CNA Requirements in Georgia: Training, Certification & Registry Rules
Working as a nursing assistant in Georgia(GA) requires following certain rules to be eligible. These rules combine federal training standards with state-specific guidelines. Before working in a healthcare facility, individuals must complete approved training, pass the competency exam, and appear on the state nurse aide registry.
Though the federal government sets the minimum training requirements for nurse aides through the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA), each state has its own set of rules for certification and renewal. Georgia adheres to the federal minimum standards but has its own set of administrative rules through its health department and nurse aide registry program.
The following sections discuss the training, certification, registry listing, renewal, reciprocity, and reinstatement process.
Eligibility to Begin Nurse Aide Certification in Georgia
Prior to training, candidates need to fulfill basic eligibility criteria set by state-approved training programs.
Basic requirements include:
- Minimum 18 years of age.
- Passing a background check.
- Negative tuberculosis form Submission
- Enrollment in a state-approved nurse aide training program
Training organizations need to be approved by the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH), which oversees the certification of nurse aides in the state of Georgia.
Once training and testing are completed, the candidate’s data is entered into the Georgia Nurse Aide Registry, which is used by employers to check the status of certification.
Training Hours Required for Georgia Nurse Aide Certification
To become a certified nurse aide in the state of Georgia, the state requires the following:
- 85+ training hours
- About 60+ hours of classroom instruction
- Approximately 25+ hours of supervised clinical practice
These requirements meet and surpass the federal minimum requirement of 75 training hours established by the federal OBRA legislation.
Some programs may offer a combination of classroom instruction, but hours of clinical training must be in a real-life setting.
CNA State Exam Georgia
Once training is complete, candidates must successfully complete the Nurse Aide state exam in Georgia, which tests both knowledge and clinical skills. The exam is provided by Credentia, the testing company that provides the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) exam in Georgia.
Exam Components
| Exam Section | Description |
|---|---|
| Written Exam | Approximately 70 multiple-choice questions |
| Skills Test | Five randomly selected patient-care skills |
The written test will cover safety measures, patient rights, infection control procedures, and communication with patients.
During the skills test, candidates will perform selected patient care skills such as hand washing, assisting patients with mobility, and positioning patients.
A candidate may retake only the section or sections that he or she failed. Most states allow candidates to retake the exam no more than three times.
Listing on the Georgia Nurse Aide Registry
Certification status gets verified once the candidate’s name appears on the CNA registry GA. This registry is managed by the Georgia Department of Community Health and it is the official verification process for employers. Healthcare facilities verify the status of a nursing assistant’s certification by checking the registry.
Because this process is dependent on electronic updates to records, the time it takes to process may vary based on the reporting of testing results and state database updates.
CNA Renewal Georgia
Certification must be active and renewed on a regular basis. For CNA renewal in Georgia, the state has an employment-based renewal process instead of continuing education.
To renew certification:
- Certification is renewed every 24 months
- The Nursing Assistant should have worked at least 8 hours of paid nursing-related activities within the past 2 years. The work must be supervised by a licensed nurse.
Employment within the two-year period will verify that the aide is actively working with patient care skills. This is not a requirement, but failure to do so will cause the certification to become inactive.
CNA Reciprocity Georgia
Individuals with certification in other states can apply for nursing assistant reciprocity. To apply, the candidate must fill out a Georgia CNA reciprocity application and meet the following requirements:
- The certification must be active in the previous state.
- There must be no abuse or disciplinary actions.
- The training must be at the federal minimum standards.
The time it takes to process the application may vary depending on the speed of verification from the original state.
Reinstatement of Expired Certification
When certification goes inactive, reinstatement policies vary depending on the length of time the certification has been expired.
When certification has been expired for a short period of time (Within 2 years), individuals can become active again by passing the competency exam.
In case the certification has been inactive for a longer period of time (More than 2 years), completion of a state-approved training program would be required again prior to testing.
These policies ensure that aides who return to work are up to date on current safety and care practices.
What Makes Georgia Different?
Georgia has a unique certification process in that renewal is based on actual work experience as opposed to continuing education in a classroom setting.
Rather than continuing education in a classroom setting, the state of Georgia requires a renewal every two years based on actual nursing-related work experience as a Nurse Aide.
This is significant in that it promotes ongoing work experience in a patient care setting rather than just periodic training.
Georgia Nursing Assistant Requirements Summary
| Category | Georgia Standards |
|---|---|
| Total Training Hours | 85 hours |
| Clinical Hours | 40 hours |
| Exam Provider | Credentia (NNAAP) |
| Registry Authority | Georgia Department of Community Health |
| Renewal Period | Every 2 years |
| Work Requirement | 8 hours of paid nursing-related work |
| Reciprocity | Allowed with verification |