Nurse Aide Registry
Understanding the Nurse Aide Registry
If you work in the nursing industry or in the nursing home industry you may already be familiar with the nurse aide registry. For those of you are not familiar with the registry and have great interest in working as a nurse aide it is important that you get educated in the certification process, know the laws, and understand what the registry has to offer both employers and nurses.
The nurse aide registry offers a safety net for employers looking to hire new nurse aides or other individuals who will be working with patients or within their facilities. It also keeps a record of all nurse assistants who have been certified by the state. Each state in the United States has its own registry and it is usually managed by the state’s Department of Health.. This was created as a way to protect everyone involved.
One great advantage of the registry is that nursing homes and other potential employers can register and log in as needed to check for references of their applicants. This allows them to see if there were any complaints, investigations or charges on the applicant. Often times this will include elderly abuse, neglect and drug charges. This will vary from state to state as well. And yes, if you would like to relocate, the records can be sent across state lines and often times, will be required.
When you look at the startling statistics, you will see why it is so crucial to have this form of database. It protects the employers, the staff and overall the patients within each facility. Last year alone there was an average of 80 employees banned in over 25 states from working in nursing homes in their home states. And thousands of individuals have been identified as having preyed on nursing home residents over the years. Employers would not know this if the nurse aide registry was not available.
Nurse Aide Registry State Requirements
Each state will have its own record of the individuals and what is to be expected of nurse aides and their employers. Often times it is required by the state for nursing facilities and extended-stay homes to have a manual on hand for employers and employees to use as a reference at a moment’s notice. A lot of times the state nurse aide registry requirements are also found in the state manuals as well. These rules below are a general basis for nurse aide federal requirements.
If it has been more than 24 months since an individual has worked as a nurse’s aide or taken the necessary exams for continued licensing than these are the requirements that will be necessary to remain active:
- Prove that they have worked at least 7.5 consecutive hours or 8 hours in a 48-hour timeframe within a nursing home, or other nursing based occupation for an income within the last 24 months.
- Complete all required state certification requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding The Nurse Aide Registry
1. How can I see what is on the registry about me?
You are allowed to request information regarding your status with the nurse aide registry. Each state will have its own office and contact information. If you want a hard copy of the report, in most cases, you will be required to pay somewhere around $25 and send the request in writing, of course each states fees may vary. This is within your legal rights. Keep in mind, if there has been a hotline call or report made about yourself your employer will have copies of this as well.
2. What is the grace period and how is it calculated?
Yes, there is a grace period of four months. Basically what this means is that if you have not registered with your states nurse aide registry and are seeking employment, your new employer has four months to add you to their payroll and use you as an employee. Your grace period begins your first day of work. This allows for you and your employer to report the new employment and get the proper nurse aide registry application submitted.
3. If I am on the registry, can I lose my right to work?
Yes. By law you will have 24 months to find employment and become a part of payroll before that time frame. If you’re unable to gain monetary employment before that time you will have to become reinstated and go through the training, testing and application process all over again.
4. Will a W2 work as a form of documentation for proof of income?
No, unfortunately one cannot use their W-2 as proof of employment for monetary gain solely because the W-2 will not show what your duties and responsibilities were at the nursing home or medical building.
5. Can I transfer my registration certificate to another state?
Yes, most states will allow you to transfer your certification. If you know ahead of time where it is you are moving and where you are working you can go ahead and contact that local nurse aide registry and offer your information to get the process going. Check with your current state and that of the one you are planning to relocate to.
Now that you understand a little about the different responsibilities and duties of the registry office it is also recommended to contact your local office to get more specific questions answered. It is important to know who to contact if by chance you become a part of any form of allegation or investigation. And remember, yes you are within your rights to request copies of your file.
Nurse aide registry databases and offices were created to protect everyone involved. It is nearly impossible with today’s technology to keep secrets, or not get the information one may need about another. But when there is a direct registry available, you are encouraged to utilize the information and help that the office staff may be able to offer. Knowing what is in your own file will be a great advantage when it comes time to applying and interviewing for different positions.
How to Use the Texas Nurse Aide Registry
How to Use the Texas Nurse Aide Registry
What is the Texas Nurse Aide Registry?
In Texas, certified nurse aids (CNAs) are healthcare professionals that provide basic quality-of-life care in nursing homes and personal homes. They care for the elderly, disabled, and other people who cannot provide basic care for themselves.
Becoming a CNA in Texas involves several steps. CNAs must complete a state-approved training program and competency evaluation. Then, they must qualify to be placed in the Texas Nurse Aide Registry.
To do this, they can either pass the competency evaluation program exam or be placed in the registry by a waiver or reciprocity. The Nursing Facility Administrator Licensing Branch is responsible for certifying CNAs and monitoring their training and registration.
The Texas Nurse Aide Registry is run by the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services. It is a registry of all the nurse aides who are qualified to work in nursing homes and other nursing facilities. Before hiring a CNA, facilities have to check the Texas Nurse Aide Registry and the Employee Misconduct Registry to make sure that the person is not listed as having committed any acts of abuse, neglect, exploitation, or other misconduct against a nursing home resident.
Any acts of abuse make a CNA unemployable, so it is important for facilities to check the Texas Nurse Aide Registry before hiring anyone.
How to Use the Texas Nurse Aide Registry
If a facility wants to make sure that a CNA is listed in the registry, they can go to the registry’s website. The registry can be accessed from the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services website, in “resources for DADS service providers.” The Texas Nurse Aide Registry offers two ways to find a CNA: name and registration number.
To search for a CNA by name, it is required that you know at least their last name. If there are more than 25 people in the registry with the same last name, then you must also enter the first name and/or date of birth. The registry will give you a list of results for the information you entered. For each result, the registry provides:
• Registration number
• Name
• Inclusion date (the date of the person’s inclusion in the registry)
• Expiration (the date when the person’s certification expired or will expire)
• Origination (how the person got in the registry, whether by examination or waiver)
• Notes (whether the person’s certification is expired or active, and how the certification can be renewed)
To search for a CNA by registration number, you can either search for a registration number or a social security number. This method of searching allows you to enter up to twelve registration or social security numbers at a time, and choose whether the results will be sorted by name or by registration number. This search method is for people who know exactly who they are looking for in the Texas Nurse Aide Registry.
Using the Texas Nurse Aide Registry is easy, and it is necessary for facilities to make sure that CNA candidates are listed in the registry, active, and have never committed any abuses.