In order to become a certified nursing assistant (CNA), one needs to be enrolled for the program and complete the course. After the completion of the course requirements, the candidate needs to take a certification exam and clear it. Once clearing the test, candidate is eligible to get the license that would act as a gate pass for continuing a career as professional health care provider.
Initial Certified Nursing Assistant certification requires one to attend the training for nurse assistants, which is often mandated by the federal and state government. Community colleges, technical and vocational schools, and online CNA training programs can provide certified training.
The license of the CNA (certified nursing assistants) serves as a ticket in the field of health care career. However, these certificates are not a license for a lifetime.
People need to renew the certificate within two years.
After clearing the initial CNA certification, one can apply for various types of health care settings, which also includes rehabilitation facilities, private homes, Homes for Assisted Living, Nursing Homes, hospital s etc.
CNA certificate holds a lot of importance. Any individual needs to have a CNA certificate before they wish to be employed as a certified nurse assistant. CNA certificate acts as a proof, which gives an authorization to the candidate to perform their duties. It confirms that the candidate has complete knowledge and skills that a health care professional should have to give an effective care to the patient.
The candidate should keep this in mind that this certification has an expiry date also, which is after two years. It becomes very important for a person to renew their license so that they can continue to work as a nurse assistant and increase their experience. In order to renew the license, one needs to have worked very actively during the past two years as it is acts as a very important aspect while renewing the certificate. If one does not have a experience or the acquired experience is not enough then they might have to face challenges while renewing their certificate, and this may also include the retake of exam.
As stated earlier, one has to renew their license upon the certification expiry. If a person has been working continuously in a position of certified nurse assistant for the past continuous two years and their record is also a perfect one and has not been negatively affected in any way, then such candidates can follow the procedure given below in order to renew their license.
Every state performs a background check on each applicant who has applied for the CNA certification renewal. The candidate needs to have a clean record and should not have any criminal record. If a person is found to have a positive record towards the criminal record, then they won’t be able to apply for CNA License Renewal.
It is also important for the candidate to keep their address up to date with State Nurse Aide Registry as they will send the required important documents frequently that needs to be responded. In addition, the State Nurse Aide Registry also sends CNA certification renewal forms to the registered address around 60 days earlier than the license expiry date. If the person has not updated their current address with the State Nurse Aide Registry, then when the time of certification renewal will come, it will cost some extra amount for not updating the current address.
People can also apply online for certification renewal.
- The candidate needs to ask for a cna certification renewal forms, fill all the required information in it, and make sure that all the health care employers fill the second section completely.
- Write the employer’s entry date after they have filled in their information.
- Mail the fully filled form to the state department who takes care of this section
- Wait till the forms are processed as it can take two or three weeks that depends on the state and the office. Some state also provide online facility so that the candidate can check the renewal status of their forms.
- If there has been no response even after the waiting time, then they can contact the office and put forward their enquiry
If one has not been active for the past 24 months or 2 years one might need to take the certification exam again. Some states also require working in the nurse aid program before retaking the state exams.
CNA Recertification Requirements
CNA Recertification is the procedure to renew a person’s nursing assistant certification. No matter which state you are in, you have to do this every two years before the end of your birth month.
Requirements for Re-certification
In order to be re-certified, you have to have worked at least 150 hours during the past two years. You should check with the state you will be working in, as that number differs from state to state. Check with the state board. That is the place that makes sure CNA’s are current their field. However, if you have been out of the field for longer than two years, there may be requirements you need to follow.
You also must have documentation showing you are a citizen of the United States and are eligible to work in the country. This type of documentation is required in most working boards. You also have to admit whether or not you have ever committed a felony and been convicted to a state board of nursing. If you fail to do so, this will lead to you being immediately taken off the nursing register.
CNA Recertification Application
When you fill out the re-certification application, put your personal information in the first section of the form. The employer fills out the second section. While this is simple if you already have a job, if you have been out of work you must go to your last employer whom you worked at least 150 hours for in the past two years and get them to fill it out.
Upon completion of the form, it must be mailed to the state board. It will take about two weeks for the renewal process to be finished.
CAN who hasn’t worked in two years or more?
If you haven’t worked in two years, things can get a little difficult and are handled differently from state to state. Some states will make you do your CAN training over again. That means you must return to school to get at least 100 or more hours of nurse aide training and then retake the CNA certification test.
This could be a costly experience, so that’s why you need to make sure you work the required hours even if you have to do it by working part time so you will continue to meet those requirements.
Some states don’t require you to go back to school, and merely want you to retake the CNA test. If so, you just have to study up on the topics and take the test. You will also have to pay whatever the state charges to take the test.
