CNA Certification in Washington

How to Become a Certified Nursing Assistant in Washington

In the state of Washington, there are two agencies that oversee the training and certification of CNAs. They are the Department of Social and Health Services, or the DSHS and the Department of Health, the DOH. Both of them, however, fall under the heading of the Washington State Aging and Disabilities Services Administration or the ADSA. This group contracts with Pearson Vue to develop, score and report the results of state CNA testing.

Before they can take the exam they require state approved training, and to enter into this they must meet specific requirements.

Eligibility Requirements

A CNA in Washington must first qualify for training, and then qualify for the examination. The CNA certification in Washington requires that students meet the following criteria:

They are 18 years or older;They are a graduate of high school or can provide proof of a GED;All CNA candidates must submit to a criminal background check that reviews fingerprint data, child support issues, taxation data, and felony offenses that may leave a candidate unemployable according to state law; andThe candidate will undergo a physical exam that screens TB, drugs, and general health. Documentary proof of current immunization is necessary too.

Applying for CNA Certification in Washington

A “new” CNA is one who has never been certified and never had training. This is a person who completes a state approved program and then successfully passes the state exam.  Eligibility for certified nursing assistant testing is also available for those not in the “new” category. For example, the following candidates can apply for the exam or even simply reactivate a license:

Student and graduate nurses with proof of their approved training;Military nursing assistants who completed specific programs;Out of state graduate nurses with at least 35 hours of classroom and 50 hours of clinical training; andLapsed CNAs who have not provided nursing for at least 24 months prior.

Should a candidate require training, the ADSA website has all of the programs listed by location. All training must have 35 classroom hours and 50 clinical hours to qualify as approved CNA programs.

Costs

The costs for programs in Washington vary and tend to cost between $1000 and $2000. They take around 6 to 12 weeks to complete. After the testing is done, the state exam is required.

The testing is split into written and practical skills, with 70 multiple-choice questions. the skills evaluation asks the candidate to perform five randomly selected skills from a list of approximately 25. It is highly recommended that both tests be done on the same day.

The fees for the approved training do not include the Pearson Vue testing fees. The candidate may pay these, but some instances require that the employer cover any of the associated charges. They are as follows:

Written and Skills: $110Skills and Oral: $110
Written Only: $36
Skills Exam: $74
Oral Exam: $36

FAQ

Those considering programs and training for certified nursing assistant certification training in Washington will find the following factors useful:

Candidates are obliged to take the exams within two years of their training. If they fail to do so they will have to re-train before they can be approved for the exam;Students are allowed three attempts at the exam, but failure to pass both will require re-training;CNA certification in Washington is valid for 24 months, and is renewed through the DOH on the individual’s birth date;People enrolled in an approved CNA program are allowed to work as a nurse aide for up to 120 days before receiving their license. If they have not trained and been certified in that time span they cannot serve as an aide or CNA. They must file a DOH application within three days of beginning employment, and if they are not in a training program they must not perform any CNA duties; andSome criminal offenses, professional citations, or other background issues can make a CNA candidate unemployable.

Helpful Resources around the Web

Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation Service (NACES)Washington State NNAAP
7600 Burnet Road, Suite 440
Austin, TX 78757-1299
(800) 842-4562

OBRA Nursing Assistant RegistryAging and Disabilities Services Administration (ADSA)
PO Box 45600
Olympia, WA 98504-5600
Phone: (360) 725-2570

Nursing Assistant Training, Testing and NA-OBRA Registry website at: www.adsa.dshs.wa.gov/professional/nat

Washington State Department of HealthNursing Assistant Program
PO Box 47877
Olympia, WA 98504-7877
Phone: (360) 236-4700
Department of Health’s website at: http://www.doh.wa.gov/LicensesPermitsandCertificates/ProfessionsNewReneworUpdate/NursingAssistant.aspx

Pearson VUEWashington NNAAP
PO Box 13785
Philadelphia, PA 19101-3785
Phone: (800) 274-4097