Eligibility Criteria

Outlines eligibility criteria necessary for Nevada nursing assistant certification

This section explains:

What you need to do to become a nurse aide in Nevada.
What you need to do before you can take the NNAAP exam.

Eligibility For Employment

In order to be a CNA in Nevada, you must be sixteen (16) years of age or older. You MUST also have applied for a CNA certification with the Nevada State Board of Nursing which includes a criminal background check. Positive background checks must be reviewed by the Application Eligibility Specialist. Complete application requirements can be found on the Board’s website at http://www.nevadanursingboard.org/ under the Forms tab. You may not practice as a CNA until you have been issued a CNA certification by the Nevada State Board of Nursing.

Eligibility For NNAAP® Testing

As a test candidate, you will need to apply through one of five eligibility or “E” categories. Please read the categories listed to see which one applies.

All student candidates applying to take the NNAAP® Examination in Nevada must have successfully completed a State approved nursing assistant training program. You are allowed one (1) year from your training program completion date to pass the nursing assistant examination and submit your application to the Board. If you do not pass the NNAAP® Examinations within a one-year period, you will be required to re-train before you will be allowed to take the examination again.

If you have not completed a nursing assistant training program but you have had other training, please review the eligibility routes in the next section or contact the Nevada State Board of Nursing (888) 590-6726 to determine your eligibility.

E-1 – For uncertified applicants who have completed a state-approved training program:

Applicants must apply with the Nevada State Board of Nursing AND pass both exams within one year from the date their training program is completed. If an applicant fails to apply with the Nevada State Board of Nursing or pass both exams within one year, they will NOT be eligible for certification and must retrain. Applications will be reviewed and approved by your Training Program.

E-2 – For candidates that have completed a State approved Fundamentals of Nursing college course or Military Training:

Applicants must apply with the Nevada State Board of Nursing and pass both exams within one year from the date of approval of this application to test. All Applications must be reviewed and approved by the Nevada State Board of Nursing before you will be made eligible to test.

E-3 – For candidates that have completed an out-of-state CNA training program:

Applicants must apply with the Nevada Board AND pass both exams within one (1) year from the date their training program is completed. If an applicant fails to pass both exams within one (1) year, they will NOT be eligible for certification and must retrain. Applications must be reviewed and approved by the Nevada State Board of Nursing before you will be made eligible to test.

E-4 – For candidates that have an active or expired Nevada CNA certification that have not practiced at least 40 hours as a CNA within the previous two years; therefore, are not eligible for renewal:

Applicants must apply with Nevada State Board of Nursing and pass both exams within one (1) year from the date of approval of this application to test. Applications must be reviewed and approved by the Nevada State Board of Nursing before you will be made eligible to test.

E-5 – For uncertified applicants who have completed a state-approved training program in Nevada that has closed:

Applicants must apply with the Nevada Board AND pass both exams within one year from the date their training program is completed. If an applicant fails to apply with the Board or pass both exams within one (1) year, they will NOT be eligible for certification and must retrain. Applications must be reviewed and approved by the Nevada State Board of Nursing before you will be made eligible to test.