Certified Nurse Aide License

Certified nursing assistants are an important part of the healthcare profession; they work as per the directions given by Registered Nurses (RN) and assist them in patient care. But if you want to practice as a certified nursing assistant, certified nursing license is a mandatory requirement as per the federal law of United States.

CNA license is very important for practice and you should have all the relevant information about the eligibility for the license, acquiring the license, license renewal, verification and transfer of licenses.

Eligibility for Certified Nursing License

There certain eligibility requirements that you need to fulfill if you want to get a nursing assistant license. These requirements are mandatory as per the law.

• Age: The minimum age should be 18 years at the time of applying for the license
• Educational Qualification: The applicant should have a high school diploma or a GED (General Educational Development)
• Certification: The applicant must have completed CNA training program which consists of minimum 51 hours of classroom study and 24 hours of clinical training from any accredited institute and should posses the certification for the same
• Background Check: A background check is mandatory to apply for CNA license. The fingerprint of the applicant is taken and matched with the database of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and then a certification for the same is provided
• Medical Examination: The candidate has to undergo a medical examination and a medical report has to be submitted stating that the applicant is not suffering from any transmissible disease.

How to Obtain a CNA License

To obtain a nursing assistant license, you have to visit to the Nurse Aide Registry in your state and collect all the relevant information for the same. You have to appear for the exam conducted by the licensing authority and clear it. The examination comprise of :

Clinical Exam: It is use to evaluate your skills that you have developed during your practical training session and it also examines whether you are eligible for the CNA license or not. A set of questions will be given to you and will be asked to demonstrate them. This examination also judges your confidence level.

Theoretical Exam: This exam is taken in order to judge your basic knowledge of nursing and the concept of nursing that you have learned in your class.

Note: It is mandatory to pass in both the exam in order to obtain CNA license.

Step By Step Procedures to Apply for CNA License

After clearing the exam you need to follow a procedure to obtain the license.

Step 1: Fill the application form that you will receive from the Nurse Aide Registry or the State Health Department's website, notarize it and mail it to the said office address
Step 2: Attach the verification of training form to notify that you have attended an accredited training program
Step 3: Submit the medical checkup report along with the form and also submit the fingerprint card to the State Public Safety Department
Step 4: Be ready with the license fee; it varies from one state to the other
Step 5: Do not ask the state department about the status of your license, it may take four to six weeks for the Nurse Aide Registry to issue a fresh license. Most state department display the status on their official websites

Nursing Assistant License Renewal

The certified nursing assistant license issued to you is valid for a certain period; in most states it is valid for two years, but some states issue one year licenses. The Nurse Aide Registry sends you an expiry notification at least one week before your license expires; therefore it is essential that you keep the registry informed about your whereabouts. Some important aspect regarding CNA license Renewal:

• You must meet certain CNA license renewal requirements to be able to renew your license
• You must have practiced as a CNA for a minimum of 150 hours in the past 24 months
• If you do not work the minimum hours or if you fail to renew the license in time, you may have to give a recertification test.
• During the period for which your license is valid, you must not have any criminal sentences against you

If these requirements are fulfilled the registry will accept your application for renewal and it will be processed within two weeks.

Certified Nurse Aide License Verification

It is important to verify that the license you have received is a valid one to continue serving as a nursing assistant. A valid license will have the original seal of the Nurse Aide Registry and you will be easily able to verify the same.

Certified Nurse Aide License Transfer

In case you are moving to some other state for whatever reason, you will have to transfer your license to that state. If that state practices reciprocity you will have to submit all the required documents and background check report to the licensing authority.

Note: Note: Some states even allow practice before the actual nursing assistant license transfer is processed while others do not. If the state in which you have moved does not have the reciprocity policy, then you will have to give the certification test held by that state and then apply for the license. The next step after obtaining the license is to find the job. To know what certified nursing aides earn, visit CNAFAQ.com.

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