Certified Nurse Aides (CNAs) in Ohio are known as State Tested Nurse Aides (STNA). Ohio Department of Health governs all nursing assistant certifications in the state. The department grants CNA licenses to those who complete an authorized training course and the state-recognized competency test. Ohio Nurse Aide Registry refers to a public database consisting of all licensed CNAs in Ohio and maintained by the health department.
Administration of the Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP) is the responsibility of the Headmaster/D&S Diversified Technologies. However, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) can approve and oversee the NATCEP.
To help you understand the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry better, we have gathered all the necessary details in this article. So, go ahead and check them out!
What is the Nursing Aide Registry Ohio?
Through the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry, the Ohio Department of Health maintains a public database of all CNAs in the state who are presently licensed. Therefore, employers must primarily consult the Nurse Aide Registry maintained by the department to locate nursing assistants in Ohio.
If you want to work as a nursing aide in a long-term care facility in Ohio, you must enroll and successfully finish a state-approved program for CNAs. Also, you must enlist yourself on the Ohio STNA registry.
After enrolment, you must pass the NATCEP knowledge and clinical exams with at least a minimum pass rate. Candidates who pass the NATCEP test will be added to the Ohio CNA Registry. After enlistment, you are qualified to practice as a nursing assistant in Ohio.
The Ohio Department of Health Nurse Aide Registry is accessible and cost-free online. It promotes a more uniform way of providing the state’s citizens with the necessary medical care without compromising the quality of such services. In addition, it ensures the nursing assistants have consistent qualifications and no other criminal convictions that prevent them from holding the position.
How to Get Listed on the Nursing Aide Registry Ohio?
The health department defines all requirements for CNA education and certification in Ohio. A prospective nursing assistant in the state must complete basic requirements to get their first CNA certification.
Your name will be listed on the nursing aide registry once you have met all standardized prerequisites. So, here are the essential requirements to enlist as a certified nursing aide on the Ohio CNA Registry.
- You must complete an Ohio Tested Nursing Aide (STNA) training course.
- To become a nursing assistant, you must complete at least 75 hours of CNA training in Ohio.
- You should obtain a passing grade on the Nurse Aide Training and Competency Program’s clinical and classroom exams. Besides, the competency evaluation test gives you three opportunities to succeed.
If you are successful in getting passing marks on your test, the administrator will send your results to the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry. You will get your certification as a CNA and will have your name added to the register.
Verifying and Maintaining CNA Certification in Ohio CNA Registry
You will have to get your Ohio CNA certification verified occasionally. And to do so, you’ll have to visit the Ohio Department of Health website and select the letter C from the A-Z Index.
Click “Public Registry Search” on the page. The CNA verification search tool is on the following page that you need to verify your status. Enter details like your registry number, first and last names, and SSNs on the page to verify your status.
If you want to keep your status on the registration active and current, you must adhere to a few rules. It involves working as a nursing assistant for a predetermined period in the previous 24 months. The registry will ask you to either go through retraining or repeat the competency exam if you don’t follow this rule.
The minimum time spent working is 7½ hours as a nursing assistant in an approved facility for the previous 24 months. In addition, you must continuously work in a paid nursing assistant-related capacity for this period.
You may alternatively decide to do this task in 8 separate, non-consecutive hours. However, ensure that you do it within the 48 hours window. The work must be relevant to the nursing assistant job in any nursing home or other healthcare facility in the state. Also, it must pay you an appropriate amount for your job.
Renewing CNA Certification in Ohio
If you start working as a CNA after a break, you must renew your license as it must have expired. You might have to undergo the CNA training again and retake the certification exam. However, it will depend on how long your license has been out of active status.
The Ohio Department of Health mandates active nurse aides to renew their certification every 2 years to continue working. Each nursing aide listed in the register will get a renewal form sent by the ODH. You must complete and return the form before the certificate’s expiration date.
As a state-licensed nursing assistant in Ohio, you can renew your CNA certification online. You can find out the status of your certification by calling the registry, sending them a fax, or inquiring online through the registry’s website. The report will show the applicant’s most recent employer, employer county, date of first license approval, date of license expiration, and employment eligibility.
Reinstating CNA Certification in Ohio
Ohio nursing assistants must have their credentials reinstated if they do not work for at least 8 hours in the 2 years before their certifications’ renewal dates. In this case, the CNAs must complete the competency evaluation exam again. You will be added back to the registry if you receive passing grades in both competency exams.
After qualifying for the tests, you can apply for renewal with the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry. However, you must confirm that your CNA license number is valid. If you are unclear whether the license has expired, you can check the expiration date on the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry Search page.
The Nursing Aide Registry Ohio website explains how you can work as a nursing assistant for 4 months without earning the certification. You do not require to be listed on the state’s register of nursing assistants during this period. However, you must obtain the license or certificate before the 4 months are up.
In addition, you need to prove the work following the latest date of verified work and the date of registry placement to continue in the registry. It will reinstate and renew your qualifications to work as a CNA in Ohio.
Retrieving Lost CNA License Number
On the Nurse Aide Search website of the Ohio Department of Health, you can check the number of an Ohio CNA license. Both employment and license renewal require your CNA license number. Many companies may even ask for the license number when you apply for a job. They will use it to check your status on the Nurse Aide Registry and confirm your credentials.
In addition, to access the renewal application of your license, you will have to know your license number. But if you have lost or cannot locate your license number, don’t worry; you can easily retrieve it.
The Nurse Aide Search tool for Ohio CNAs simplifies retrieving a lost CNA license number. You can simply enter your first and last names or your social security number’s last 4 digits in the search tool. Then, the database will provide a list of results that meet your criteria. So, you can select your license number based on the other details mentioned.
After that, if you enter the CNA license number that you feel to be yours in the registration number field, an exact match result for the linked individual will be displayed. Thus, you can confirm that the Ohio CNA license number retrieved is yours.
The Ohio Nurse Aide Registry will also show your CNA license’s expiration date listed next to your name when you find it in the search results.
Transferring Ohio Certification to Another State
You must adhere to the new state’s transfer rules to transfer your CNA certification from Ohio to a different state. As a result, you must get in touch with the CNA regulating body in the new state. You can access all CNA licensing organizations in the United States listed on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing website.
Verification of Ohio’s CNA certificate, ongoing education, transfer fees, and exams are typical criteria for certification transfer to another state.
Final Thoughts
Ohio state complies with all legislations to enable employers to investigate a CNA’s history before recruiting them. They must ensure that the CNAs have a valid registration in the Ohio CNA Registry to work as nursing assistants in a healthcare facility. It is a crucial step to conduct before the hiring process.
Besides, it guarantees that common people always have access to high-quality healthcare. It also ensures that they will receive the most benefit from those services. Hence, it’s critical for employers as well as CNAs to confirm the certification status for the welfare of society.