Certified Nursing Assistant & Certification

The first and most important requirement for obtaining employment as a certified nurse aide is showing proof of certification in the state where you seek employment. As a nurse aide your name needs to appear on the state Nurse Aide Registry. Employers also request that you are able to read, write, and speak English. To test your math and English skills some nurse aide schools will require that you take the TABE examination, which stands for Test of Adult Basic Education. You will also need to be able to follow given instructions and be familiar with the facilities policies and protocols.

Certification begins with a certified CNA Training program obtained from a school, hospital, community college, care facility or online courses, in which you will learn the skills necessary to qualify as a certified nursing assistant.

After training is completed, to be fully qualified and employed as a certified nursing assistant, every student must first fulfill the requirements of CNA Certification by passing the CNA exams. The National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) is the primary exam for CNA certification in the United States. The exam is administered in several segments that encompass written, oral, and skills testing sections. Along with the federal requirements for certified nursing assistants who work in hospitals, nursing homes and other locales, the states each have their own requirements for certification. State CNA certification exams usually are provided through a State Board of Nursing program. State requirements usually entail that nursing assistants be healthy, drug-free, and without a criminal history.

Once you complete the certified nursing training program you may schedule the nurse aide competency test (certification) right away. Candidates who pass the examination become state certified right away and receive the actual certificate in a couple of weeks, usually within one month.