CNA Classes for Vero Beach Residents
RN-Led Exam Prep with AHA BLS Certification Included — Just 25 Minutes North on US-1
Indian River County has one of the oldest populations of any county in the United States. With a median age above 55 and more than a third of residents over 65, Vero Beach’s healthcare economy is built around caring for people as they age. That creates a specific kind of demand for certified nursing assistants — not just in hospitals, but across a network of rehabilitation facilities, assisted living communities, memory care residences, skilled nursing centers, and home health agencies that stretches the length of the county.
At Medical Plus Training Center, our CNA exam prep course prepares you to challenge the Florida Prometric CNA exam and start working in that care network. The course is taught by a Registered Nurse, includes your AHA BLS certification in the tuition, and completes in one week. We’re located at 602 North US Highway 1 in Fort Pierce — about 25 minutes south of downtown Vero Beach on US-1.
“Whether you are a newbie like I was or just looking to level up your skills, Medical Plus Training Center is the place to be.”
Where Vero Beach CNAs Work
The CNA job market in Indian River County looks different from the rest of the Treasure Coast. In Port St. Lucie or Fort Pierce, the employment picture is dominated by competing hospital systems and rapid population growth. In Vero Beach, the landscape is shaped by one major hospital, a dedicated rehabilitation hospital, and one of the densest concentrations of elder care facilities on Florida’s east coast.
Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital
Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital is a 332-bed not-for-profit facility on 36th Street in Vero Beach. It is the only major acute care hospital in Indian River County and the anchor of the county’s healthcare infrastructure. The hospital operates the Welsh Heart Center, Scully-Welsh Cancer Center, a behavioral health center, maternity unit, neurology and neurosurgery departments, orthopedic surgery, and a 24-hour emergency department. As part of Cleveland Clinic’s Florida region, it operates under nationally recognized quality standards. CNAs at Indian River Hospital work across medical-surgical floors, cardiac care, oncology, post-surgical recovery, behavioral health, and observation units. The hospital requires AHA BLS certification for all direct patient care roles.
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Treasure Coast
Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Treasure Coast is a 90-bed inpatient rehabilitation facility on 37th Street, less than a mile from Cleveland Clinic Indian River. It serves patients recovering from stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, hip fractures, joint replacements, amputations, and neurological conditions including Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. The hospital provides at least three hours of intensive therapy per day, five days per week, and employs an interdisciplinary team that includes rehabilitation nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and certified nursing assistants. CNA work in this setting centers on functional recovery — helping patients rebuild the ability to eat, dress, walk, and manage daily activities. It is a different pace and a different skill set than acute care, and many CNAs who prefer hands-on, relationship-oriented work find rehabilitation to be a strong fit.
Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Home Health
This is where Vero Beach’s demographics define the job market. Indian River County’s senior population is projected to exceed 65,000 residents over 65 by 2030, and the care infrastructure to support that population is already substantial. The county has more than 20 memory care facilities, including Brookdale Vero Beach, The Brennity at Vero Beach, CERTUS Premier Memory Care, Sonata, Renaissance Senior Living, and Heron Cove. Indian River Estates, an Acts continuing care retirement community on Indian Creek Boulevard, provides a full continuum from independent living through skilled nursing on a single 100-acre campus.
Skilled nursing facilities like Palm Garden of Vero Beach, Vero Beach Care Center, and Garden View Health and Rehabilitation Center employ CNAs across multiple shifts. Home health agencies serve the barrier island, the mainland, and the western communities along I-95. The common thread across all of these employers is the same: they require both CNA certification and current AHA BLS before your first day of work.
What Makes This Program Different
Vero Beach has several CNA training options. Indian River State College offers a Nursing Assistant program at the Mueller Campus on College Lane, and Treasure Coast Technical College on 28th Court runs its own program through the Indian River County school district. Both are state-approved, full-length programs — typically 120 to 165 hours over 10 or more weeks — designed for students who want the complete educational pathway.
Our program serves a different need. Medical Plus Training Center is not a traditional CNA school. We offer intensive, focused exam preparation for people who intend to challenge the Florida Prometric CNA exam directly. Florida allows candidates to sit for the state competency exam without completing a formal 120-hour training program. This challenger route is legal, established, and used by thousands of candidates across the state every year.
Every class is taught by Chevaughn Maitland, RN. An RN instructor brings direct clinical experience from hospital floors, which means the skills you practice — measuring vital signs, positioning patients, performing catheter care, documenting intake and output — are taught to the standards that actual employers expect, not just to the minimum the exam requires.
Your AHA CPR and BLS certification is included in tuition. At most other programs, BLS is either an additional cost or something you have to schedule separately after graduation. We include it because every hospital, rehabilitation facility, and skilled nursing center in Indian River County requires it before your first shift, and we don’t want your certification sitting in a drawer while you chase down a CPR class.
The entire course is completed in one week. We offer day classes Monday through Thursday and two different night class options for students who are working or managing other commitments. If you already know you want to work in healthcare, you don’t need to spend months in a classroom to get started. You need focused preparation, the right credentials, and a program that respects your time.
Class Schedules and Tuition
We offer three class formats, all completed in one week. Choose the schedule that fits your life:
CNA Exam Prep: Day Classes
20 hours @ $650.00
Schedule: Monday–Thursday (1-Week Course)
CNA Exam Prep: Night Classes - Option A
16 hours @ $650.00
Schedule: Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday (1-Week Course)
CNA Exam Prep: Night Classes - Option B
16 hours @ $650.00
Schedule: Monday, Tuesday & Friday (1-Week Course)
Included in Your Tuition
✓ CNA Exam Prep Skills Workbook ✓ AHA BLS/CPR Certification ✓ Hands-On Skills Practice ✓ Bloodborne Pathogens Training ✓ RN-Led Instruction
Paid Separately
Prometric State Exam Fee ($155) | Background Check (varies)
Getting Here from Vero Beach
Our training center is located at 602 North US Highway 1 in Fort Pierce, directly on the US-1 corridor.
From downtown Vero Beach, the drive is approximately 25 minutes south on US-1. From the western communities near I-95 and the Indian River Mall area, you can take I-95 south to the Okeechobee Road exit or follow US-1 directly. There are no tolls on either route.
You are committing to this drive for one week. Day classes run Monday through Thursday. Night classes run three days. The total time you spend commuting over the entire course is comparable to a single week of driving to and from work — for a certification that opens the door to employers across Indian River County and beyond.
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Those are full-length, state-approved training programs — typically 120 to 165 hours over 10 or more weeks. They include classroom instruction, lab practice, and supervised clinical rotations. Our program is different: we offer one week of intensive exam preparation for candidates who plan to challenge the Florida Prometric CNA exam directly, without completing a formal training program. Both pathways lead to the same state certification. The difference is time commitment and approach. If you want the full educational experience, IRSC and Treasure Coast Technical College are solid choices. If you want to get certified quickly and start working, our exam prep course is designed for that.
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Yes. Florida does not require completion of a state-approved training program to sit for the Prometric CNA competency exam. The challenger route is a legal pathway established under Florida law. Our exam prep course gives you the clinical skills practice and written test preparation to pass both portions of the exam.
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Yes. We are an American Heart Association training site. The BLS Provider card you earn is the specific credential that Cleveland Clinic, Encompass Health, and virtually every healthcare employer in Indian River County requires for direct patient care positions. It is not a generic CPR card — it is the AHA BLS Provider certification that meets clinical hiring standards.
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Our course is intensive by design. If you have prior caregiving experience — whether professional, volunteer, or caring for a family member — you will likely feel well-prepared. If you are entering healthcare for the first time, be prepared to study outside of class hours. We provide the workbook and the structured practice; you provide the commitment.
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When can I schedule my Prometric exam after completing the course?
You can schedule your Prometric exam as soon as you feel ready. Many students test within one to two weeks of completing our course. The exam includes a written knowledge portion and a hands-on clinical skills demonstration at a Prometric testing site. For a full breakdown of the testing process, read our guide on what to expect on CNA exam day.
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Absolutely. The CNA certification and AHA BLS credential you earn apply to every healthcare setting in Florida — hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing centers, assisted living communities, memory care residences, and home health agencies. Many of the skills we teach, including patient positioning, vital signs, personal care assistance, and professional communication, are directly applicable to elder care environments. In Indian River County, where a significant portion of CNA positions are in geriatric care settings, this training is highly relevant.
Start Your CNA Career from Vero Beach
Indian River County’s aging population isn’t a future trend — it’s the current reality. Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, Encompass Health, assisted living communities, memory care residences, and home health agencies across the county are hiring certified nursing assistants. The path from where you are to where you want to be runs through one week of focused training and a 25-minute drive.
Call (772) 306-6622 to ask about upcoming class dates, or view upcoming class dates and enroll online.
Medical Plus Training Center
602 North US Highway 1, Fort Pierce, FL 34950
(772) 306-6622
About Your Instructor
Chevaughn Maitland, RN, is the lead instructor at Medical Plus Training Center. As a Registered Nurse with direct clinical experience, Chevaughn teaches CNA exam preparation and AHA BLS certification to the standards that Treasure Coast employers expect. Her classes emphasize hands-on skills practice, real-world clinical scenarios, and the professional habits that help new CNAs succeed in their first healthcare roles.