As far as I know, you won’t be allowed to challenge the CNA examination based on your employment as a pharmacy tech. You may contact the registry by email at CNARegistry@health.mo.gov or phone at 573-526-5686 to verify this information and get additional help.
Federal regulation requires that an individual work at least eight hours, for pay, in the provision of nursing services without a two year break to remain active. Your CNA certificate is considered inactive if the registry shows a two year break in employment in the provision of nursing services. Your CNA certificate is considered expired if the register shows a five year break in employment in the provision of nursing services.
If your certificate is inactive you may challenge the examination to obtain active status. If your certificate is expired you will either need to prove employment or retake the course and exam to obtain active status. If you hold a Certified Medication Technician (CMT) certificate or Insulin Administration (IA) certificate, these certifications are also expired. When you regain active CNA status, the CMT and IA certifications will also be considered active.
A CNA cannot work as a Certified Nurse Assistant in a Long-Term Care (LTC) facility when their certification is listed as expired. In this case, the CNA must submit proof of paid nursing service employment or take the entire CNA course again. Proof of employment may include:
- a letter from your employer on official letterhead verifying dates of employment, position held, and job duties
- copy of a W-2 form
- copy of pay stubs, or
- Social Security employment statement.
All employment documentation will be verified and you will be notified by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services in writing within two weeks regarding the request.
Receiving approval to challenge the exam means that individuals who meet the special criteria listed below are not required to take the entire certified nurse assistant course but rather will be allowed to take just the final examination (written and practical) to become a CNA in Missouri. You may challenge the CNA exam if:
- your background, education and training in gerontology and health occupations includes the components of the approved training curriculum and you take those portions of the course as determined to be necessary based on evaluation of your credentials by the supervisor of Health Education, Division of Senior Services and Regulation, or
- you are listed on the Missouri State Certified Nurse Assistant Register on inactive status, or
- you are enrolled in an RN or LPN program and have successfully completed a Fundamentals of Nursing course that included a clinical rotation within the last five years, or
- you are an RN or LPN nursing licensure candidate who has failed state licensure examination, or
- you are listed as active and in good standing on another state's CNA registry, or
- you are a student who has completed a nursing program outside the United States and are awaiting licensure in this country, or
- you were trained in a long-term care unit of a hospital and have been employed there for at least twelve months, or
- you are trained in the acute care section of a hospital as a nursing assistant or psychiatric aide and complete the orientation module with special emphasis on geriatric residents' needs and orientation to the facility, as well as 100 hours of on-the-job training in a long-term care facility or long-term care unit of a hospital.
Those who meet any of the above requirements must submit a written request to the DHSS at the address listed below:
Section for Long Term Care
Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Attn: Health Education Unit
PO Box 570
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0570
The request must include a clear copy of your social security card, return address, a daytime telephone number and all the additional documentation.