How to Renew a Nurse's Aide Certification

Nurse's aides are trained, certified health professionals who perform routine tasks for patients in long-term care facilities and nursing homes, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Federal law requires that states train and certify nurse's aides. Most states track nurse's aide certification through state registries. All states mandate that nurse's aides must work at least eight hours over the two year certification period in order to renew their certification. Although each state monitors nurse's aide certification differently, there are a few common steps.

Instructions

• 1

  Complete the renewal form sent to you by your state government. Some states automatically send certified nurse's aides a renewal form every two years in advance of the certification's expiration date. If you work in such a state, all you need to do is complete the form, verify that you have worked as a nurse's aide at least eight hours in the last two years, sign the form and return it to the proper certifying agency. Contact your state Department of Health or Department of Aging to determine if your state automatically mails you a renewal.

• 2

  Download and complete a renewal form within two years of the date of your last certification. States that do not automatically mail certified nurse's aides their renewal forms provide them through their Departments of Health or Aging Services. For example, California's Health and Human Services Agency provides a renewal form on its website with instructions on how to complete the form and when it is due.

• 3

  Re-take the certification examination if you have allowed your certification to expire. If you have not worked as a certified nurse's aide for at least eight hours in two years or if you did not return the renewal form by the due date, you must re-take the certification examination. Contact your state's Department of Health or the agency that oversees nursing homes and long-term care facilities for information on scheduling the exam. Note that some states require CNAs with expired certification to re-take both the training program and the certification examination.