I have been out of prison for 1 year.I have since moved away from where all my problems began,got married and live an entirely different life.However,I am a repeat offender.Will this affect my ability to obtain a CNA'S certificate?I have seen numerous answers stating that as long as I get approval from the dept.of public health I should be fine... Is this realistic before I put out the $ for the course?? I am desperate for advice.Thanks.

No you will not be able to work,

Even if, ( and it is most likely they would not allow) but even if, the state would issue you a license ( and that is an almost for sure no) you still could not work in any facility, for example, if the business receives medicare for example, no one with a felony can have direct contact with a patient, the last place I worked, even the office workers, and the janitor ( who may run into the patient) was not allowed to have any criminal record. We have to do a criminal background prior to starting work.

Depends on where you live. Also, you don't need the approval from the DOH, where I live they don't oversee nursing.

Most likely you will not be able to be in any form of nursing since (and I mean no ill will) to be an RN, LPN, CNA, etc. you are in a position of trust and will be dealing with sometimes impossible patients as well as narcotics, they are reluctant to take anyone with felony into this field.

So, no, it's not realistic for you to be able to expect to get a job in this field.

Nursing and health care have very strict guidelines, it is in your best interest, before you spend the money to call your state board of nursing, ask them what would restrict you from getting certified. Since I don't know what your offense was I couldn't tell you yes or not.

I guess I will rephrase some.

You can get your certificate most likely but you will not find any work inside doctors offices, hospitals and the such, not even with home health care agencies, You would be able to work for private families who are paying you directly.