How do I keep my South Carolina CNA certification current?

Question

I would also like to know what I need to do to become certified again as a CNA in South Carolina if my license expired.

Answer 1

To keep your CNA certification current, you must work in nursing-related services, for pay, for at least eight hours in the 24 months before your certification expires. It is very important to keep your name and address up-to-date, because the registry will mail a recertification form to that address.

You must complete the recertification form and return it with the required fee if you do not work for a Medicaid-certified nursing home in South Carolina. If you do work for a Medicaid-certified nursing home in South Carolina, then the nursing home must pay the recertification fee. Please keep in mind that ultimately it is your responsibility to keep your certification current.

If your nurse aide certification has lapsed on the registry and you would like to reactivate it, you may be required to retrain, retest, or both, based on whether you have or have not completed a 100-hour state-approved nurse aide training program. To find out if you need to retrain and/or retest, please see the three common situations below:

1. If your nurse aide certification has lapsed on the registry and it has not been expired for more than 24 months and you have previously completed a 100-hour state-approved nurse aide training program, you will only be required to retest, which means you must pass both the Written (or English or Spanish Oral) Examination and the Skills Evaluation before you can be re-activated on the registry.
2. If your nurse aide certification has lapsed on the registry and you have not previously completed a 100-hour state-approved nurse aide training program, you must train at a 100-hour state-approved training program and retest. You must pass both the Written (or English or Spanish Oral) Examination and the Skills Evaluation before you can be re-activated on the CNA registry.
3. If your nurse aide certification lapsed more than two years ago, you must retrain at a 100-hour state-approved nurse aide training program and retest. You must pass both the Written (or English or Spanish Oral) Examination and the Skills Evaluation before you can be re-activated on the registry.

A case-by-case determination is made by the registry if your CNA certification expired and you need to e-mail scnar@scdhhs.gov or call Pearson VUE at 800-475-8290 regarding your situation.