CNA Testing and Skills Validation Will Likely Get Stricter

North Carolina’s Division of Health Service Regulation (formerly called the Division of Facility Services) released a Request for Proposals (RFP) on February 3, 2009, concerning a contract to test the qualifications of CNA’s and Medication aides who assist clients in regulated facilities – including the home care environment. This RFP reveals DHSR’s thinking about home care CNA’s and what they should be trained and tested on by their employers.

DHSR intends to tighten up training and testing for CNA’s hired in home care who will be required to pass both a written or oral test (minimum 6th grade, maximum 8th grade level language used) and a practical demonstration test, including demonstrating skills on an anatomically correct manikin for “intimate” services such as dressing and undressing, and perineal care.

This requirement is separate and apart from the requirements to graduate from a North Carolina Board of Nursing approved CNA or Medication Aide course.

DHSR’s plan is for an independent contractor do the testing, supposing that skills testing by a third party training will be more accurate. Spanish language testing must be permitted, and once an employee is hired you cannot charge for the training or testing.

We suggest that you review your own in house CE requirements and skills checks to see whether your system would prepare your CNA’s to pass a competency and skills test like those described in the RFP.

Here is a link to the proposal documents: https://www.ips.state.nc.us/ips/AGENCY/PDF/06648000.pdf