Nurse Aide Registry

The Minnesota Department of Health is expanding in-facility testing to add additional sites. This is an opportunity to offer in-facility testing for your Nurse Aide candidates.

In-facility testing can be a convenient option for both nurse aide candidates and nursing home employers. By testing nurse aide candidates within the facility where training occurs, candidates may experience a reduction in the distance to travel to an off-site testing center, increase the comfort level of testing at a familiar location, and shorten the time to enter the workforce as qualified professionals. 

In-facility testing criteria

In-facility testing will be considered for any approved MDH Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP) involving federally certified providers that meet one of the following:

• Nurse aide training program operated by a federally certified nursing home.
• Corporate nurse aide training program for multiple nursing homes of the same corporation.
• Nurse aide training program operated by an assisted living facility that is under the same umbrella ownership of a nursing home, usually on the same campus and provides supervised practical training in a federally certified nursing home.

In-Facility testing does not include approved training programs operated by colleges within the facility, colleges, high schools, independent free-standing programs, and assisted living facilities that train staff for their licensed-only facility.

More information

• Apply at the Health Regulation Division in-facilty testing page. If you determine you meet all the requirements to become a test site, complete all fields listed and submit to MDH. 
• Frequently Asked Questions and resources are available on the In-Facility Nurse Aide Testing Resources page.
• MDH will be accepting applications to be a test site from June 16 to July 31. You must apply by July 31 at 11:59 p.m. to be considered for a Nurse Aide In-Facility Testing Site. MDH will review and notify interested facilities within 30 days via email if you have been approved to become a testing site.

Contact information

For questions on this form and process, please contact MDH at health.nar.coord@state.mn.us. 

Minnesota Statutes, section 144A.61 identifies nurse aide candidates may complete the written knowledge test in different languages. The nurse aide written knowledge test offered in additional languages became effective Jan. 27, 2025.

In addition to English, the nurse aide knowledge test will be available in Spanish, Somali and Hmong.

When a candidate logs in to take their knowledge test they will be given an option to select English, Spanish, Somali and Hmong. During the test the candidate may switch back and forth from their preferred language to English and then back again.

Please note the nurse aide handbook is only available in English.

MDH is working with their nurse aide test contractor D&S Diversified Technologies-Headmaster to implement the changes.

For questions, please contact the Health Regulation Division at 651-201-4200 or HEALTH.FPC-NAR@state.mn.us.

The Minnesota Department of Health adjusted the score required to pass the Nurse Aide Knowledge Test from 76% to 74%. Candidates need to correctly answer 52 questions (out of a total of 70) in order to receive a passing score.

This change follows a thorough review of the exam process. The adjustment aims to ensure candidates demonstrate minimal competency while upholding the integrity of the Nurse Aide position.

The new passing score went into effect on Aug. 5, 2024.