People who wish to obtain employment as a Certified Nursing Assistant in the state of South Dakota need to understate what it takes to earn CNA credentials in the state. Firstly, they need to meet the eligibility criteria for the South Dakota Department of Health approved training program. They must also check where they carry qualification that may help them to skip the training. Testing is the nest step after the training. Students apply for the examination through DS Diversified Technologies (http://www.hdmaster.com/testing/cnatesting/sdakota/sdformpages/sdforms/SDCandidateHandbook.pdf). Students who succeed in the exam are listed on the registry, and they become eligible to work as a nurse aide in the state.
Eligibility Criteria
In South Dakota, aspirants can apply for CNA certification program only if they fulfil the given below requirements:
- Candidates must attain 18 years of their age;
- They must submit the evidence of a GED or a High School graduation;
- They need to pass a complete health examination, including a proof of immunization, drug screening and TB testing; and
- They must undertake a criminal background check, including fingerprinting check. A felony record may disqualify candidates from taking the training and examination.
How to Apply
In South Dakota, application for the examination can be accepted even of those students, who are without the training course. This is for candidates who are:
- Nursing students;
- Candidates who can avail the form- “Request for Consideration of Equivalency of Education for Individual Educated in Other Healthcare Fields“, obtainable at the D&S Diversified Technologies; or
- Candidates with lapsed certificates of not more than 2 years.
Fees
The tuition fee for CNA certification course in the state of South Dakota requires approximately $ 600 to $ 1000. Testing and tuition fees of employed (with job offer) aspirants are paid by their employers. The fees are reimbursed only if candidates get into job in a Medicare approved facility within 1 year of the completion of training.
Testing includes two sections- Written and Skill. The written section contains 75 MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions) and students perform 5 randomly chosen skills in the skill section.
The testing cost varies and here are they-
Both Written and Skill testing: $ 152.50
Only Skill testing: $ 85
Only Written testing: $ 67.50
Certification Renewal
- The CNA license remains valid for 2 years from the date of issue, and after that it is required to be renewed.
- It is possible to renew the license online through the site of the South Dakota Board of Nursing. This needs the Nurse Assistant Registry Renewal Form.
- It is mandatory to have a proof of paid employment of minimum 8 hours during the past 24 months.
Must Know Facts
- Candidates without CNA certification are permitted in South Dakota to work as a nursing aide for up to 120 days. Candidates must be enrolled in a training program during this period, and complete training and qualify the testing in those 120 days. If they don’t, then they are terminated from the nursing services.
- There are three attempts to qualify both the sections of testing. After this, retraining is needed to challenge the competency exam.