how to get lna license?

• Complete an LNA training course. To become an LNA, candidates typically need special certification in their state.
• Pass your exam. Passing the LNA or CNA exam is usually required to practice as an LNA.
• Vaccinations and health check.
• Criminal background check.

(found 47 schools, updated in March 2018)

Licensed Nursing Assistants (LNAs) in Vermont are synonymous with Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) in many other states. As a LNA, employees will function as a nurse aide and will perform basic duties in that capacity. Responsibilities might include helping patients with dressing, bathing, or feeding. Licensed Nursing Assistants may also be required to take a patient’s vital signs or take samples. All LNAs in Vermont will work under the supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN) or a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN).

There are essentially three ways to acquire LNA certification in Vermont. The first is to be endorsed in Vermont with an out of state certification; this will be discussed at length later. The second is to use education through a nursing program to meet prerequisites for LNA testing. The third is to attend a Board of Nursing approved LNA program in Vermont to meet the prerequisites for testing.

Education as a Licensed Nursing Assistant is the most important step in obtaining certification; however, it is important to understand the cost of pursuing LNA education before deciding on a path through a university or state-approved program. Assessing the cost, then, is the first step in certification.

Costs will vary depending upon where a student chooses to complete his or her LNA certification in Vermont. Some facilities will include the cost of materials, such as textbooks, scrubs and clinical requirements. Other LNA programs will insist that each student purchase his or her own materials. Tuition costs for an Licensed Nursing Assistant program through a technical school such as the Central Vermont Career Center or the Green Mountain Technology and Career Center will have tuition fees of around $1,200; however, these courses often charge more for testing and material fees.

Prospective Licensed Nursing Assistants should be cautioned that most LNA programs do not qualify for financial aid. However, in Vermont it is possible to utilize the education associated with a nursing degree to qualify for LNA examinations. For example, if a student chooses to pursue an education in Nursing at the University of Vermont, it is possible to qualify for financial aid or make use of grants and scholarships.

Once the costs of LNA classes in Vermont are taken into account, the next step is to choose the correct program.

LNA training programs in Vermont are required by law to meet certain standards. At minimum, LNA training is 80 hours of instruction; 30 of these hours are mandatory clinic hours. It is common practice for training programs to go over the minimum number of required hours. Programs are usually held during the week, over the course of several weeks. It is important to have hands-on training in order to qualify for certification in the State; therefore, attendance and clinic hours are mandatory.

Just to reiterate, training programs can be bypassed by transcripts proving an LNA certification applicant has completed fundamentals of nursing in their course of studies pertaining to a degree as a Registered Nurse.

If an applicant is not pursuing education as a registered nurse, the only option is to enroll in and successfully complete a LNA training program approved by the Vermont Board of Nursing.

The following table displays state-approved Licensed Nursing Assistant programs in Vermont. The school data is updated in March 2018.

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Once a prospective Licensed Nursing Assistant has completed a state-approved training program, it is necessary to register for and obtain a passing score on both parts of the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP).

The first exam is knowledge-based; the second is a practical skills test in which a student will have to perform five nursing tasks.

LNA licensure applicants will have three attempts to pass both exams, unless the applicant is a working nursing aide in possession of a temporary license. In this case, he or she will have to pass the LNA exams on the first attempt.

Testing cost is $130 on the first attempt. To reattempt the written portion, the knowledge portion, the cost is $35. If an applicant wishes to reattempt the skills portion, the cost will be $95.

Both tests are administered through Pearson VUE with multiple testing sites statewide. Registration for exams should be done through the Pearson VUE website. Practice examinations and testing guidelines can also be found here.

There are two ways to apply for licensure: through examination or through endorsement.

If the applicant does not currently have LNA certification in another state, he or she will be applying for certification by examination.

Applications are completed online and require a $20 processing fee. Along with the complete online application, prospective Licensed Nursing Assistants should include a 2×2 headshot, copy of a current driver’s license or passport, and a sealed Vermont Nursing Student Verification form provided by the school which was attended for training.

Once the application and necessary documents have been submitted, the status of the application can be tracked through the Vermont Secretary of State website where license holders can also obtain verification of licensure.

If a person is already CNA certified in another state, he or she may qualify for endorsement by the state of Vermont. The requirements for this are listed below.

If the out of state LNA meets these requirements, he or she may be endorsed by the state of Vermont’s Board of Nursing. This is achieved by sending all the necessary paperwork (copy of driver’s license, verification of licensure form, and 2×2 headshot) to the Board of Nursing in Vermont and completing an online application, for which there is a $20 processing fee.

Once a nursing assistant has obtained licensure, it is only a few more steps to becoming a licensed Medication Nursing Assistant (MNA) in Vermont. In order to qualify for an MNA endorsement, the following prerequisite must be met:

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In Vermont, it is required that all LNA certified employees renew licenses every two years. In order to qualify for renewal, LNAs must have worked a cumulative 400 hours over two years under the same license. If the Licensed Nursing Assistant has not worked 400 hours in the two years prior to renewal, he or she will have to retake the NNAAP examinations.

Renewal of licensure requires completion and submission of the LNA renewal application available through the Vermont Secretary of State website.

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Becoming a LNA in Vermont is an investment in the future, with potential to become endorsed as a Licensed Medication Nursing Assistant. Medical employment is a continuously growing field with new opportunities all the time to work in hospitals, long-term care facilities, nursing homes, adult care centers, and private homes. | See Job Openings

The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that there will be a national 17% growth in LNA positions from the years 2014 to 2024, which is a fully 10% higher growth rate than the average job market.

The average salary for a Licensed Nursing Assistant in Vermont as of May 2016 was $28,620. This comes out to an hourly wage of $13.76. This hourly pay rate is $0.47 more than the national average of $13.29. | See Job Openings

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New Hampshire’s Licensed Nursing Assistants (LNAs) are credentialed by the state’s Board of Nursing. LNAs must complete training programs, pass skills and knowledge assessments, and clear criminal background checks.

Nursing assistants who have held credentials in the past may reinstate them through examination.

Prospective LNAs may either 1) complete approved nursing assistant programs or 2) demonstrate to the Board that they have training that is at least equivalent.

The Board has provided a list of New Hampshire-approved nursing assistant programs (http://www.nh.gov/nursing/educational/educational-programs-lna.htm).

Click here to learn about Nursing Assistant programs as well as other entry to nursing and health care programs in New Hampshire.

Individuals may also be licensed on the basis of comparable nursing education. They will need to have completed “fundamentals of nursing”. The required content is described in Provision 704.09 of the nursing rules. To be license qualifying, a course must have been completed in the prior five years.

Prospective LNAs may pursue challenge examination. They will need written approval. The Board notes that there are multiple ways to acquire the prerequisite equivalent education (http://www.nh.gov/nursing/nursing-assistant/challenge-program-guidelines-lna.htm). The nursing rules state that an individual who has completed a program in another state can be considered competent to test in New Hampshire (http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rules/state_agencies/nur100-800.html).

The Board has provided a list of approved challenge programs. The challenge process involves more than just examination. The program will also provide written materials to the student (http://www.nh.gov/nursing/nursing-assistant/challenge-program-guidelines-lna.htm).

Whatever training pathways they follow, prospective LNAs must eventually pass both knowledge and skills evaluations. Examination will be required a second time if the nursing assistant allows certification to lapse.

Tests are available through multiple organizations (http://www.nh.gov/nursing/educational/competency-testing-mna.htm). One option is New Hampshire-based Excel Testing. Other options are the American Red Cross of Massachusetts and Pearson VUE. Program choice may determine testing vendor.

There are commonalities in the examinations offered by major testing agencies. The knowledge assessment is multiple choice and may be taken in written or oral format. The skills assessment requires the prospective LNA to perform a sampling of nursing assistant duties. Test takers will need to work under time constraints. Testing agencies will make reasonable accommodations for individuals who qualify under the Americans with Disabilities Act, provided that protocol is followed. Policies are outlined in candidate handbooks, which are available from the respective vendors.

Although candidates typically need to go through other organizations before registering with a testing agency, they may visit the websites of the testing agencies to preview content outlines and other assessment materials. Pearson VUE notes that New Hampshire test takers must contact their program, facility, or credentialing agency to register for the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP), but that they should keep a copy of the NNAAP handbook for future reference (http://www.pearsonvue.com/nh/nurseaides/). They may call (888) 204-6187 if they have questions about taking the NNAAP in New Hampshire.

Excel Testing notes that individuals seeking to reinstate lapsed licenses may register with Excel after the Board of Nursing has determined eligibility. Excel can be reached by telephone at (603) 647-4900 or by email at ‘info at ExcelTestingNH.com’.

Individuals will need to complete criminal records checks.

In-state applicants should have fingerprints made at the Department of Public Safety Building in Concord or at another approved site (http://www.nh.gov/nursing/enforcement/obtain-criminal-background-check.htm). The fingerprints will be captured using a livescan (electronic) process. Applicants can request DPS appointments by calling (603) 223-3867.

Out-of-state applicants will mail fingerprint cards and authorization forms to the Board. They will need to have the fingerprints made on the correct card. Applicants can request fingerprint cards by emailing ‘boardquestions at nursing.state.nh.us’.

The background processing fee is $49.75.

The Criminal Record Release Authorization form is to be notarized.

Some individuals will need to seek Board approval before examination. All candidates will submit materials to the Board once requirements have been met. Application materials are available on the Board website (http://www.nh.gov/nursing/forms/index.htm#la).

Applicants are asked to submit copies of both their program certificates and their competency evaluation results.

Nursing students can use official transcripts or letters from their programs to verify completion of nursing fundamentals.

The application fee is $35.

Licensure is verified online.

Nursing assistants can be endorsed into New Hampshire on the basis of active licensure and recent work experience (http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rules/state_agencies/nur100-800.html). New Hampshire requires 200 hours spent practicing nursing skills and knowledge under the supervision of a Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered Nurse, or Advanced Practice Registered Nurse; the experience must have been accrued in the previous two years. Endorsement candidates must also demonstrate 24 contact hours of continuing competence education, earned during the prior two years. Nursing assistants who completed clinical and skills assessments in the prior two years, however, are exempt from the work experience and continuing competence requirements (http://www.nh.gov/nursing/licensure/apply-for-new-lna-license.htm).

Endorsement applicants will need to include copies of their certificates or licenses. They will also submit verification forms to the state registries. Applicants are advised to check with the out-of-state registries in advance to find out whether a fee is required for the service. The endorsement application packet includes the necessary license verification forms and contact hour reporting forms.