You can lose your CNA license and thus the ability to work in a medical facility if you are accused and found guilty of certain offences. These would include lying on your application form. For example if you have past criminal convictions but didn’t declare them and they subsequently came to light, your right to practice would probably be compromised. Most certified nursing assistant licensing bodies will not permit those convicted of certain criminal offences to gain their CNA. However, there may be exceptional circumstances. If you have had problems in the past, speak to a senior member of the state licensing department to see if you qualify for an exception. For example, some people had problems as teenagers but have been law abiding citizens who make a valuable contribution to society since adulthood.
Losing CNA license due to abuse of patients or other irregular activities
Most medical facilities take a dim view of any member of the medical team being accused of abuse or neglect of a patient. These terms are wide reaching and include activities such as stealing from a patient or the medical faculty to treating somebody inappropriately. Leaving patients in soiled bed linen or not feeding them are obvious forms of neglect but there are less obvious ones too. You can neglect the emotional needs of a patient. This can be due to having too much work to do rather than an uncaring natural.
If a certified nursing assistant is accused of any wrong doing, certain procedures have to be followed. The allegations must be proven and if so, the state registry will usually be informed. This will result in the CNA license being revoked. In most cases, this will be a permanent penalty and would usually prevent most people from ever working in a medical or long term facility again. Some people believe you can get around these regulations by moving to a new state but usually the regulating authorities in the new state will ask at least ask for references from previous employers. They may also make further inquiries.
Other ways to lose your certified nursing assistant license
You can lose your CNA license without doing anything wrong if you simply don’t use it. Most states have a requirement that you have to have completed a certain number of hours of relevant work experience in the 12 or 24 months depending on the state rules.
You can usually get your CNA license back by completing a competency evaluation program. But some states and/or employers will require you to complete a new nurse aid training and competency evaluation particularly if you have been out of practice for a significant length of time. This makes a lot of sense as medical techniques are evolving all the time and certain activities which were once common practice may no longer be recommended. Medical care facilities need to be sure that all their staff are up to date on the latest patient care techniques.
