Texas Nurse Aide Registry is a database of all registered nursing aides in the state. Texas Health and Human Services Commission governs all CNA certifications and training programs in Texas.
So, to become a certified nursing assistant and register into Texas Nurse Aide Registry, you must finish an authorized training course. After completing the training, you must qualify for the CNA certification exam with a passing grade.
Texas’s CNA certification procedure is simple and quick. It is one of the reasons that an increasing number of people are deciding to pursue CNA training in the state. You only need to obtain a passing grade on your certification exam to become a certified nurse. And once you get the certification, you are listed on Texas’ Nurse Aide Registry for an initial 2-year period.
So, in this article, we will uphold all details about Texas Nurse Aide Registry and how to enlist in it.
What is Texas Nurse Aide Registry?
All certified nursing assistants (CNAs) in Texas are listed in the Nurse Aide Registry. Texas Health and Human Services maintain a register that includes the details of all nurse assistants qualified to work in nursing homes and skilled nursing institutions with licenses. In addition, it categorizes them as either active or expired based on their current activity level.
As per the organization, the Texas CNA register also includes a list of nursing assistants who are not eligible for employment in regulated healthcare facilities. The reason can include an unrevoked certification or suspension due to unauthorized activities.
How to Enlist on Texas Nurse Aide Registry?
Candidates in Texas who have not been found guilty of a felony or are not designated as unemployable on the Employee Misconduct Register (EMR) are eligible to become nursing assistants.
People re-registering or taking the test must also abide by this guideline. However, before you retake the test, the nursing aide register will search the EMR for your name.
So, to work as a nursing assistant in Texas, you must get the certification and enlisted in the Texas CNA Registry. And you can do this in the following ways.
Enroll in a State-Approved Nursing Assistant Program and Pass the Test
The Nurse Aide Training and Competence Assessment Programs (NATCEPS) in Texas must include a minimum of 100 hours. It should comprise 60 hours of classroom instruction and 40 hours of clinical experience in a nursing facility. To get certified, you must also complete a state-approved CNA curriculum and pass the competency evaluation program.
Qualify for Nurse Aide Registry
You can become eligible for inclusion on the Texas Nurse Aide Registry (TNAR) through reciprocity or waiver. You must fill out Form 5505-NAR to request entry on the TNAR Registry through reciprocity. It is available on the official website, and you can get it by providing all the necessary details and documents.
How to Check and Maintain Job Status in Texas Nurse Aide Registry?
Using the nurse aide register number, you may look up the status of your nursing assistant certification on the Texas CNA registry. The Texas CNA registration requires nurse assistants to report their job status every 2 years. Also, as a certified nurse, you must work a minimum of eight hours over 24 months to keep your active status.
Your certification will move under expired status if you don’t achieve this prerequisite. You can request reinstatement within 24 months of the expiry by contacting the Texas CNA registry. The registry shows if a nursing assistant’s certification is active or expired. It also indicates whether the certificate is revoked or suspended.
However, finding abuse, neglect, or other inappropriate behavior may revoke or suspend your certification. The registration and certificate will not be valid once revoked or suspended.
Besides, an expired certification also informs employers that a candidate is currently not qualified for nursing aide employment. In such a case, you must reactivate your registration. However, you might have to go through more or less the same procedures as a new nurse assistant.
Four Nurse Aide Registry Statues
The Nurse Aide Registry (NAR) and other systems are available on the Employability Status Check Search website. Employers may confirm the employability of nursing assistants using this website. The portal serves the same purpose as using the NAR to confirm a nursing assistant’s status. It adheres to all relevant federal rules and state licensure requirements.
So, here are the meanings of the statuses shown on the website.
Active
It means the nurse assistant’s registration is up-to-date and active. The nurse assistant with this status is currently employable as a CNA in any Texas-licensed nursing facility.
Expired
This status implies that the nurse assistant’s registration has expired. Hence, you must present evidence of admissible employment to renew your registered status. However, you might have to retrain and/or retake the test if you cannot authenticate your employment. Thus, with this status, a nurse assistant will not get a job as a nursing aide in a Texas-licensed nursing home.
Revoked
The revoked status means that the registration of the nurse assistant is canceled. It can occur when documented allegations of abuse, neglect, or theft of resident property against the CNA are recorded on the Texas Nurse Aide Registry. With this status, nurse assistants are not eligible to work as nurse aides in a Texas-licensed nursing facility.
Suspended
If this status is shown, the registration of the nursing assistant is suspended and put on hold. In addition, it identifies them as unemployed in the Employee Misconduct Registry (EMR) search system. So, with this status, you are not employable in a facility or organization under HHS regulation.
Renewing CNA Certification In Texas
Your CNA certificate has no printed expiration date in Texas. From the date of the most recent registration or re-registration, your Texas nursing aide registration is valid for 24 months. Every 24 months, Texas Certified Nurse Aides must renew their license.
To stay active with the registration, you must speak with the registrar and confirm your employment at least every 2 years. You will get a renewal if you have completed 24 hours of in-service training in the last 2 years.
You only need to complete 12 of the necessary 24 hours outside of healthcare institutions. These institutions must have HHS, Texas Department of State Health Services, or Texas Board of Nursing licenses or certifications. You can visit the NAR Approved In-Service Education Programs homepage for a list of the authorized programs.
The Nurse Aide Registry in Texas will reinstate your active status if you can demonstrate that you’ve worked in a healthcare environment in the prescribed time. However, you must pass a test to restore your registration and recertify if you haven’t worked as a nursing assistant in the past 24 months.
Reinstating CNA Certification in Texas
You will have to reinstate your certification if you cannot demonstrate that you worked a minimum of one full-time shift as a nursing aide in Texas before the renewal date. Retaking the certification test can help you regain your status as long as there hasn’t been a considerable break in your certification.
Follow the steps mentioned below for reinstating your CAN certification in Texas.
Step 1: Register to Get Test Permission
Before you take the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) exam, you must apply to Texas Health and Human Services to get the test permission. You’ll get the form NAR-5528 Request to Retest for Nurse Aides in Expired Status on the department’s website.
Step 2: Get a Criminal Background Check
You must note that before registering for the (NNAAP) exam, all nurse assistants, whether new or returning, must undergo a criminal background check. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) can provide one. You may check your history using any last name you’ve used on the online search tool of the Texas DPS website.
Step 3: Send All Necessary Documents to Get Test Authorization
Send the paperwork, fingerprint card, and criminal background check findings to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. The office processes applications in 10 days. When yours is accepted, you will get the test authorization.
Step 4: Take the Test and Wait for Fresh Certificate
The NNAAP exam is the same test needed to qualify for the first-time nursing aide registration. The two-part exam consists of a written examination and a test of practical abilities. The Texas CNA registration will upgrade your status to active in the Nurse Aide Registry of Texas if you pass both test portions. Within 6 weeks after your exam date, the office will mail you a fresh certificate.
Winding Up
The Texas Health and Human Services are in charge of delivering nurse aide competency evaluation programs. It also assesses and approves nurse aide training and competency programs in Texas. So, enlisting yourself in the Texas Nurse Aide Registry makes you eligible to work as CNA in healthcare facilities across Texas. The Certified Nursing Assistants or Aides (CNAs) are essential healthcare team members.
But if you wish to transfer your CNA license from another state, you must contact Texas’s organization regulating CNA credentials. In addition, you can get assistance from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing in identifying a suitable agency. The majority of states allow transfers based on reciprocity. However, others may require you to meet the organization’s additional transfer requirements.