Are you looking to become a certified nurse aide (CNA) in Texas? Texas requires to complete state-approved CNA classes and nurse aide training, and successfully pass the competency evaluation program to be placed on the Texas Nurse Aide Registry. You must have a certified nurse aide license to work in Texas nursing homes and assistant living centers. CNA Classes in Texas prepare you to take the state nurse aide exam for the license.
After the graduation from a state-approved nurse aide training program, you meet the state training requirement to take the Texas CNA certification exam. The Texas nursing assistant license does not expire, but you must contact the Nurse Aide Registry and notify your current CNA employment status in every two years to continue your job as a certified nurse aide. Also, Texas does not require a high school diploma or GED to start the CNA training courses. You can start your training from approved nurse aide training centers for theory and clinical training.
Three Steps For Getting Licensed As A Certified Nursing Assistant in Texas
If you want to be a certified nursing assistant in the State of Texas, following three steps help.
1st Step: Contact the NACES for the CNA Certification Texas
Graduating in approved certified nurse aide training program qualifies you to sit in the CNA certification exam in Texas. Generally, the nursing assistant training program from which you have graduated schedules a place and date for your state licensing exam. If the training center does not offer this service, you can schedule your exam by contacting the NACES, which stands for Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation Services. You can call NACES on these numbers, 1-800-444-5178 or 512-467-0615, and get the information on how to schedule the date for your licensing exam.
If you would like to contact the Nurse Aide Registry, here is their mailing address:
Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services
Nurse Aide Registry
Mail Code E-414,
P.O. Box 149030
Austin, TX 78714-9030
Phone: 512-438-2050
Fax: 512-438-2052
2nd Step: Submit Nurse Aide Certification Exam Fee & Application Forms
NACES CNA certification exam application form requires perspective students to submit their Nurse Aide Training Diploma along with applicable exam fee. After completing this registration process, a certified nursing assistant candidate can schedule the date and place for his/her certification test.
3rd Step: Pass the Nurse Aide State Licensing Exam & Get the License
Once you pass the Texas CNA certification test, you will receive your CNA certificate license in four to six weeks. You can also call 1-800-452-3934 to check the status of your license. You will need your Social Security number to access this service.
Retest Policy for CNA Certification Texas
Texas allows to re-take either the skills or the written/oral portion of nurse aide certification license exam twice. Candidates who fail on their third attempt must complete the CNA training again to qualify to take the test again.
Requirements for Entering in the CNA Certification Texas
These are some of the requirements to participate in CNA Certification Texas.
Earn a graduate certificate from an accredited certified nursing assistant program
You can apply for the certified nurse aide license in Texas only after graduating from a NATCEP (Nurse Aide Training & Competency Evaluation Program) state-approved CNA school, be it online or in-college.
On your graduation, the nurse aide schools will honor you with the Certification in Nursing Assistant. Earning this nursing aide diploma proves that you have completed the CNA classes, both theoretical and clinical ones.
Complete 75 credit hours of CNA training program
To become eligible for sitting in the CNA certification Texas exam, the candidates are expected to complete at least 75 credit hours of CNA training program.
Now, since all the available certified nurse aide programs in the state of Texas are formulated by the DADS (i.e. Department of Aging and Disability Services), it is guaranteed that you will have no problem in getting these required amount of CNA credit hours.
Among the 75 credit hours, 51 credit hours include the lecture classes and theoretical teachings. The remaining 24 hours cover the nursing assistant clinical skills training.
No need for a GED certificate or High school diploma to get enrolled in nursing assistant program
For enrollment in CNA schools or online classes, most states require the candidate to present a high school diploma or a GED (General Education Development) certificate, with good grades in the mathematics and science related subjects like biology, physics and physiology.
However, the state of Texas does not require the CNA-wannabes to present the GED or high school diploma to qualify for enrolling in its statewide CNA schools or colleges.