Rhode Island CNA Program Basics
CNA Certification in Rhode Island is obtained by the candidate upon completion of a state approved training course and passing the CNA final assessment. Aspiring nurse aides are also required to submit to and pass a criminal background check. Furthermore, a behavior check may also be performed if necessary.
Rhode Island CNA Training Requirements
- The training curriculums for these courses must have a total of 100 training hours and must be completed within 90 days.
- All training courses include a classroom and a manual skills section in their curriculum.
- The clinical portion of the course must be at least 20 hours in length.
- Most CNA courses in Rhode Island exceed this length of hands on training.
- After a certain amount of hours, the students will begin to perfect their skills by working with patients under the supervision of their training instructor or a Registered Nurse.
Rhode Island CNA Certification Reciprocity
- The state of Rhode Island does participate in reciprocity with other states in the U.S, provided that the training course taken by the CNA in their home state is 100 hours long and cover the same topics as that of Rhode Island.
- Most states include the same topics in their CNA training course and many also meet or exceed the 100-hour required training duration.
- These training courses cover basic nursing, emergency response, infection control, interpersonal communication and patient care.
- These are just some of the topics covered during the entire training course.
Rhode Island CNA Examination Information
- Aspiring CNAs may challenge the state CNA assessment after completing the training program in full.
- The certification assessment is the same as the typical CNA training course – includes two parts, a written and a manual skills evaluation.
- Like in other states, both sections of the exam must be passed in order for the student to receive a certification as a Rhode Island nurse aide and be placed on the state’s Nurse Aide Registry.
- Certain candidates particularly CNAs from other states, RNs and LPNs may file a petition to avoid the training as well as the assessment.
Rhode Island CNA Certification Renewal
- To renew a certification in the state of Rhode Island, a nurse aide must have a minimum of 8 paid working hours in the preceding 24 months.
- Renewal must be processed every two years or the license will lapse and the CNA’s registry entry will be considered to inactive.
- An inactive status will disqualify the nursing assistant from working in any facility throughout the state until renewal is completed or the CNA retakes the state assessment.
- Some employers may accomplish some forms for certification renewal of their active CNA employees.
- A previous employer will be required to present proof of employment if the CNA has been unemployed for some time but still wishes to maintain their certification’s active status.
