Eligibility Criteria For Washington State

Eligibility Criteria 

All candidates applying to take the NNAAP Examination in Washington State are eligible after successful completion of a Washington State-approved training program, or through a Department of Health (DOH) Nursing Assistant Registry screening process. All candidates who are employed in a Medicaid-certified nursing home are required to be sponsored by their employer. Nursing assistants who plan to work in a nursing facility must comply with an additional federal regulation. This regulation requires that a trained and successfully tested nursing assistant must never have a time period that exceeds 24 months when he or she does not work for compensation as a care-giver. Washington State interprets compensation to mean money or in-kind service or goods such as meals, lodging, clothing, etc.

For questions, please contact the DSHS.

Once you have completed training or are approved by DSHS/ DOH to test, you must complete an on-line application.

Eligibility Routes

You must complete a Washington State NNAAP Examination Application to apply for testing under any of the following eligibility routes.

Light Duty

Individuals are prohibited from taking the Skills Evaluation if on restricted activity or light duty due to medical reasons. Candidates must be able to complete all required skills included in the Skills Evaluation. Candidates who are on light duty are not permitted to take the Skills Evaluation; however, they can take the written/oral exam. Appropriate medical documentation stating return to full, unrestricted duty is required to take the skills evaluation.

New Nursing Assistant

A new nursing assistant is an individual who has never been certified as a nursing assistant and has successfully completed a Washington State-approved nursing assistant training program.

Student/Graduate Nurse

A student/graduate nurse is an individual who has successfully completed the comprehensive portion of the nursing assistant curriculum in a state-approved RN or LPN nursing program. You must submit an official school transcript or an original letter on the school’s letterhead supporting successful completion of the state-approved nursing assistant curriculum to the DOH. You will receive an email to complete registration if you are approved to test.

Military Nursing Assistant

A military nursing assistant is an individual who has completed the U.S. Army 91-C Program, the Navy’s Basic Hospital Corps School, or the Air Force’s Apprentice (Specialist) Program. You must submit documentation to the DOH to determine your qualifications. You will receive an email to complete registration if you are approved to test.

Out-Of-State Student/Graduate Nurse or Nursing Assistant

An out-of-state student/graduate nurse or nursing assistant is an individual who has successfully completed the nursing assistant portion of the curriculum or at least fifty (50) hours of clinical training and thirty-five (35) hours of classroom training. You must submit an official school transcript or an original letter on the school’s letterhead to the DOH for approval. You will receive an email to complete registration if you are approved to test.

Lapsed Nursing Assistant

If a nursing assistant certified has not provided nursing or nursing-related services for monetary compensation within the past twenty-four (24) months and desires to work in a nursing home, they must retrain and retest. If a nursing assistant certification is not renewed with DOH within three (3) years, they must retrain and retest.

Alternative “Bridge” Nursing Assistant

A Home Care Aide or Medical Assistant who is certified by the Washington State Department of Health and who has successfully completed a Washington State approved Alternative “Bridge” Program qualifies to take the NNAAP Examination. Information regarding Alternative Nursing Assistant Training programs can be obtained by calling 360-236-4700.

Training Prior to February 1, 2015

A Nursing Assistant who completed training prior to February 1, 2015, and has never submitted an application or has never tested must submit training documentation to the DOH for official approval to test.

OBRA Reactivation 

A nursing assistant who has expired off the OBRA Registry and has not worked in the past twenty-four (24) months or has a gap in their work history can retest the competency test in order to become active again in the OBRA registry.