If you have been certified as a nursing assistant or nurse aide in another state and would like to apply for reciprocity to Arkansas you have to obtain a copy of the DMS-798 Exemption/Reciprocity Request Form from the Arkansas Office of Long Term Care by calling 501-682-8430 or by email at cna.oltc@arkansas.gov . The Office of Long Term Care will determine whether you will be added directly to the Arkansas Nurse Aide Registry or whether you will be required to take the competency exam.
Submit the completed form to the Arkansas Office of Long Term Care along with a copy of your certificate or registration document from every state where you are listed on the Nursing Assistant or Nurse Aide Registry. The OLTC will contact all other states to verify your status on their registries before transferring your certification through reciprocity and they will notify you of their search results. If your certification is not current or active, you will be required to take the competency exam.
You may be eligible for renewal if you previously have been certified in Arkansas as a CNA and your certificate is less than 24 months old but you have allowed your certificate to expire. A nursing assistant certification has expired and is invalid if you have not worked for pay as a CNA for a minimum of eight hours during your most recent 24-month certification period. If your nursing assistant certification has expired for over 24 months, you must retest.
To apply for testing you have to complete an application form, provide your previous certificate number if available and mail the application to Prometric with the required exam fee or documentation required for state payment for your exam. You must complete your competency exam within one year of testing eligibility approval. Applicants successfully completing testing will be issued a new certificate with a new certificate number. You may access the Arkansas Nurse Aide Registry here.