Restorative Nursing Assistant (RNA) Training

What this course covers

The Restorative Nursing Assistant course builds on your CNA skills with techniques used to help residents recover or maintain function after illness, surgery, or injury: range-of-motion exercises, gait and transfer training, bowel and bladder restorative programs, splint and adaptive equipment use, and documentation of restorative progress.

Who this is for

This course is for active Certified Nursing Assistants who want to specialize in restorative or rehabilitative care, often a path toward higher pay and more responsibility within skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities.

Prerequisites

An active California CNA certification and a current BLS (Basic Life Support) card are both required. If you earned either credential elsewhere, bring proof of both when you enroll. Need the BLS card first? Complete our AHA BLS course before your RNA start date.

Serving the greater Sacramento area

Restorative Nursing Assistant training is held in person in Orangevale, an easy drive from Citrus Heights, Fair Oaks, Folsom, Roseville, and the greater Sacramento area. CNAs across the region choose our small classes to move into restorative care roles.

Restorative Nursing Assistant (RNA) program overview

A Restorative Nursing Assistant is a Certified Nursing Assistant with additional training in restorative care. Our RNA course is an add-on for people who already hold an active California CNA certification, and it prepares you to help residents regain and keep their independence rather than simply receiving care. It is one of the most rewarding ways for a CNA to specialize, because you get to see patients make real progress over time.

The course is taught by a Registered Nurse and stays grounded in how restorative care actually works on the floor of a skilled nursing facility: following a care plan, encouraging a resident through an exercise, and documenting the small gains that add up to a better quality of life.

What restorative nursing is

Restorative nursing is care focused on function. Instead of doing everything for a resident, a restorative approach helps the resident do as much as they safely can for themselves, and works to rebuild the abilities they have lost to illness, surgery, or a long hospital stay. The goals are practical and human: walk a little farther, dress more independently, eat without help, and hold on to dignity. Restorative programs are a core part of quality care in long-term settings and are carried out under nursing supervision.

What an RNA does day to day

As an RNA you carry out the restorative parts of a resident's care plan and track their progress. That typically includes:

• Range-of-motion exercises to maintain and improve joint movement
• Ambulation and mobility training to help residents walk and transfer more safely
• Helping residents rebuild activities of daily living such as dressing, grooming, eating, and toileting
• Encouraging and coaching residents through their restorative goals with patience
• Observing and documenting progress and reporting changes to the supervising nurse

The specific program is set by the nurse and care team; your role is to deliver it consistently and to notice and record how the resident is responding.

Prerequisites: active CNA certification and a current BLS card

RNA is an advanced role, so it builds on skills you already have. To enroll you need an active California CNA certification and a current AHA BLS (CPR) card. Your CNA provides the patient-care foundation, and a current BLS card is standard for direct-care roles in skilled nursing. If you need either credential, we offer both and can help you plan the order.

CNA versus RNA: how the roles differ

Every RNA is a CNA, but not every CNA is an RNA. A CNA provides broad, hands-on daily care. An RNA adds a focused, restorative role: carrying out therapy-style programs that help residents regain function, and documenting that progress in detail. For many CNAs, becoming an RNA is a way to take on a defined specialty, work more closely with the nursing and therapy team, and stand out to employers. Our guide comparing CNA, HHA, and RNA paths walks through the differences if you are deciding which fits you.

Where RNAs work and why employers value the role

RNAs work mainly in skilled nursing facilities and long-term care, where restorative programs are part of everyday quality care. Employers value staff who can run these programs well because restorative care helps residents stay stronger and more independent, which is good for residents and important to facilities. Across the greater Sacramento region and Northern California, skilled nursing and post-acute communities are steady employers of trained direct-care staff. You can also broaden your options by pairing RNA with a Home Health Aide certification for home-based work.

Why restorative care matters

Restorative care changes lives in quiet, practical ways. A resident who can walk to the dining room instead of being pushed there, dress with a little help instead of none, or feed themselves again keeps a sense of dignity and control that is easy to underestimate. Families notice, too, because they see a loved one holding on to independence rather than steadily losing it. That is the heart of the RNA role: helping people keep the abilities that make daily life feel like their own.

For skilled nursing facilities, strong restorative programs are also part of delivering and demonstrating quality care. Helping residents maintain mobility and function supports better outcomes and fewer complications, which is why facilities value CNAs who are trained to run these programs well and to document progress accurately. Choosing to become an RNA signals to employers that you take that responsibility seriously and that you want to grow beyond the basics of the CNA role.

Who should enroll

Enroll in the RNA course if you are an active CNA who wants to specialize, take on a defined restorative role, and be more competitive with skilled nursing employers. It suits caregivers who find real satisfaction in helping people recover function and independence. If you are not yet a CNA, start with our CNA program and add RNA afterward.

Tuition and what is included

The Restorative Nursing Assistant course is $250. That covers your instruction and the training that adds the RNA credential to your active CNA. Keep the prerequisites in mind: you will need an active CNA certification and a current BLS card to enroll. If you need to schedule BLS as well, let us know and we will line it up.

How to enroll and what to expect next

Ready to add a restorative specialty to your career? Use our enrollment form or call (916) 544-1256. Confirm that your CNA is active and whether your BLS card is current, and our admissions team will help you choose a start. We welcome students from across the greater Sacramento region at our Orangevale campus.

Sources and official references

• California Department of Public HealthThe state agency that certifies nurse assistants and home health aides in California
• American Heart Association CPR & First AidSets the BLS curriculum standard behind the card required for this course

Certification requirements are set by the State of California through the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the relevant certifying bodies, and can change. Prices and prerequisites are current as of 2026; please confirm current details with the California Department of Public Health and the American Heart Association before enrolling.