licensure

[CNABESS]

Hi, new here. I am wondering if in your state you are required to be licensed as a CNA. In RI we are required to be licensed by the state Dept. of Health. The certification simply means you have completed the course (as I understand it). Is licensure required in every state, or is certification the limit for some. I have been told by my clinical instructor to obtain insurance as licensure means you can be sued for mal-practice. Any one know more? Thanks in advance.

[Cherryrizzo]

Hi Im actually a CNA student here in NY and we are also required to obtain a license and once we start working we should obtain insurance as well. How are your classes going? Im ready to start my clinicals and am super excited.

[CNABESS]

Classes are done, clinicals are done, looking for work, waiting for state exam. I was a CNA years ago while in nursing school, but had a couple of children and stayed home to raise them. I never got to finish nursing school (no regrets, loved being home with my little ones), and now am back to it. That was all in a different state, however, and licensure was not an issue at the time.

[gymnut]

It seems to vary from state to state but in PA you don't have an actual license. You just get your name on a registry list from the board of health.

You also only need to be a CNA if you want to work in LTC per OBRA. If you work anywhere else like such as assisted living (I think) or hospitals they just call you PCAs or PCTs and that's just on the job training.

To me it's ridiculous and I think CNAs should be standard across the board like RNs and LPNs.