Whether you are currently a resident of Texas or you are relocating from another state, you will need to follow the state’s established guidelines for CNA certification or training.
For many, the first step is to obtain training through a program approved by the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS). They review NATCEPs (nurse aide training and competency evaluation programs) and CEPs (nurse aide competency evaluation programs), but testing is done through the Pearson Vue program. All students who pass the training and exam are then placed on the state registry which is available through the DADs website.
Eligibility RequirementsTo enter into any of the approved programs requires that the student meet basic eligibility requirements that include:
- You must be over the age of 18;You must have a high school diploma or proof of a GED;You will need to pass a physical exam that includes a TB skin test and a drug screening;You will need to submit to a full criminal background check, and will be considered invalid if you appear on the EMR (Employee Misconduct Registry during previous experiences as a CNA) or if you have been convicted of any of the criminal offenses appearing on the Texas Health and Safety Code, 250.006; andYou have submitted the appropriate forms to DADS and have your approval letter.
You can also apply for certified nursing assistant certification in Texas if you have an expired registration and have not been working in a health care setting for 24 months prior to the re-registration; you have CNA certification from a military experience; you are an RN or LVN student with training in the past 24 months; or you have out of state training from a program that meets DADS standards (complete form 5510-NATCEP and submit to DADS for authorization).
The DADS website offers a comprehensive search tool for those who do need training, and the home page for this list is available here.
Programs approved in Texas will require 51 hours of classroom learning and another 24 hours of practical work. Most programs require six weeks or more to complete.
CostsThe costs for training programs in Texas vary, and CNA certification may be free of charge for some (when paid by employers) but may also cost around $1300 for those who are self-paying. This does not include the Pearson Vue testing fees that are as follows:
Written and Skills: $93
Skills and Oral in English: $106
Skills and Oral in Spanish: $106
Written Only: $58
Oral English: $71
Oral Spanish: $71
The most useful facts to know about CNA certification in Texas include:
- The state mandates employability checks, and there are no exemptions for anyone who has any of the offenses that would make them appear on the EMR, the NAR, or the Texas Dept. of Public Safety Crime Records;You must successfully complete the skills and written exam within two years of the completion of your nurse aide training or you will have to re-train;You have three chances to pass the state exam. If you fail either the skills or the written exam after three tries, you must retrain;Regarding the renewal of a license – if you have not worked as in a nursing home or health care setting for twenty-four months or more, you must retake the Texas Nurse Aide Skills Examination and the NNAAP Written Examination; andA CNA certification student is allowed to work as an aide for four months if they are enrolled in their training program, but will have to be terminated if they do not get registered within that time span.
Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS)
Nurse Aide Registry
Mail E-414
PO Box 149030
Austin, TX 78714-9030
Web : www.dads.state.tx.us/providers/nf/credentialing/index.html
NACES Plus Foundation, Inc.
Texas Nurse Aide Testing Program
7600 Burnet Road, Suite 440
Austin, TX 78757-1292
(800) 444-5178
Pearson Vue
Texas Nurse Aide Program
PO Box 13785
Philadelphia, PA 19101-3785
(800) 274-2900
No comments:
Post a Comment