Tennessee CNA Certification Requirements
The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development projects that the demand for CNAs in the state of Tennessee will increase by up to 16 per cent within the next 5 years, in 2018. Any candidate wishing to work in the state of Tennessee as a caregiver in long-term health care facilities or hospitals, basically an institution that gets its funding directly from Medicare, must get formal education and gain licensure as a certified nurse assistant. The CNA certification program in the State of Tennessee is overseen and managed by the Tennessee Department of Health.
Education
In order to qualify for the certification, you will need to complete a Tennessee-approved training program. The program consists of a minimum of 75 hours of coursework. The curriculum basically covers 16 hours of comprehensive training in the 5 major competency areas i.e. resident’s rights, communication, emergency procedures, independence, and infection control. Further, the training also has to have some clinical internship period, to equip you with the necessary skills to work in a real time environment.
Additional Requirements
As is with most other states, the Department of Health in Tennessee expects you to sit and pass the competency examination upon the completion of the training program. The exam is administered by the D & S Diversified Technologies on behalf of the Department of Health. The competency examination has two main parts… the first one has 70 multiple-choice questions which are set based on the content covered in the coursework. The second part of the competency examination deals with testing the patient care skills of the candidates. You will also be required to pass a federal and state criminal background check in order to earn your CNA certification.
Exceptions
It is important to note that there are exceptions of by-passing or challenging the training program or even the competency examination in the State of Tennessee. If you are already a registered or practical nurse in a training program, or perhaps you have completed a course in nursing basics, you may qualify to be exempted from the training program and examination. Further, nurse assistants who acquire military training may also challenge the examination.
The state also accepts out-of-state licenses for CNAs, or certifications from all other states, apart from Florida, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Illinois. If you have a valid nursing certification from another state, you have a good opportunity of petitioning to get your licensure in Tennessee without having to go through the training again or do the competency examination.
Certification Renewal
As is with most other states, CNA certification in the state of Tennessee is only valid for 2 years/ 24 months. For you to be able to renew your certificate, you must have worked for a minimum of 8 hours within the past 24 months. Further, you should also provide your printed out pay-stub which you can get from your employer’s payroll department. A notarized attestation form can also work. No further ongoing education training or additional requirements are needed in order to renew certification in Tennessee.
List of some CNA Classes in Tennessee State:
Nursing Assistant Training Center
150 Herndon Drive, Bells, Tennessee 38006
Phone: (731) 663-3803
Tennessee Technology Center
550 Alabama Ave., Memphis, Tennessee 38105
Phone: (901) 527-8455
Alpha Institute
4466 Elvis Presley Blvd., Memphis, Tennessee 38116
This CNA program is closed.
Career Academy
2600 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee 38112
Phone: (901) 761-4500
American Red Cross
181 Prosser Road, Lawrenceburg, TN 38464
Phone: (931) 762-1599
Tennessee Technology Center
1500 Arney Street, Elizabethton, Tennessee 37644
Phone: (423) 547-2590
Nursing Assistant Training Specialists
176 Thompson Lane, Nashville, Tennessee 37217
Phone: (615) 333-8474
Hillcrest Healthcare
1758 Hillwood Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37920
Phone: (865) 573-9621
Johnson City Medical Center
1106 West Market St., Johnson City, Tennessee 37604
Phone: (423) 431-6697
Chattanooga State Tech Community College
4501 Amnicola Highway, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37405
Phone: (423) 697-4400