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Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant
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Becoming A Nursing Assistant Certified In Washington State
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- Becoming an NAC is a two step process.
The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) ensures an NA meets federal requirements to work in a nursing home.
The Department of Health (DOH) makes sure an NA meets additional state requirements to work in any setting as a nursing assistant.
The NA receives their training and testing from DSHS.
The NA receives their certification (license) from DOH.
For detailed information on DSHS requirements, contact the NA message machine at (360)725-2570.
For detailed information on DOH requirements, contact DOH at (360) 236-4704.
Newly employed as an NA?
State law requires y ou to register as an NA within 3 days of hire. you must fill out a DOH application and include the registration fee. For registration information, call DOH at (360) 236-4705. If employed in a nursing home, you must already be certified, be in an NA training program, or have previous training which allows you to sit for the federally required competency evaluation.
Trained or certified NA in other state?
You must first contact DOH to see if your out-of-state certification or training meets Washington's NA requirements. After DOH informs you of your state status, you must contact DSHS for required training and testing and to see if you meet federal requirements.
Trained as an NA in WA?
If your certification is lapsed more than 3 years, you must retrain and test. If lapsed less than 3 yaers, you must have used your skills in the past 24 months. If never certified, you must ahve worked in the past 24 months in order to skip training and sit for the evaluation or take the SNAP refresher course. You must submit information on your training and work history to both DSHS and DOH.
Civilian or Military nursing training?
If you are a nursing student; have been trained as a nurse; completed a Naval Hospital Corps, Army 91-C, or Air Force Medical Services Specialist (Technician) School; you need only successfully compete the OBRA NACEP evaluation to apply for certification through DOH. Provide documentation to both DSHS and DOH.
If your situation is not mentioned above, contact both DSHS and DOH to find out what you need to do to become a Nursing Assistant - Certified.
DSHS - OBRA NA Registry: (360) 725-2570 | DOH - NA Certification (360) 236-4704
A little bit about the federal and state laws:
=A Nursing Assistant must register with DOH within three (3) days of employment.
=If employed in a nursing home, you must have complete training and OBRA testing through DSHS, and get Certified (license) through DOH - all within 120 days from the day you start work.
=If you are hired at a nursing home while you are in training, you cannot perform nursing assistant skills for which you have not yet been trained.
=Unprofessional conduct of any kind may result in permanent or temporary loss of a Nursing Assistant's Certification (license).
=Permanent or temporary loss of Certification due to abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of funds removes a nursing aassistant's name permanently from the DSHS OBRA Nursing Assistant Registry.
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The first Thursday in June of every year is:
"Nursing Assistant Day".
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State of Washington
Department of Social and Health Services
Aging & Adult Services Administration
P.O. Box 45600,
Olympia, WA 98504-5600
AASA
For information or questions about our next NAC class contact:
Staff Development Director: Mary E. LaVerne at ext. 119
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