Roadmap
From where you are to Registered Nurse (ADN) — Medical-Surgical or ER
4 milestones · ~4 years · you set the pace
0% of the way to Registered Nurse (ADN) — Medical-Surgical or ER· Starting from: 12th grade
Coming up · milestone 2 of 4
Patient Care Technician (PCT) — hospital
Your step-by-step guide for this one is written when you get here, so it fits what you've done by then.
Coming up · milestone 3 of 4
ADN Nursing Student (enrolled)
Your step-by-step guide for this one is written when you get here, so it fits what you've done by then.
Coming up · milestone 4 of 4
Registered Nurse (ADN) — Medical-Surgical or ER
Your step-by-step guide for this one is written when you get here, so it fits what you've done by then.
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
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Catch your teacher before or after class and ask directly: 'Is this course state-approved so I can take the CNA exam before I graduate?' Write down what they say.
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Go to the Tennessee Department of Health's official site and find the CNA section; download the candidate handbook and read the eligibility page first.
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The handbook lists exact hour requirements; highlight the numbers and compare them to your current class schedule so you know what is still needed.
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Call a community college near you and ask for the Continuing Education or Allied Health office; tell them you are a high school student looking for a state-approved CNA course.
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Search 'TN CNA free practice test' on the exam provider's official site; work through at least two full practice sets and note which skills you miss most.
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Use the exam provider's online portal to pick a test date and location; bring your training completion certificate and a valid photo ID on test day.
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Go to each hospital's official careers page, type 'CNA' or 'nursing assistant' in the search bar, and filter by Knoxville; bookmark every posting that matches your availability.
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Tailor one résumé template to highlight diet-card compliance and resident care from your current job; submit through each hospital's online application portal and follow up by phone within a week.
Go further
Optional side tasks that stack skills and experience while you work on this milestone. They never hold up your roadmap.
You're on essentials: just the milestone steps. Switch any time; nothing is lost.
Knowing terms like 'NPO,' 'ambulate,' and 'vitals' will help you communicate with nurses from day one as a CNA.
Direct exposure to a clinical setting builds comfort with medical environments and strengthens your CNA job applications.
A working CNA can tell you exactly what the job feels like day-to-day and give you honest advice before you commit.
Framing your dietary aide duties in clinical language shows hiring managers you already practice patient-safety skills.
Your school track
From College & Training. Milestones marked with a cap wait on it.
Change my goal
Finished milestones stay. The ones ahead are rebuilt toward your new goal.
Choose a different path
Other directions that fit your skills and progress. Your history is kept.
Finding options…
Life happened
Tell us what changed. We'll keep what you've done and adjust the road ahead.
Nice work. Add it to your résumé?
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