Requirements for Obtaining a Nursing Assistant Certification in Maryland
If you’re considering becoming a nursing assistant, you’ve likely been doing some research about what is required to achieve that goal.
You also probably know that the state of Maryland requires a nursing assistant certification before becoming a nursing assistant. If you’re pursuing that goal, it’s helpful to have a list of the requirements for obtaining a certification in the state of Maryland.
Here’s what you should know about Maryland’s nursing assistant certification requirements:
Who is Required to Be Certified?
In the state of Maryland, all geriatric nursing assistants (GNA), certified medicine aids, and home health aides are required to have nursing assistant certification.
Additionally, any individual working in a licensed home health agency, or an individual who performs delegated nursing work in a client’s home must also have certification.
If you are unsure if the work you ultimately want to do will require you to be a certified nursing assistant (CNA), contacting the Maryland Board of Nursing may be a good place to find out what will be required of you in a given role.
What You Need for Certification
If you do require certification, there are a few things that are required in order to obtain it. First and foremost, you will need to enroll and complete a nursing assistant training program in the state you wish to work.
To do this, you will need to find a board-approved nursing assistant training program, then apply for it. Then, you’ll need to participate and pass the program.
To qualify for a nursing assistant training program, students are required to be 18 years of age or older, have a high school diploma or GED, take an admission test if you don’t possess a diploma or GED, and submit to a complete physical screening and background check.
Training Programs
Nursing assistant training programs are required to be at least 100 hours in length. The hours are divided between classroom, laboratory and hands-on clinical training.
There, you’ll learn the essentials of nursing, including infection control, performing personal hygiene and grooming, measuring vital signs, changing linens, and understanding medical terminology, among other things.
After you complete the program, you will be eligible to take the geriatric nursing assistant (GNA) certification exam. This exam can be taken at an approved regional testing center.
Some schools serve as authorized testing centers, however not all do, in which case you will need to preregister with a nearby regional testing center http://asisvcs.com/publications/pdf/072100.pdf. The cost of the exam in Maryland is $105.00.
The exam given will take roughly two hours and 25 minutes, and consists of multiple-choice questions and a second part of the test, which tests the student on clinical skills. In this section, you’ll be required to complete five basic nurse assistant tasks chosen at random in 25 minutes.
If you pass both portions of the test, you are now a certified GNA!
Becoming a CNA is a complex process, one that is not for everyone. But if you choose to pursue this path in life, it can be a very rewarding career.
Contact Top Knowledge Healthcare Institute for more information about becoming a CNA or to learn more about CNA/GNA training programs.
