Massachusetts Nurse Aide Registry
Massachusetts Nurse Aide Registry
Massachusetts Department of Public Health - Division of Health Care Quality
99 Chauncy Street, Boston, MA 02111
Phones: (617) 753-8144 or (617) 753-8142
License Verification: (617) 753-8192
Massachusetts Nurse Aide Testing Office: (781) 979-4010 or (800) 962-4337
What is the purpose of the Nurse Aide Registry Program? The Nurse Aide Registry Program was started to establish training and testing programs specifically designed for nurse assistants. Another function of this program is to maintain a current list of qualified individuals who can be employed as nurse aides in health care facilities throughout the state of Massachusetts. The Nurse Aide Registry is the organization responsible for renewal of licenses and certificates every twenty four months. Through the services of the Massachusetts Nurse Aide Registry, long term care facilities as well as nursing assistants who have successfully completed a nurse aide class and passed the state CNA examination will receive state reimbursement for some of the nurse aide program cost and associated training. All nursing homes in Massachusetts need to contact the Nurse Aide Registry prior to hiring a nurse aide in order to verify that state and federal requirements have been met in terms of training and examination. You can contact the Massachusetts Nurse Aide Testing Office at (800) 962-4337 or (508) 531-7958 with requests for applications for the nurse aide competency evaluation program or questions about scheduling the examination.
CNA Registries in the United States
Select an area from the map below to find addresses and phone numbers for Nurse Aide Registries in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia as well as links to online nursing assistant registries if available.
Should you know about your state's nursing assistant registry? Absolutely. A state's nurse aide registry serves important functions for any certified nursing assistant as well as for those looking to become certified. An individual who has finished a nursing assistant training program and has passed the state competency exam becomes listed on the CNA registry. Employers check the registry listings to confirm that a potential employee satisfies the training and testing requirements to obtain a nursing assistant job. To work as a certified nursing assistant, your status on the CNA registry must be active, without any charges of resident abuse, neglect, or misappropriation. It is important to update your name and address on the registry. By doing so, your information is current and you are able to receive important documents sent by the registry.
For example, renewal forms are mailed to the address you have provided to the registry. You will not receive the certification renewal forms unless your address on the registry is accurate. One of the most frequent questions we get is how to get a copy of a CNA certificate. The nurse aide registry is in charge of issuing a duplicate of your nurse aide certificate and to obtain a copy you need to contact them. A nursing assistant certificate is typically reprinted when the original has been lost, accidentally destroyed, stolen, or when the individual has changed their name. The nurse aide registry is also the entity in charge of revoking a nursing assistant's certification in cases of neglect, abuse, or misappropriation of a client's property. In such cases, an individual's name is permanently listed on the registry along with the specific findings.
Questions, Comments, Suggestions
Florenci M. on August 04, 2009 at 07:24 PM
I am a registered nurse from the Philippines but unfortunately I failed to pass the California NCLEX-RN exam. Will I be eligible to take the CNA exam in Massachusetts or do I still need to take up CNA classes before I can take the CNA exam?
Admin on August 05, 2009 at 08:43 AM
In general, graduates of U.S. registered nursing programs meet the training requirements to challenge the CNA state exam without having to complete a nursing assistant class. The training you received in nursing school makes you eligible to take the nurse aide examination without further training even if you did not pass the NCLEX-RN exam, but if you completed the nursing program in the Philippines you might want to make sure that this applies in your case. To see if you are eligible to take the test without further training, I encourage you to call the Massachusetts CNA Registry at (617) 753-8143. To obtain information regarding the nurse aide state exam, request an application, and schedule the examination you may call the Massachusetts Nurse Aide Testing Office at (800) 962-4337 or (508) 531-7958 (outside of MA). At least certain states allow you to skip CNA training and only take the CNA exam if you are a foreign trained nurse. For example, in Colorado you must provide documentation that you have completed at least five semester credit hours of nursing fundamentals on an official transcript, which must be sent directly to the Board of Nursing from the nursing education facility for review. If you have completed this and received approval from Board staff, you are eligible to take the CNA exam in Colorado. Good luck!
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