and safety practices change over time. Regular in-service training makes sure the care you give stays aligned with current best practice, and it is also a condition of keeping your certification active. Think of continuing education as two things at once: protection for the people you care for, and protection for the credential you worked hard to earn.

This page explains how California CNA renewal works, what counts toward your hours, and how this 6 CEU session at our Orangevale campus fits into your plan. If you are brand new to the field and looking for your initial training instead, see our Certified Nursing Assistant course.

California CNA renewal explained

In California, CNA certification is renewed on a two-year cycle. During each two-year renewal period you must complete 48 hours of continuing education (in-service training), and you must have performed paid nurse-assistant work at some point during that period. Certification and renewal are administered by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). You can review the official rules on the CDPH CNA program page.

Here is the short version of what the state asks of an active CNA:

• Two-year cycle. Your certification is valid for two years and must be renewed to stay active.
• 48 hours of continuing education. You complete 48 hours of in-service training across the two-year period.
• Paid work requirement. You must have worked for pay as a nurse assistant during the renewal period.
• CDPH oversight. The California Department of Public Health sets and administers these requirements.

Because the exact renewal date and the number of hours you still owe are tied to your own certification record, we always recommend confirming those details directly with CDPH. Your renewal notice and your registry record are the authoritative source for your personal deadline. Our team can help you see how a 6 CEU session fits alongside whatever hours you have left, but the official count lives with CDPH. For a plain-language walkthrough, our blog post on how to renew your CNA certification covers the same cycle in more detail.

What counts as in-service / continuing education

In-service and continuing education for CNAs is training that keeps your core competencies sharp and reflects current standards of care. The 48 hours you complete over your two-year cycle are meant to reinforce the everyday skills of nurse-assistant work rather than teach a brand new job.

Common continuing education topics for CNAs include:

• Infection prevention and control, including hand hygiene and standard precautions
• Resident and patient safety, fall prevention, and safe transfers
• Communication, patient rights, and dignity in care
• Documentation and accurate reporting to the nursing team
• Recognizing and reporting changes in a patient's condition
• Abuse prevention and mandated reporting responsibilities

Continuing education can be delivered in different formats, including instructor-led sessions like the one we offer. What matters is that the training is genuine in-service education and that you keep a clear record of the hours you complete. If you ever want to grow beyond the required hours and specialize, active CNAs often move into focused programs such as our Restorative Nursing Assistant course, though a specialty course is a separate step from meeting your standard renewal hours.

What this 6 CEU session covers and how it applies to your 48 hours

This session delivers 6 CEUs of continuing education, and those 6 hours count toward the 48 hours of in-service training you need during your two-year renewal period. In other words, one session moves you a meaningful step closer to a complete renewal.

The session is taught by Tynesha Zacarias, RN, and refreshes the core competencies CNAs use most:

• Patient care best practices. Current, practical approaches to daily care and comfort.
• Infection control. A refresher on precautions that protect both patients and staff.
• Safety. Fall prevention, safe body mechanics, and safe transfers.
• Documentation. Clear, accurate reporting that supports the whole care team.

Because your renewal requires 48 hours in total, a single 6 CEU session will not complete your requirement on its own. It is designed to be one reliable, well-documented block of hours that you combine with other continuing education across your cycle. If you are not sure how many hours you have left, bring your renewal notice and we will help you see where these 6 CEUs fit.

CDPH form 278D: keeping your in-service record

Good record-keeping is part of a smooth renewal. CDPH form 278D is the record used to document continuing education and in-service hours for certified nurse assistants. Keeping this form current and accurate as you complete hours means you are not scrambling to reconstruct your training history when your renewal date arrives.

A few habits make this easier:

• Always download the current version of form 278D directly from CDPH so you have the official copy.
• Record hours as you earn them, rather than waiting until the end of your cycle.
• Keep your documentation somewhere safe and easy to find.
• Follow the instructions printed on the form itself.

You can find the CNA forms and the official requirements on the CDPH CNA program page. When you attend your session with us, bring your 278D and our team will help you complete the portion related to the continuing education hours you earn here.

Avoiding a lapse: planning your renewal on time

The most common renewal problem is not difficulty, it is timing. Because you have two years to complete 48 hours, it is easy to put continuing education off until the deadline is close. A little planning removes that pressure.

Simple steps that keep you on track:

• Know your date. Confirm your exact renewal date with CDPH and write it down where you will see it.
• Spread your hours out. Completing continuing education steadily across the two years is far less stressful than a last-minute rush.
• Document as you go. Update your 278D each time you finish a session.
• Book early. Reserve sessions like this 6 CEU class well before your deadline so a full calendar never becomes your problem.

Letting a certification lapse can create extra steps to get back to active status, so the goal is to renew on time, every cycle. Because the specifics of a lapse and how to correct it are set by the state, confirm your situation directly with CDPH if you are ever close to a deadline. Our blog post on renewing your CNA certification walks through the timing in more depth.

Who should enroll

This 6 CEU session is built for active CNAs who need continuing education toward renewal. You are a good fit if you:

• Hold an active California CNA certification and want to keep it current
• Need in-service hours toward your 48-hour, two-year requirement
• Prefer an instructor-led session taught by a Registered Nurse
• Want your hours clearly documented on CDPH form 278D
• Work in or near the greater Sacramento area and want training close to home

If you are still working toward your initial certification, this in-service session is not the right starting point. New students should begin with our Certified Nursing Assistant course, then return for continuing education once they are certified and working.

Session fee and what is included

The session fee is $50, and that covers a complete 6 CEU continuing education session for active Certified Nursing Assistants. There is no separate charge to attend beyond this session fee.

Your $50 includes:

• 6 CEUs of instructor-led continuing education that count toward your 48-hour requirement
• Instruction from Tynesha Zacarias, RN, our lead instructor
• A refresher across patient care, infection control, safety, and documentation
• Hands-on help completing the continuing education portion of your CDPH 278D
• Training at our Orangevale campus, convenient to the greater Sacramento area

We keep the pricing straightforward on purpose: $50 for 6 CEUs, so you can plan your renewal budget with no surprises.

How to enroll and what to expect next

Enrolling is quick. You can enroll online or call our admissions team at (916) 544-1256 to pick a date that fits your schedule. If you are not certain how many hours you still owe, mention it when you reach out and we will help you plan.

Here is what to expect:

• Reserve your seat. Choose a session date online or by phone.
• Bring your paperwork. Have your active CNA information and your CDPH 278D with you.
• Attend the session. Complete your 6 CEUs of instructor-led continuing education at our Orangevale campus.
• Document your hours. We help you record the hours on your 278D so your record stays current.

Our campus is located at 9198 Greenback Lane, Suite 108, Orangevale, CA 95662, and we serve active CNAs across the region. To see the communities we support, visit our service areas page. When you are ready, book your 6 CEU session and keep your CNA certification moving toward an on-time renewal.

Sources and official references

• CDPH form 278D (PDF)Official California Department of Public Health form, downloaded directly from cdph.ca.gov
• California Department of Public HealthSets in-service and continuing education requirements for CNA certification renewal