The Nurse Aide Registries keep track of those individuals who have met written and skills test criteria to be certified for employment in long-term care settings, usually nursing homes, or who have met other requirements for nursing assistant certification. The CNA registries maintain databases of individuals who meet the federal requirements to provide care giving to residents in skilled nursing facilities. The registries also maintain records of those nurse aides who have had a finding of abuse, neglect or misappropriation of property against them.
In general, for each Certified Nursing Assistant the registry contains basic identifying information, work history, eligibility status for working in a nursing facility and findings of abuse, neglect or misappropriation of property, if any. The registry also contains identifying information for persons who are ineligible to work as caregivers.
Usually, a nursing assistant’s name is added to the registry by completing state-approved training and passing both written and skills exams, being endorsed from another state, or by becoming ineligible to work in a nursing facility due to state disciplinary action or findings of abuse or neglect.
Nursing assistants with administrative findings or convictions for resident abuse, neglect or misappropriation of resident property will remain on the registry with the findings placed in their record. In general, these findings or convictions make the nursing assistant ineligible for employment in any long term care facility. Findings and convictions are public information and are disclosed to anyone who calls to verify an individual’s standing on the CNA Registry. Some states also retain information on criminal background checks in the registry since nursing assistants with disqualifying criminal backgrounds are ineligible to work in nursing homes.
Employers or individuals have the ability to inquire on the status of a state tested nurse aide by accessing the registry through the internet. For most states, they can call the nurse aide registry and use the voice automated system, talk to a nurse aide registry customer service technician, or use the web-based verification system.