Policies and Procedures

Title: Nurse Aide Testing
Document Number: WF
Effective Date: October 1, 2023
Revised Date: December 7, 2023
Department: Workforce Development

Purpose: Nunez Community College (NCC) recognizes the need to facilitate certification testing for individuals who have completed approved Nurse Aide Training (NAT) programs or have followed other Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) approved alternate routes. This policy outlines LDCC's commitment to providing testing services for a diverse range of candidates, including LDCC students, third-party program completers, and individuals eligible for alternate routes as determined by LDH.

Scope: This policy applies to the following categories of candidates eligible for CNA certification testing through NCC:

1. NCC credit and non-credit students who have completed Nurse Aide Training.
2. Candidates who have completed approved NAT programs offered by third-party organizations.
3. Individuals who qualify for alternate routes as determined by LDH and governed by the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS) agreement with NCC.

Policy: Nunez Community College shall facilitate the certification testing of candidates who meet the qualifications necessary to sit for the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) examination, as mandated by the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH). NCC is committed to offering testing services to all qualified candidates.

Procedure:

A. Internal Candidates (NCC Credit or Non-Credit Students): HCOR-1211 & HCOR-1212
NCC will provide CNA certification testing services to students who have successfully completed a NAT program offered by the College. Internal candidates will be eligible to take the CNA examination at NCC's designated testing locations, following the guidelines set by LDH and the College.

1. Students must complete an electronic or paper testing application from the NCC website.
2. The testing coordinator will verify eligibility of students via their grades in HCOR 1211 and HCOR 1212.
3. Once deemed eligible, the testing coordinator will work with the instructor to schedule as a cohort when possible.
4. If the candidate has an unsuccessful attempt, all subsequent testing should be scheduled as an external candidate.

B. External Candidates First Time Testers/ Retest (Approved NAT Program Completers): YCNA-1100 & YCNA-1010 NCC will extend its CNA testing services to external candidates who have completed Nurse Aide Training programs approved by LDH. These candidates must meet the eligibility criteria established by LDH.

1. Candidates must complete an electronic or paper testing application from the NCC website.
2. The testing coordinator will verify eligibility of candidates via their application. If their application is incomplete, the candidate will be notified of additional information needed prior to testing.
3. Once deemed eligible, the candidate will be enrolled in the applicable YCNA courses for the requested examination from the application.
4. Testing coordinator will send information on payment and billing via email to each candidate.
5. Proof of registration and payment must be provided prior to testing.

C. Alternate Route Candidates (Approved by LDH and Governed by LCTCS Agreement): NCC shall also provide CNA certification testing for individuals who qualify for alternate routes as determined by LDH and in accordance with the governing agreement between NCC and LCTCS. These candidates will adhere to the eligibility criteria and testing requirements specified by LDH and NCC.

1. Candidates must complete an electronic or paper testing application from the NCC website.
2. The testing coordinator will verify eligibility of candidates via their application. If their application is incomplete, the candidate will be notified of additional information needed prior to testing.
3. Once deemed eligible, the candidate will be enrolled in the applicable YCNA courses for the requested examination from the application.
4. Testing coordinator will send information on payment and billing via email to each candidate.
5. Proof of registration and payment must be provided prior to testing

D. Scheduling:

1. NCC scheduling for testing will be done after completion of class and all eligibility requirements are provided by the instructor.
2. External students will be able to schedule tests through the online site, based on the provided dates and availability.
3. Will work with our medical facility partners to set requested test dates.
4. If there are any cancellations of testing dates for any reason, the Allied Health Testing coordinator will be responsible for sending out messaging to the testing candidate and testing location as applicable as far in advance as possible.

E. Billing:

Testing fees for internal candidates will be assessed as part of their approved course fees for the course. NCC will have third party billing available for entities seeking to make payment for multiple candidates. This will be run through the Executive Director of Student Financial Services office with assistance from the Allied Health Testing Coordinator. The Allied Health Testing Coordinator will build three sets of YCNA 1100/1010 testing CRN’s each semester. Billing for reschedule fee will be manual through the office of Student Financial Services. The Allied Health Testing Coordinator will provide a list of paid candidates to the testing locations campus director and Cashier prior to the scheduled testing date.

F. Testing Locations:

Location for testing is at Nunez Community College Campus. NCC will maintain a calendar of testing dates on the website along with application. Internal testing dates will be scheduled as needed. Notification will be provided to testing locations of scheduled candidates and their payment status. Evaluators will ensure that all candidates that have not previously paid will provide a receipt of payment from the cashier at the testing location.

Compliance:

NCC shall ensure strict compliance with all relevant state regulations, policies, and procedures governing the certification testing of CNA candidates. The College will periodically review and update this policy to ensure alignment with state requirements and to uphold the highest standards of quality and fairness in testing.

Review and Revision:

This policy will undergo regular reviews to assess its effectiveness and relevance. Any necessary revisions or updates will be made in accordance with applicable state regulations and NCC procedures.

Responsibility:

The implementation and oversight of this policy are the responsibility of Nursing and Allied Health staff at Nunez Community College.

Contains:

1. Submission of complete Testing Accommodation Request packet requirement.
2. Timelines (deadlines for testing accommodation requests).
3. Testing Accommodation Request Form.
4. Professional Evaluation Form.

Nunez Community College (NCC) provides equal access and opportunity for all qualified persons without regard to disability in the participation of all college programs and activities pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and other related federal and state law. This includes providing test-taking candidates with accommodations on the Nurse Aid Certification Exam to accurately assess skill and aptitude, without undue influence from a functional limitation associated with the candidate’s disability.

Test-takers are asked to carefully review the packet and to complete the packet to the best of their knowledge.

A complete testing accommodation packet will include:

• Testing Accommodation Request form
• Documentation of disability or the Professional Evaluation Form

Incomplete accommodation request packets will not be considered.

The testing accommodation packet will be sent to the NCC Testing Administration Staff at:

Email: cnaapplicant@nunez.edu
Physical Address: 3710 Paris Road, Chalmette, LA 70043

Timeframe for Processing:
The testing accommodation packet should be received 30 days prior to the certification exam date to ensure the request can be reviewed and approved, as well as coordinating and implementing the testing accommodations. All requests for accommodations will be confidential. Test-takers will not be assessed any additional charges for necessary accommodations.

To ensure your testing accommodation packet can be fully processed, please note the following:

1. Test-takers are responsible for providing disability documentation from a qualified professional. This means a professional who has comprehensive training and experience in both evaluating and diagnosing the disability or condition.
2. Testing candidates can provide existing disability documentation from the qualified professional. Documentation should include the diagnosis of the disability, limitations of the disability (ies), and recommendations for testing accommodations.
3. Test-takers also have the option to have the qualified professional complete the Professional Evaluation Form (see page 4).
4. Activities of daily living (e.g., eating, ambulating, toileting, etc.) will not be approved as accommodations.
5. Additional disability documentation/ verification may be requested in some situations, such as when there is a need for further clarification around the nature of the disability or requested accommodations.