CNA Certification in Washington

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Start a rewarding career as a nursing assistant in the state of Washington by receiving your nursing assistant certification.  Nursing assistants work under the direction of nurses in various healthcare facilities and settings.  After working for awhile as a certified nursing assistant, you might decide to further career in healthcare.

Training Hours and Requirements

The training programs for nursing assistants in the state of Washington are approved by the Department of Social and Health Services.  In order to be eligible to sit for the nursing assistant certification competency exam, you must attend a training course that was approved by the Department of Social and Health Services.

In the state of Washington, training programs must cover at least 85 hours of studies.  Some of this time will be spent in a classroom.  Other time will be spent in a clinical setting.  You will have an opportunity to gain hands on experience.  Prospective nursing assistants must submit to and pass drug testing.  A health screening is also required.

Transfer your CNA certification to Washington via Reciprocity

You can apply to receive certification through reciprocity in the state of Washington.  This is a process in which you apply to the state to transfer your certification from a prior state.  You will need to hold an active certification in the former state in order to qualify to apply for reciprocity.  If your certification in the other state has expired, it will be necessary to go through the certification process in Washington.

The State of Washington will ensure that you are listed in the Nursing Aide Registry from your former state.  They will verify that you receive fully accredited training and that you were granted certification as a nursing assistant.

The steps for transferring are as follows:

1. Complete the application form which can be accessed here:  http://www.doh.wa.gov/hsqa/Professions/Nursing_Assistant/documents/NsgAsstCertEnd.pdf.
2.  Provide all demographic information in the first section and answer all personal data questions in the second section.  Attach any required documentation based on your answers.
3.  Complete the Caregiver Employment History Option in Section 3.  Then you will need to have the instructor for your training program complete Section 4 unless you are applying for Interstate Endorsement in which case you can move on to the next question.
4.  Complete section 5 listing the details for all other licensing and certification credentials in the healthcare industry that you hold in another state.
5.  Complete Section 6 Attesting that you receive and completed all necessary AIDS  Training.
6.  You will then sign and date the final section which is your attestation that all information is true and accurate.
7.  Complete the out of state credentialing form which includes information about the state CNA registry on which you are listed and the training program you completed as well as the date on which you sat for the CNA competency exam.
8.  Submit the application form from steps 1-6 along with the top portion of the state credentialing form to the Washington Department of Health.  Send the bottom portion of your credentialing form to the Nurse Aide Registry in the state where you are listed.  They will complete this form and forward it to the state of Washington
9.  Mail your application and processing fee to the Department of Health Nursing Assistant Credentialing Department at P.O. Box1099 P.O. Box 47877inOlympia,WA98507-1099.  The fee for application of certification is currently listed as $48.

Renewing CNA Certification in Washington

You will find that you must renew your certification every twenty-four months when you are a certified nursing assistant.  You will be sent renewal forms awhile in advance of the expiration of your certification.  Follow all the instructions on the form.  Part of the paperwork will be completed by your current employer or by your former employer if you are not currently working.

If you have not worked at all as a certified nursing assistant or as someone who provides nursing related services, you will need to become certified again.  Contact the Department of Health and Social Services to determine the steps you will need to take if you want to become a certified nursing assistant once again.

Also check out: Free CNA training in Washington and Accredited NA classes in Washington