Arizona’s Certified Nursing Assistants are certified by the Arizona State Board of Nursing (AZBN). A person needs to complete an approved training program, pass a knowledge and skills examination, and clear a criminal background check.
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The prospective CNA will either complete a board-approved program or apply for a waiver based on other healthcare training.
Approved CNA programs are 120 hours or longer. A list of qualifying programs can be found on the AZBN website (https://www.azbn.gov/education/nursing-programs-lists).The Board also publishes examination pass rate by program.
Applicants who completed programs approved in other states will need to document the number of hours of training.
Completion of an LPN or RN program is also certificate-qualifying (https://www.azbn.gov/education/nursing-assistant-and-medication-assistant-programs). AZBN will accept a nursing license issued by any state as evidence that educational requirements have been met.
A student may apply for a nursing student waiver after completing a nursing course that included instruction in long term care as well as 40 hours of actual patient care in a long term care facility or other comparable site. The instructor or director will need to sign the waiver form.
Individuals may apply for military waivers if they have completed at least 100 hours of healthcare training in the military and have worked in healthcare during the most recent two year period.
Applicants may also receive waivers based on completion of foreign nursing programs.
An Arizona CNA must take the Certified Nursing Assistant Examination. It includes two components: knowledge and skills. The knowledge test can be presented in audio and written formats.
The examination is administered by Headmaster. A candidate handbook is available on the ‘AZ CNA’ page of the Headmaster site (http://www.hdmaster.com/testing/cnatesting/arizona/AZ_CNA_Home.htm).
A candidate will need to be registered with AZBN; this is typically done by the nursing program. Test takers who have not completed AZBN-approved nursing assistant programs will need to provide evidence that they have been approved for waiver. A person who completed nursing assistant training more than two years in the past will need to provide documentation of employment.
Some Arizona schools host examinations and schedule their own students. In other cases, the test taker must submit a payment and scheduling form to Headmaster. Testing schedules and required forms are available on the “AZ CNA’ page of the Headmaster site.
Self-pay candidates pay $28 for a written knowledge test or $38 for an oral knowledge test (http://www.hdmaster.com/testing/cnatesting/arizona/azformpages/azforms/1402AZ.pdf). The skill test is $85 for self-pay.
The application is to be in at least eight business days before a scheduled examination. There is an additional $5 fee for faxed applications.
A candidate who passes ether the knowledge or skills test will need to retake only the failed test. A candidate who fails the knowledge test three times, however, must wait 45 days.
Both portions are to be passed within two years of program completion. Otherwise, it will be necessary to retrain (unless the candidate can document having worked as a nursing assistant for at least 160 hours during every two-year period since program completion).
Questions about the testing process can be directed to Headmaster at (800) 393-8664 between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM Mountain Time.