Certified Nursing Assistant (C.N.A Licensing)
CNA Qualifications
All individuals interested in a career as a certified nursing assistant must complete an academic program, including classroom and clinical training, as well as pass a state exam in order to become certified. The District of Columbia Board of Nursing requires every (CNA) certified nursing assistant training program must have at least one hundred twenty (120) hours of instruction. (Theory and Clinical)
CNA Certification Exam
The CNA certification exam, also known as the nurse aide assessment examination, or the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP), is the final test a nurse aide student must pass in order to become eligible for employment and for being listed on the Nurse Aide Registry of a particular state. The CNA certification exam is designed to evaluate the knowledge, skills and abilities required to safely perform the job of a nursing assistant. The evaluation consists of two main parts: a written and a hands-on (clinical), skills examination. Nurse aide candidates who pass both the written and the skills evaluation qualifies for obtaining a state nurse aide certification and is eligible for any entry-level nurse aide position. The entity responsible for developing a nurse aide evaluation program which respects both federal and state regulations is the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.
What to do if you fail the CNA Certification Exam?
Most states permit a nurse aide student to take the nurse aide test three times after completing the CNA training program. Both parts of the test need to be retaken if you failed both the written and the skills examination. Those who only failed one of the components (either the written or the hands-on component) are allowed to re-test for that part only. When a student has been unsuccessful in passing the national nurse aide examination three consecutive times they are REQUIRED to go through a CNA training program again.
For more information, please contact 202-526-3535.
