A comprehensive guide to the Nebraska CNA Registry: From application to renewal
Welcome to the gateway for becoming a CNA in Nebraska! The Nebraska CNA Registry serves as the authoritative hub, ensuring the qualification, competence, and adherence to standards for all CNAs in the state. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to get on the Nebraska CNA Registry and essential details for maintaining an active status.
Requirements to get on the Nebraska CNA Registry
Fees
The application process is free of charge.
Minimum Age
You must be at least 16 years old to be eligible for registration. Some training schools will require you to be at least 17 years old to apply.
Minimum Education
Training school may require to have a high school diploma or a GED.
Training Requirements
To qualify you must complete a minimum of 75 hours of training approved by the State of Nebraska or a 21-hour basic resident care course for intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled. You must also complete one hour of Nebraska-specific abuse/neglect/misappropriation training. You can find more information on recommended textbooks, supplemental materials, and courses here.
Competency Test
To be certified on the Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry, you must pass a State of Nebraska-approved written/oral examination and clinical/skills competency examination.
- Written/oral exam
- Consists of 50 multiple-choice questions.
- Passing score is 70% or greater
- Skills exam
- Consists of a demonstration of six skills.
- Passing score is 70% or greater on each skill.
- Skills may have one or more mandatory steps. These steps must be performed correctly to pass that skill.
- If any of the six skills are failed, the individual fails the skills exam.
If an individual does not pass an exam after three tries, they must retake the 75-hour nurse aide course
Background Check
This may be required by the training, examination center or your employer.
Applying to appear on the Nebraska CNA Registry
Where to apply
Before starting a course, you must, at least 5 working days before starting the class, inform the Registry by sending them the filled-in Nurse Aide Course Notification available here. You will automatically be added to the Registry once you have passed the examinations.
Required Documentation
This will be defined by your training or examination center.
Restrictions
Nurse aides with findings of conviction, abuse, neglect, or misappropriation on record are not eligible to work in a certified nursing home. You must not have been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude that is rationally related to the position of a nurse aide. “Moral turpitude” means an act or behavior that violates accepted moral standards and in legal terms means anything done contrary to justice, honesty, modesty, good morals, and with the intent to defraud.
Processing Time
Approximately 3 weeks from passing the examinations.
How to keep your license on the Nebraska CNA Registry
Stay Active
The certification period is for 24 months, and you must renew every 2 years by providing verification that you have worked a minimum of eight hours during the 24-month time frame.
Renew
To stay active on the registry, you must have worked as a nurse aide in a paid position within the past two years in an “approved employer setting”. This means you must have worked at any of the following: ambulatory surgical center, assisted-living facility (ALF), critical access hospital, general acute hospital, health clinic, home health agency, hospice, hospital, intermediate care facility (ICF), intermediate care facility for developmental disabilities (ICF-DD), long term care hospital, nursing facility (NF), psychiatric or mental hospital, rehabilitation hospital, skilled nursing facility (SNF).
Processing time: unknown.
Reactivate your expired license
If the certification expires, you may reactivate his or her registration by retaking the written/oral and clinical exams.
Nebraska CNA reciprocity
For those seeking reciprocity, additional information can be found on our Nebraska CNA Reciprocity page.
Nebraska Registry and contact details
Link to Registry: https://dhhs.ne.gov/licensure/pages/nurse-aide.aspx
Link to license lookup: https://www.nebraska.gov/LISSearch/search.cgi
Contact information:
Email: DHHS.NursingSupport@nebraska.gov
Phone: (402) 471-4322
Address (mailing): to DHHS Licensure Unit, Attn: Nurse Aide, PO Box 94986, Lincoln NE 68509
Address (physical): Nebraska State Office Building, 301 Centennial Mall South, 14th & M Streets, 3rd Floor, Lincoln NE 68508