CNA Exams in Louisiana

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As per Louisiana state regulations requirements, every candidate must be enlisted as a certified aide in the ‘Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry’, before start practicing in any health care setting as a CNA in the state. Those, who are looking forward for attending an approved CNA training program in the state, can look out for many programs available in Louisiana. These programs are approved by ‘The Louisiana Department of Health’ that help aspirants to become a certified nurse aide. Once, you have completed any of these approved programs, then you will undertake a CNA test that will evaluate your theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Every candidate must qualify these tests before start working in any medical facility.

The CNA training classes in Louisiana require approximately 80 hours of training. The initial 40 hours are dedicated to the classroom tutorials, and the rest 40 is fixed for the active hands-on precept sessions. The core curriculum is predetermined and programmed by the State. The examination for the CNAs is conducted by the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP).

In Louisiana, the CNA exam is administered through Pearson Vue sites, and further, the group also takes the responsibility of scoring and other added formalities. However, the CNAs will be enlisted on the state registry by the ‘Louisiana Board of Examiners of Nursing Facility Administrators’, as they manage the registries.

Once, you get ready to undertake the state exam, after the completion of your training program then; you have to get yourself registered at one of the test locations officially approved by the ‘National Council of State Boards of Nursing’. Applicants have to preregister themselves in order to take the exam. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing manages the exam. Applicants can appear in a number of testing sites, which includes the Red Cross, as well. However, there are several CNA training schools too, that are available as authorized testing sites.

Components of the exams:

NNAAP exams in Louisiana contain two methods of Competency exam. One is practical, and the other one is written. Exams can also be conducted orally, especially for those candidates, who have language issues or testing anxiety. The first part is in the oral or written form. This takes in multiple-choice questions. The second portion encloses hands-on exam. This tests your CNA skills, while giving a practical care to the patient essential for the CNA job. The practical test requires the demonstration of at least five randomly selected skills.Both the portions must be succeeded with a minimum accuracy of 70% in the exams.

Written Examination:

The written section of the evaluation takes in 60 multiple choice questions, out of which 10 questions are designed to check your reading comprehension ability. On an average, the time restriction for this exam is about two hours.

Skills Evaluation:

Candidates are also required to outdo in the second portion of the exam, which comprises hands-on performance in front of the examiner, before being considered as a certified nurse aide. The practical skills evaluation will need the candidates to demonstrate the proper manner of physical care of a patient, along with the 5 skills chosen in a randomized manner.

Eligibility Requirements

Once the candidates meet all the given parameters for eligibility, they can go for enrolling in the CNA test in Louisiana for obtaining the CNA certification.

  • Before, getting registered for any such training course or sitting in the exam, applicants must be of 18 years in age or above.
  • An evidence of high school graduation or a GED Certification is mandatory.
  • Every candidate must be ready to undergo a complete physical check that takes in a two-part TB check.
  • Applicants are also required to submit a health screening report that must include proof of immunizations, drug screening, etc.
  • As Per the state’s federal laws, applicants will also go through a criminal background check, before their enrolments.
  • Fingerprinting reports and felony records are also required by every applicant.

Exam Fees

Apart from the tuition fees and the cost of the materials required in the program, the applicants are charged with the testing fees in Louisiana. These include:

  • For written & practical, both: $90
  • For orally administered written & practical exams: $100

Identification required

All the candidates appearing in the examination are required to bring 2 forms of recent, not expired, authorized and signature-bearing identifications to the testing location. Do not forget to carry at least one of the photo identification card. Photocopies/Xerox of identifications will NOT be acknowledged or granted. Some of the examples of suitable identifications are:

  • Social Security card (Signature-bearing)
  • Driver’s license
  • Photo credit card
  • Passport
  • State-issued identification card
  • Alien registration card

While, carrying the Ids at the testing locations; you must check that the name appearing on your ID cards, must exactly match the name you have written on your application forms in order to get registered for the test. If you find that your name is not matching to the Ids, then you MUST carry an evidence of name change to the testing site.

Remember, if a candidate fails to bring an appropriate identification proof, then he/she will not be permitted to sit in the test, moreover, their examination fee will also not be given back.

On the day of the CNA exam:

It is always suggested to the candidates to come up for the exam at the testing location at least 15-20 minutes earlier. This gives you time to sign in, show your IDs and getting your stress settled, before the test begins.

Candidates, who get late for their written examination, they will also not be granted to sit in the test, and besides their fees will not be reimbursed. If somehow, a candidate missed his/her scheduled written examination, then he/she must try to be present at least 30 minutes prior for the scheduled skills evaluation.

Exam Results:

To the candidates of Louisiana, the Nurse Aide evaluator faxes both of their written/oral exam answer sheet along with their Skills Evaluation results. The reporting of results process is done either towards the end of the day or after testing. Once the answer sheets are sent to the candidates via fax, an official Score Report is also faxed back to the testing site.

This indicates, whether the candidates have qualified or disqualified in the Written or Oral exam. For the results of skills evaluation, another score report will also be faxed, which shows your skills evaluation report whether you have passed or failed.

However, if due to some technical difficulties your score reports are not sent to the testing centre on the testing date, you may then contact to the Pearson VUE. In such instances, the answer sheets are directly mailed to the Pearson VUE for further handscoringFrom therethen your score reports will be forwarded to you within 5 to 7 days of business, after testing. If you have any queries, regarding the delayed results, you may call at the toll-free number at Pearson VUE of your state. No results will be disclosed over the telephone.

Passing

Candidates, who thrive in the CNA testing process, will soon get registered in the ‘Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry’. A copy as a proof of certification can also be taken from this agency at discretion. Even after the registration, the certification stays valid for about 2 years, and candidates will only need to renew this after 2 years of time.

Failing

Results of the candidates failing in the written/oral exam or the practical skills test, will give them the information regarding re-taking, either one of them or both parts of the exams. Every time you go for a retaking of NNAAP exam, a new fee is required. For more details, you can explore your report cards.

Upon failing, the State and federal set of laws consent to provide you three chances to clear both the exams. Candidates, having failed in either one of the parts or both parts of the exams thrice, need to undergo, a complete state-approved training program. They have to get qualified within the duration of 24 months, in both the written/oral test and the skills tests, so that they can get positioned on the ‘Nurse Aide Registry’.

Do not forget to Bring

While, going for the CNA exam in Louisiana, candidates must carry the following items together with them. Apart from the above mentioned Ids, students must also carry their own:

  • No. 2 sharpened pencils- 3
  • Eraser-2
  • Their Social Security number
  • Their watch with a second hand

Except for these, no other resources are allowed.

In order to gain more information, you may contact at:

Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry
Louisiana State Board of Examiners for Nursing Facility Administrators
5647 Superior Drive Baton Rouge,
Louisiana 70816
Phone: (225) 295-8575
Fax: (225) 295-8578  

For contacting the ‘Nursing Facility Administrators’ (NFA), which includes Louisiana State Board of Examiners, you may visit at:

Nurse Aide Registry
5647 Superior Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
Phone: 225-295-8575
Web: www.labenfa.com

To contact the ‘Department of Health and Hospitals’

P. O. Box 629
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0629
Phone: 225.342.9500
Web: http://new.dhh.louisiana.gov/index.cfm/directory/detail/733

Pearson VUE®

PO Box 13785
Philadelphia, PA 19101-3785
Web: www.pearsonvue.com