Certified Nursing Assistant Courses in Tennessee

Required to complete a certified nursing assistant course first, candidates must pass Tennessee state certification exam in any case to achieve CNA licensure in Tennessee. Such a course must be pursued only from a college/school, recognized by Tennessee State Department of Health. Meant to extensively train each student in all nursing aspects practically, this course includes minimum 75 hours of training, containing classroom training and applied clinical exercises. It covers the following aspects:

• Patient care
• Hygiene and nutrition
• CPR and Dementia specific training
• Checking vital signs
• Infection control
• Safety and emergency measures
• Restorative care
• Medical terminology
• Maintaining (updating) records and on-time reporting
• Promoting patients’ rights

Prerequisites for CNA Courses

This course requires one to meet the following requirements:

• Clean criminal past record
• Passing medical and drug examination

Required Skills

• Good mannerism
• Good interpersonal and communication skills
• Optimism/teamwork
• Consistency

State Approved CNA Training in Tennessee

Procedure for applying for State certification exam

One can apply for Tennessee CNA certification exam thrice within 2 years from the date of state-approved course completion. It comprises two parts: a written test and skills evaluation test. Written test (can be taken in English or Spanish language) evaluates conceptual nursing understanding, wherein candidates need to solve 75 multiple choice questions within 90 minutes. Highlighting oral test in the examination application form is important if you are willing to take this test orally. Regardless of whether you take this test in any format and in any language, there will be 10 questions related to reading comprehension, which can be taken in English only. During skills test, candidates are required to perform any 5 skills, which are randomly chosen and assigned by an evaluator. These skills are selected from the ones that are taught during the course of a Tennessee CNA training program. You must pass both written test and skills test with passing scores of at least 75% and 80% respectively. Achieving this goal will guarantee a CNA license acquirement in the state, allowing you to work in any licensed facility and related sectors in Tennessee. If, by chance, you do not pass in either of the parts of this exam in the first or second attempt, retaking only that part will be required. If you fail in the third try, you will be needed to take the course with certification exam once again.

CNA license renewal is an important aspect for the growth of a Certified Nurse Aide. This includes proving that you have worked as a Certified Nurse Aide for at least one 8-hour shift, performing nursing duties under the supervision of a registered nurse in the past 2 years. Once this is confirmed, your employment continuation in that state would be enabled.

Reciprocity form can be obtained from Tennessee State Department of Health. One who is willing to shift to Tennessee for employment applies for reciprocity. This form consists of two parts. The first part of this form is filled by an applicant, while the second part is filled by the registry, after which the form is sent to Tennessee Nurse Aide Registry for verification. Both these parts (plus required documents) must prove the following conditions:

• Active license from the state where he/she currently works
• Must be in good standing with that state
• Clean criminal history track

After verifying these things, candidates will be notified about your transfer status. You need to satisfy the mentioned conditions for your transfer approval. This approval will allow you to be placed under Tennessee Nurse Assistant Registry. Thus this license will give you the liberty to acquire a CNA position in Tennessee.

The good news for CNAs is that the opportunities for them have risen over the years and so has the salary. Generally, salary made by a Certified Nurse Aide in a year averagely varies between $20,000 and $22,000. The average hourly earnings are around $10.50-$11. As per estimation, the State of Tennessee is expected to see a rise of 21% in CNA jobs over the next 4-5 years. However, there is no substitute for dedication when it comes to pursuing CNA education and if you possess that, things will go in favor of your CNA career.