Hospitals, for-profit nursing organizations, and assisted living residences employ certified nurse aides. CNAs or Certified Nursing Assistants are in charge of providing daily primary care to patients. It is one of the most crucial responsibilities of the healthcare team.
However, before getting certified and being able to work, CNAs must complete their education and pass a state-approved exam. If you belong to Pennsylvania and intend to work as an aide in this state, you must enroll in Pennsylvania CNA Registry.
There may be times in your CNA employment when you need to confirm your certification. In such a circumstance, Nurse Aide Registry Online can be of great help. It enables organizations to verify the status of any nurse aide on the registry over the internet.
So, in this article, we will go through every aspect of the Pennsylvania CNA Registry you need to know before getting the certification in the respective state.
What is Pennsylvania CNA Registry?
To establish the guidelines for nursing aide education and certification, the Pennsylvania Department of Health has designated a Nurse Aide Registry office. You must engage in the course of study recognized by this registry to become a certified nursing assistant.
The registrar examines training programs of the state after pre-determined intervals. If it finds any program not offering quality training or not adhering to any rules, it withdraws its approval.
Besides, the Pennsylvania Department of Health oversees the certification and licensure of CNAs in the state. However, Pearson VUE is in charge of maintaining the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry that houses the data.
So, a nurse assistant who is not registered or doesn’t have a good status on the Pennsylvania CNA Registry is not permitted to work in a hospital or nursing home that accepts Medicare or Medicaid payments. Facilities must confirm that the aides they hire or consider for employment are qualified to enroll as certified nurse assistants and have no history of mistreating, abusing, or stealing from patients, their family members, or other healthcare personnel.
How to Check a Pennsylvania CNA License Number?
To find a CNA by their registration number, you must go to the nurse aide registry website of the Pennsylvania Department of Health. You can look at a maximum of 15 CNA license numbers at once.
The search results will include the person’s name, city, registration number, and status. You can even see the initial issue date, the grounds for the application, the effective date, and the expiration date by clicking the “eye” button on the screen.
The website will also state if the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry has received any substantiated findings of abuse, neglect, or property theft.
How to Renew Your Nurse Aide Registration in Pennsylvania?
Every 24 months, you must renew your Pennsylvania CNA license. You must complete at least 24 hours of continuing education throughout this timeframe. In addition, you should submit a completed renewal application and fee to the Pennsylvania Department of Health at this interval.
You must have worked as a nursing aide for at least 1 recorded day or 8 straight hours for pay in an authorized organization within the preceding 24 months to be eligible for continuing registration on the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry. You may access the renewal application online by visiting the Pearson Vue Uniform Licensing Solution for E-Government or the PULSE website at www.pulseportal.com.
Additionally, to renew your license, you must certify from your employer that you have logged in at least the requisite hours of nursing aide employment during the previous 24 months. If you didn’t work at least 8 hours before your CNA certification renewal date, you must restore your certificate by rules established by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Retaking the nursing aide competency test is necessary for CNA reinstatement. You must retake the competence test and nursing aide training course to have your CNA license restored if you don’t renew it within 60 days of the expiration date.
How to Enroll in the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry Through Reciprocity?
If you have a CNA certification from another state, you can apply for reciprocity in Pennsylvania to get your certificate here. Contact the Pennsylvania Nursing Assistant Registry to obtain a reciprocity application or visit the Pearson Vue website.
Send the application to the registrar, where you hold an active certificate after completing Part I of the reciprocity form. Your previous state registry will process Part II and send it immediately to Pearson Vue.
The Pennsylvania Nursing Aide Registry will check your request for reciprocity. If they accept your application, you can look for work as a nursing assistant in Pennsylvania.
How to Get a CNA License Number in Pennsylvania?
All certifications for potential CNAs are handled by Pearson Vue in the state of Pennsylvania. You must be at least 16 years old and submit a criminal history check to be certified and receive the license number.
Moreover, you will have to finish a recognized training course. After completing the training, you must take the Pearson Vue CNA competence assessment and pass marks on both test components.
There will be 70 multiple-choice questions in the written test, and you’ll have 2 hours to finish them. On the other hand, the Nurse Aide assessor will administer the skills test and rate your proficiency in any 5 areas of nursing. The hand-washing skill will undoubtedly be the first, but the other 4 will be chosen randomly from the skills given in your guidebook.
After qualifying for the competency test and state-approved nursing aide training program, you can obtain a CNA license number. Your name and license number will be added to the Nurse Aide Registry once you complete the exam and qualify for it with good scores.
If you obtained your certificate from another state, you could transfer it to Pennsylvania to get your CNA license number. The Pennsylvania Department of Health will require you to send a copy of your certification from the other state and a fully filled-out Application for Certification by Examination or Reciprocity.
Conclusion
All certified nursing assistants must have a license number to operate in the state of Pennsylvania, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. The license number is used to locate them in the Pennsylvania CNA Registry and confirm that they have fulfilled all certification criteria.
The Nurse Aide Registry Online enables employers or organizations to verify the status of any nurse aide on the registry over the web. Thus, it has made the verification process simpler and more convenient for nurses and employers.