In West Virginia, for becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant, it is imperative to go for the authorized tests and training programs. It is the Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification that approves the training programs, develops the competency exam and manages the registry. The professional Health Care Development, LLC itself manages the exam.
Eligibility Criteria
West Virginia is a state that has laid a narrow set of requirements to enrol in a training program. The only and the most important requirement is that aspirants must have not been indulged in a crime related to incapacitated adult or child, sex offence or listed in any of the state’s Abuse Registry.
How to Apply
The state of West Virginia provides allowances to those who need not to take the training. Such fortunate candidates include:
- Those candidates who are presently enrolled in an approved LPN/RN nursing program and have completed fundamentals of nursing courses within the past 24 months; or
- Candidates with active CNA certification as a nursing aide in another state.
In both the cases, a special form available at – wvdhhr.org needs to be submitted.
A list of approved training programs is obtainable at WVDHHR website- wvdhhr.org.
Approved training programs need minimum 120 hours of work that are split between 65 hours of classroom study and hands on work of 55 hours. After the training, testing takes place. Testing contains two parts- a skill section and a written (oral) section. Candidates apply with Professional Healthcare Development, LLC for the test.
Fees
As far as testing and training fees are concerned, the federal Law stipulates students from bearing the certification related expenses. In all situations, it is the employer who pays all expenses or reimburses incurred fees before candidates being hired. This does not apply to those candidates who fail to get into jobs within one year of passing the exam and get registered on the state’s registry.
Certificate Renewal
- The validity period of CNA certification in West Virginia is 24 months.
- Only those candidates who had paid employment of minimum 1 documented day in the last 2 years are eligible for reactivation of the expired license.
- They must complete eight executive hours of paid time in an approved nursing setting as a nursing aide within the duration of two years from completing the most recent training.
- 28th day of the month is a re-registration date.
- Around 60 days prior the license expiration, a renewal notification is mailed to CNAs at their given address.
Must Know Facts
- Candidates, who are unable to qualify the examination within 3 attempts, need to take training program again before taking further attempts of the exam.
Taking and passing the competency evaluation within 24 months of completing the training program.