To work as a Certified Nurse Aide in Louisiana, you must enroll in the state’s CNA registry. There is a high demand for certified nursing assistants in Louisiana’s healthcare facilities, including nursing homes, hospitals, and other medical offices.
You can prepare for a demanding yet fulfilling profession in this booming industry by becoming a certified nursing assistant (CNA) in just a few weeks. But to work in the state as a nurse aide, you must qualify for a certification exam and enlist on the Louisiana CNA Registry.
The Louisiana Department of Health is responsible for registry management. Prometric is in charge of administering competency tests and handling reciprocity requests. They also direct the state’s nursing aide training and competency evaluation programs.
Thus, in this article, we will uphold everything you need to know about the Louisiana Nursing Aide Registry to become a CNA in this US state.
What is Louisiana CNA Registry?
To maintain the current certification status and keep a check on findings of abuse, theft, or neglect, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requires each state to maintain a Nurse Aide Registry.
According to Louisiana law, the DSW Registry must continually update the abuse, neglect, or misappropriation cases against Direct Service Workers (DSWs).
The Health Standards Section (HSS) of the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) manages the Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry and Direct Service Worker Registry. Most service providers with LDH licenses must be enlisted on both registers to confirm eligibility for a CNA job in Louisiana.
Renewal of CNA Certification in Louisiana
Upon documentation of the required work hours of a nursing assistant in the Louisiana CNA Registry, their certificate automatically renews itself at midnight on the final day before it expires. However, the revocation of the stated certification will occur if you fail to meet the abovementioned criteria.
In rare instances, if your employer does not document your work history and you lose the certification, you should contact them to alter your status in the CNA Registry. You should request that they submit proof of your job to the registry.
A recertification exam is available for nurse assistants who are not currently qualified because they lack the necessary work experience. But if a nurse assistant’s certification lapses in Louisiana, they are also eligible to retake this exam as long as they complete it within the 2-year eligibility window. Former CNAs who qualify for this test are instructed to contact a nurse tester for details on costs.
If a nurse aide lets their certificate lapse but undergoes new training within the last 12 months, they must fill out the application-to-test form and the CNA training verification form. They should send them to Prometric with the necessary fees.
One has 3 chances to pass the clinical and written exams. An assistant must retrain if they underperform in either part of the evaluation. Also, an assistant must retrain whose certification has been inactive for too long. The Department of Health and Hospitals offers detailed instructions on how one may check eligibility for their Louisiana CNA certification renewal online.
Getting a CNA License Renewed in Louisiana
A CNA certificate is eligible for reinstatement if it has not yet reached the 24-month expiration threshold.
However, if a nurse aide fails to renew their license by the due date, they can submit a test application form and related payments to Prometric. Please remember that you can use this technique only once; retraining will follow if it is ineffective.
In contrast, a CNA will have to apply to a test along with a training verification and all applicable costs to Prometric if they have recently completed retraining but wrongly requested reinstatement.
If you are an active, well-reputed nursing assistant presently listed on another state’s nurse aide or comparable registration and desire to join the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry, you must submit a reciprocity application.
Louisiana’s Requirements for CNA Licenses
The management of the state’s nursing aide program is the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) responsibility. Prometric created and administered the LDH Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) Competency Evaluation Program under a contract.
So, to become a certified nursing assistant in Louisiana, you must complete a few steps. Joining a course and completing the required training hours comes first. After accomplishing it, you must obtain the necessary score in the state-approved certificate exam and enlist yourself in the Louisiana CNA Registry.
However, the CNA course must include 40 hours of classroom instruction, 4 hours of orientation at the training location, and 40 hours of clinical training in a nursing home or nursing service facility. You must fulfill all these requirements to complete CNA training programs in Louisiana successfully.
How to Check a Louisiana CNA License?
You can verify a professional’s CNA license in Louisiana in a few ways. Searching the nurse aide registry online is the simplest method you will find.
Besides, you can call the registrar or meet them in person to learn about the nursing assistant’s licensure status. You must have the CNA’s name and license number to check the registration status in all the methods.
How to Transfer a CNA Certification from Another State to Louisiana?
CNAs currently listed as active and in good standing on the registry of their home state are eligible to seek certification through reciprocity. The Louisiana Department of Health and Prometric handles all reciprocity applications for CNA certification.
They are responsible for ensuring that the applicants meet enrolment standards in the Louisiana Nursing Aide Registry. The department is also responsible for managing the CNA training and competency assessment programs.
So, if you are a certified nurse aide from a different state migrating to Louisiana, you must submit an application form to the Prometric website along with the necessary fees and supporting paperwork. Also, you need to present proof of your ID, a copy of your SSN card, and the application.
The Louisiana Department of Health will get your information when Prometric has verified your supporting documents. After that, you will get enrollment in the Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry.
To be considered a certified nursing assistant (CNA) in Louisiana, you must have completed a state-approved Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP). Once done, your name will be enlisted in the nursing aide registry, and your employers can look up your status there from anywhere and anytime.