To be eligible for testing you must have completed a nurse aide training program approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education within the last 24 months or you are a CNA and your Pennsylvania nurse aide registry status has lapsed because you have not worked one documented day providing nursing related services for 24 months or more. You may not be scheduled and tested until you have completed your training and you may not enter a training class until all background checks are completed.
If you are eligible under one of the categories above, you should complete the exam registration form with the assistance of your training program provider, director of nursing, facility administrator, or other employer. The CNA exam in Pennsylvania is scheduled through the American Red Cross. The nursing assistant competency exam cost is $102 for both the written/oral and skills components.
The registration form is available online, by contacting Pearson VUE at 800-852-0518, by calling the American Red Cross at 800-795-2350, or from the school or facility which provided your nurse aide training. Along with the completed exam registration form you must also send a copy of your training certificate and the payment for the examination. Failure to provide complete and accurate information may delay your nurse aide test or prevent your entry on the registry.
All these documents must be mailed together in the same envelope to the American Red Cross Competency Evaluation Program at the address listed on the application form. The American Red Cross is responsible for scheduling your exam as soon as all the required documents are received. It is your responsibility to contact the American Red Cross if you do not receive a confirmation letter within ten business days of submission.
With regard to employment as a CNA in nursing homes if you have a prior conviction, you need to identify what the conviction was for and the gravity of it and then compare the information to the prohibitive offense list associated with Act 169, as well as neglect of care-dependent person. You need to pay close attention to the requirements for the number of misdemeanor or felony grade convictions and note that two or more misdemeanors can be of different charge categories. For example, misdemeanor convictions for theft by deception and retail theft will satisfy the two misdemeanor rule.