CNA Certification In Nebraska

The requirements to obtain nursing aide license in NE include:

• The applicant must be at least 16 years of age.
• Must be able to understand and speak English.
• Completed 21 hours of basic resident care course for the developmentally disabled for intermediate care facilities, or 75 hours of nursing assistant program and competency evaluation program approved by the Board.
• Must not be convicted for any type of crime that is linked to the role of a CNA, and behavior or act that go against the accepted moral standards or anything done against honesty, justice, good morals, modesty, or with an intent to deceive.

If you are a nursing student, you are required to submit:

• Cover letter requesting to get your name listed on the Registry, based on nursing school courses. Make sure you include your name, phone number, address, date of birth, and social security number or I-94.
• A signed photocopy of your transcript.You may not need to submit transcripts if your specific nursing program sends your name verifying the completion of the course, which is required to meet the CNA Program requirements. You must check with your nursing program.
• Abuse In-service Documentation.You can download the form using the following link:http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Documents/regabuse.pdfThis information is covered only by a few nursing programs. You will receive the notification if you require this in-service for placement on the nursing Registry.
• Proof of successful completion of written and skills exams approved by the state, if in case, your grades were less than 70 percent in any of the required courses.

If you had military program:

• Provide copy of the program records if you are still active in the military; and if you are discharged from the military, submit a copy of the DD214.Other requirements are same as mentioned above (Refer points i and iii of nursing student requirements).

If you are trained as a foreign nurse, you must submit:

• A copy of your license translated to English (if necessary) and/or a copy of your certificate of graduation.
• Successfully passed written and skills exams approved by the state.
• You may be required to provide a copy of CGFNS (Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools) exam or Canadian Nurse Licensing exam results. If you have passed any of these exams, you are not required to pass the state approved written and skills exams.Other requirements are similar to nursing student requirements (Refer points i and iii).

If you have an inactive/lapsed RN or LPN certificate, you must provide:

• A copy of your inactive/lapsed RN or LPN license, if your license is from state other than Nebraska.
• Documentation of successful completion of written and skills exams approved by the state, if you have not performed nursing or nursing related services for monetary compensation for 24 months or longer.Some requirements are same as mentioned for nursing students (Refer points i and iii).

1. Examination

The procedure to obtain nursing aide certification by examination is as follows:

Step 1: Contact any one of the following postsecondary education providers, in order to register for the written and clinical skills examinations approved by the state:

Nebraska Health Care Learning Center
1200 Libra Drive, Suite 100
Lincoln, Nebraska 68512
Phone – (402) 435-3551

Nebraska Health Care Learning Center
Providence Health Care Institute
4600 Valley Road, Suite 401
Lincoln, Nebraska 68510
Phone – (402) 326-2792
Official website – www.providencehealthcareer.com

Step 2: The examination providers that conducted the examination will forward the grades to the Nurse Aide Registry and the details will be added on the Registry.

Step 3: The examination provider will determine the examination fees which must be remitted back to them.

Step 4: The licensure unit will review and approve the competency evaluation programs and nurse aide program.

2. Interstate Endorsement

If you hold a nursing aide license in another state and desire to work in NE, you need to request the Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry to add your name to the Registry. You must follow the below procedure, in order to transfer your certification from another state to Nebraska:

• Complete and submit the “Interstate Endorsement” application and copies of any CNA licensure or certificate cards you have. You may use the following link to download the application:http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Licensure/Documents/NAInterstateEndorsementApp.pdf
• If you have completed your nursing assistant program in Iowa, you need to submit a copy of your actual certificate verifying the completion of a nurse aide course of 75 hours. It must also contain the name of the facility or college from where you had received your initial program, and the completed date. In case, you don’t have this copy, get a duplicate copy from the college or facility where you received your program.Note: This is not a photocopy of your written or skills testing results or your Iowa licensure card.
• Successfully undertaken at least 1 hour of classes in procedures for reporting suspected neglect or abuse, even though similar program was completed as part of the requirements of another state.Note:If you have completed your program at Tri-State Nursing in Iowa or Iowa Western Community College, you are not required to complete these program hours since they already comprise of Nebraska’s abuse in-service as part of their curriculum.

You can obtain program from any one of the following:

• A prospective Nebraska employer

• One of the below-given postsecondary education providers:
  • Southeast Community College, Lincoln
  • Central Community College, Hastings
  • Providence Health Career Institute, Lincoln
  • Clarkson College, Omaha
  • Western Nebraska Community College, Scottsbluff
• Online program conducted by the following two postsecondary education providers:
  • Providence Health Career InstituteUse the following web address:
    www.providencehealthcareer.comAfter opening the above link, click on On-line Abuse.
  • Southeast Community College
    Send e-mail to: jwalsh@southeast.edu

The post-secondary education provider or your employer conducting the nursing aide program is required to complete the “Abuse In-Service Documentation Form”. You can download it from the following link and fax it to 402-471-1066.
http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Documents/regabuse.pdf

• If the Department is unable to complete the verification process of completion of nurse aide course of a minimum of 75 hours, you may be required to provide verification of completion of the course before completing the application process. In case, the course is not verified, you will be required to retake the course in the state of Nebraska.
• If you are not employed or tested in the past 2 years, you will be required to retest after the Department has reviewed the application for Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry by Interstate Endorsement, and permit you to take the exams in the state.
• Submit the completed application along with the required documents by fax or via mail to:Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry
  ATTN:  Wanda Vodehnal
  PO Box 94986
  Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4986
  FAX:  402-471-1066

If your name is listed on the Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry and you are moving to another state, get in touch with the Nursing Assistant Registry of that particular state to find out the essential requisites required to transfer your CNA license.

• Obtain the verification form from the respective state and send it to the Nebraska Department to complete the verification section.
• The department will mail the verification form directly to the State Board you are moving to.

Send the form to the below address:

Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry
ATTN:  Nancy Stava
PO Box 94986
Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4986

You can also send the application by fax at 402-471-1066

Note: if you are sending the application by fax, make sure it is on white paper.

To verify your Nebraska nurse aide license, you may use the below-given link:
http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/pages/lis_lisindex.aspx

Click on the above link and select the “License Search” option to search for your license.

All CNAs are required to renew their certificate biennially. If your license is lapsed, you will be required to take the certification exam again.

Methods to Renew

• Online at:Click on the following link to renew your nurse aide license online:
  https://nebraska.mylicense.com/Pay the renewal fee via MasterCard, Visa, or a debit card with a MasterCard or Visa logo.
• Paper ApplicationUse the following link to download the printable application:
  http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Licensure/Documents/NHArenewalAPP.pdfSend the completed application to:Division of Public Health
  Licensure Unit
  PO Box 94986
  Lincoln, NE 68509-4986

You may use the following link to check your renewal status:
http://www.nebraska.gov/LISSearch/search.cgi

Follow the below given steps:

• Select your license type (Business / Service, Individual, Facility / Service).
• After selecting the license type, the License Information System Search window will be opened.
• Select the status of your license (Active, Inactive, All).
• Now, enter your name or license number.
• Choose your Profession.
• When the results are shown, click on Name.
• The page showing all the license details will be shown.
• Click “Generate a certification of this license” present above the License Details.
• Lastly, print or save your license.

The requirements to reactivate your lapsed license back to active status are as follows:

• If you have carried out nurse aide duties for monetary compensation which were not reported to the Nursing Aide Registry, provide an “Employment Verification Form” validating the dates of employment, the name and address of the employer, and that the duties of nursing assistants were performed. You can use the following link to download the form:
  http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Documents/empverify.pdfThis application can only be used to update employment only if there is no gap of 2 years in employment since the last date of employment or last test date as shown on the Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry. Contact the Registry at (402) 471-0537 to find out your last date of employment.

• If you have carried out nurse aide duties for an agency or facility licensed by the state, you are not required to complete the notary section of the Employment Verification Form. You must complete the notary section, if you have worked in a non-licensed facility or agency, or have done some private duty.

• If you have not worked as a CNA for 2 years and have completed an accredited 75-hour nurse aide course, you may reactivate your registration by retaking the clinical and written exams.

Address Change

To request an address change, use any one of the following methods:

• Fill the address change application. You can download the form through following link:
  http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Documents/address.pdfMail the completed form to:Department of Health and Human Services
  Division of Public Health, Licensure Unit
  Nurse Aide Registry, Medication Aide Registry, Paid Dining Assistant Registry
  PO Box 94986
  Lincoln, Nebraska 68509-4986OR

• Contact Nancy Stava at:
  • Fax – (402) 471-0537
  • E-mail – nancy.stava@nebraska.gov

Note: Make sure you include your name and social security number.

Name Change

For changing your name on your nurse aide / medication aide record, download the name change application using the following link and mail it to the address mentioned in the form along with the required documents:http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/Documents/nameform.pdf

You can provide the below-given acceptable documents:

• Marriage certificate, or
• Divorce decree showing the change of name, or
• Court order demonstrating legal name change

If you are unable to print the name change application, you can submit a written request which must include the following details:

• Old name
• New name
• Social Security Number
• Mailing address
• Phone number
• Reason for name change
• Notarized signature
• Copy of any one of the above mentioned documents

Inactive Status

In order to change your inactive status to active, you are required to contact the Nebraska Department to request for an application. You also need to meet the reinstatement requirements which must be fulfilled at the time the status change is requested.

Question 1 – How much time does it take to get on the Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry?

Answer – The complete process takes about 30 days from the test exam date to become active on the Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry.

Question 2 – I am presently on the Michigan Nurse Aide Registry, but I’m moving to NE. How do I get my name transferred to the Nurse Aide Registry in the state of Nebraska?

Answer – In order to transfer to the Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry, you must complete the interstate endorsement application to start the procedure. You need to get approval from the NE Registry to retest, if you have not worked as a NA (Nursing Assistant) or tested in the past 2 years. You must send a copy of this letter to NHCLC as verification to the following address:

Nebraska Health Care Learning Center
Attn: NA Testing
1200 Libra Drive, Suite 100
Lincoln, NE 68512

Question 3 – Is there any requirement of continuing education to stay active on the NE Nurse Aide Registry?

Answer – The state of Nebraska doesn’t require a nurse aide to undergo continuing or in-service education to keep their license active. However, Medicaid/Medicare licensed and certified facilities are required to provide 12 hours of in-service to the nurse aides. This in-service requirement is not a nursing assistant requirement, it’s a facility requirement.