Information About The Minnesota Nursing Assistant Registry
Purpose
of Minnesota Nursing Assistant Registry
The Minnesota
Department of Health maintains the Nursing Assistant Registry which lists the
names of individuals who have completed an approved nursing assistant training
and testing program or testing program and meet state and federal requirements
to work in certified nursing homes and certified boarding care homes.
Before allowing
an individual to work as a nursing assistant in certified nursing homes or certified
boarding care homes, the facility must contact the Registry to verify that the
nursing assistant has met competency evaluation requirements and maintained
employment status. If a person is inactive, the Registry can be called to see
if the person is eligible to have their status changed from inactive to active. Back
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Who
Can Work as a Nursing Assistant?
1. An individual
not on the Registry can be hired as a nursing assistant if they are immediately
enrolled in an approved nursing assistant training course at the time of hire,
complete the course and competency test and get on the Minnesota Registry within
4 months. The facility must assure that the person is competent to provide cares
to residents. Persons working for a temporary agency must be on the Registry
before they are eligible to work in a nursing facility.
2. A person who
has completed a training and competency evaluation program or competency evaluation
program approved by Minnesota and is on the Registry.
3. A person who
can prove completion of a nursing assistant training and competency evaluation
program or competency evaluation program approved by Minnesota but is not yet
on the Registry. Persons may provide the fax back score report which indicate the individual passed both parts of the test. It may take up to 4 weeks to get placed on the Registry. The facility cannot assume
the nursing assistant will get on the Registry based on the fax back score report. The facility must verify placement on the Registry. Persons
opting to challenge the test without having taken an approved nursing assistant
training program MAY NOT WORK AS A NURSING ASSISTANT UNTIL THEY HAVE PASSED
BOTH THE WRITTEN AND SKILLS PORTION OF THE TEST. They do not have 4 months
to get on the Registry if they challenge the test without completing a nursing
assistant training course. Back
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How
to Get on the Nursing Assistant Registry
1. Successfully
complete an approved nursing assistant training and competency evaluation program
in Minnesota.
or
2. Successfully pass the Minnesota approved competency test for nursing assistants.
or
3. Currently be in good standing on the nursing assistant Registry in another
state and have worked a minimum of 8 hours as a nursing assistant in that state in the past
24 months. Back
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Interstate Endorsement Forms
IF YOU ARE TRANSFERRING
TO MINNESOTA FROM ANOTHER STATE YOU MUST BE ON THE MINNESOTA NURSING ASSISTANT
REGISTRY BEFORE YOU CAN WORK AS A NURSING ASSISTANT IN MINNESOTA.
Complete the Interstate
Endorsement Forms if you wish to transfer your certificate to the Minnesota
Nursing Assistant Registry from another state. Please read and follow the directions
on the form(s) carefully. Incomplete forms will delay your transfer to the Minnesota
Registry and will be returned to you.
Click
here to download the Interstate Endorsement Forms<
ONCE BOTH FORMS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED ON THE MINNESOTA REGISTRY PLEASE ALLOW AT LEAST 30 BUSINESS DAYS FOR PROCESSING.
There is NO
PROCESSING FEE for the Minnesota Registry.
If you need additional help
completing these forms, please contact the Nursing Assistant Registry by telephone
or in writing:
Between the hours of 9:00a.m. and 3:00p.m., Monday thru Friday
Telephone: (651) 215-8705
Toll Free, Greater Minnesota 1-800-397-6124
Nursing Assistant Registry
P.O.Box 64501
St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0501
You may also contact
the Nursing Assistant Registry by Email
At: FPC-NAR@health.state.mn.us Back
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How
to Stay on the Minnesota Nursing Assistant Registry
Nursing assistants
must report their nursing assistant employment. You must perform independently at least 8 hours
of paid nursing assistant duties every 24 months to stay on the Registry. (A
lapse in employment over 24 months will result in an inactive status on the
Registry). Tasks must be similar to those performed in a nursing home. Orientation and training will not be accepted.
If you work in a health care facility (other than a certified nursing
home, boarding care home, or home health agency) you must call the Registry
to see if that employment will qualify you to stay on the Registry. The facility
you worked at must submit a completed update form and a job description to the
Registry. The Registry will review the job description to determine if duties
performed will keep you on the registry.
PLEASE ALLOW AT LEAST 30 BUSINESS DAYS FOR PROCESSING. Back
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Inservice
There is no inservice
requirement specifically related to the Nursing Assistant Registry. The Registry
does not monitor inservice and inservice is not required to stay on the Registry.
Certified nursing homes or boarding care homes must follow state and federal
regulations. Federal regulations require these facilities to provide 12 hours
of inservice per year based on specific criteria. Inservice questions should
be directed to the facility’s survey team.
Back
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Registration
Number
Minnesota uses the
nursing assistant's social security number as the certificate number. Back
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Duplicate
Nursing Assistant Certificates
The Registry does
not maintain copies of nursing assistant certificates. Duplicate certificates
for nursing assistants who tested in Minnesota after September 29, 1992 can
be obtained from our test vendor Pearson Vue. There will be a charge for the duplicate
certificate. Please contact Pearson Vue at 1-800-274-0504 for details.
Back
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Name
or Address Change
Name changes must
be reported to the Registry by sending a copy of the legal document that changed
your name. Include your social security number and address on this document.
You can call the Registry to make an address change. Back
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Nursing Assistant Registry Update Form
Complete the Nursing Assistant
Registry Update Form if you are currently on the Registry and need to change
or add information to your file.
Click
here to download the Nursing Assistant
Registry Update Form. Back
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Nursing
Assistant Training and Testing
Federal regulations
have specific training and testing requirements for nursing assistants in
long
term care facilities. The training program must consist of a minimum 75 hours
of training. Minnesota has 2 approved curriculums. One curriculum was developed
by Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and the other curriculum was
developed
by the American Red Cross. In addition to nursing assistant training, some
training sites offer home health aide training. Testing must be done at an
approved test
site. Back
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How
to Start a Nursing Assistant Training Program
1. Contact Bonnie Wendt at the Nursing Assistant Registry (651) 201-4127 for application form.
2. Must have qualified instructor.
A qualified instructor is a Registered Nurse with a minimum of two years of
nursing experience in the US, at least one year which must be in provision of long term
care facility services. Instructor must attend Train the Trainer if training program nursing home based or independent. Train the Trainer is offered through Minneapolis
Community
and Technical College. Please call Jess at 612-659-6501 or 1-800-247-0911 for dates
of training and registration form.
3. A nursing home must be available for the clinical portion of the training.
The nursing home has not had an extended or partial extended survey; has not
operated with a waiver of the 8 hour per day registered nurse requirement; has
not been assessed a civil money penalty of $5000 or more; or has not had a denial
of payment enforced within past 2 years.
4. Must have agreement with college to provide testing for student completing
training.
5. Send completed application including all required information and agreements
to Bonnie Wendt. Back
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Training
and Testing Program Sites
A list of approved
training and test sites can be found at: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/fpc/directory/natrainingsites.cfm Back
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Study
Materials For the Test
A candidate handbook
which gives an overview of the test, including skills that may be tested, is
available through an approved test site. This handbook and a sample written
test are also available at: http://www.asisvcs.com/indhome_fs.asp?CPCAT=0624NURSE Back
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Prohibition
of Charges
A nursing assistant
who is employed by or has received an offer of employment from a facility prior
to beginning a nursing assistant training and competency evaluation program
may not be charged for any portion of the training program.
The cost of training
and testing varies by training sites. Please contact the training site for the
cost of their training and testing programs. Back
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Reimbursable
Expenses
Nursing assistants
who pay for the cost of their training and testing prior to employment are eligible
for reimbursement. The nursing assistant has 1 year from completion of the test
to turn in receipts requesting reimbursement. The facility has 90 days to reimburse
the nursing assistant. If the nursing assistant does not remain employed as
a nursing assistant for 90 days, the nursing home is under no obligation to
reimburse the nursing assistant. The first nursing home the nursing assistant
stays at for a least 90 days would then be responsible to reimburse the nursing
assistant if it has been 1 year or less since completion of the test. Only certified
nursing homes or boarding care homes are required to reimburse a nursing assistant. Back
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Findings
of Abuse, Neglect or Misappropriation of Property
Complaints about
a nursing assistant must be called into the Office of Health Facility Complaints
(OHFC) at (651) 201-4201 or 1-800-369-7994. An investigation must be completed
before a finding can be substantiated and entered onto the Registry.
If a person has
a finding of maltreatment on the Registry and someone calls to verify if a nursing
assistant is on the Registry, the caller will be automatically transferred to
a Registry representative.
If there is a finding of maltreatment on the Registry, the nursing assistant
is prohibited from working in a certified nursing facility. Back
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Criminal
Background Check
The Registry does
not maintain records of background checks. Questions regarding a background
check should be directed to The Department of Human Services, Background Studies
and Investigation Section at (651) 296-3971.
For questions about this page, please contact our Minnesota Health Care Facilities Programs: health.fpc-web@state.mn.us
See also > Division of Compliance Monitoring Home Page
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