Utah Admin. Code R432-45-3 - Pathways to Become a CNA

(1) A nurse aide performing nursing or nursing-related services in a Medicare or Medicaid certified nursing facility shall meet necessary requirements and become certified within 120 days of the first date of employment.
(2) An individual who was certified as a nurse aide on or before July 1, 1989, meets the OBRA requirement upon completion of the approved in-service training on intellectual disabilities and mental illness.
(3) To become certified through a NATCEP, a candidate:
(a) shall be at least 16 years old;
(b) shall enroll in a UNAR-approved NATCEP;
(c) shall fulfill each requirement in this rule; and
(d) may not be an inmate, in accordance with Subsection 64-13-48(8).
(4)
(a) UNAR may grant a waiver of NATCEP and require only the competency evaluation when accompanied by an application for certification testing to:
(i) a nursing student who has successfully completed the first semester of nursing school within the past two years and can provide an official transcript demonstrating proof of a passing grade in a nurse fundamentals class;
(ii) a nurse with an expired license from any state or U.S. territory who can provide proof of previous licensure in good standing with the professional board; or
(iii) a CNA who has no findings on UNAR's abuse registry and who:
(A) has a Utah certificate that has been expired for fewer than 24 months; or
(B) has not worked at least 200 hours under the direction of a licensed nurse in the previous 24 months.
(b) UNAR shall grant the candidate three attempts to pass both the skills and written portion of the examination within:
(i) 12 months of submitting the waiver of NATCEP application for:
(A) a nursing student; or
(B) a nurse with an expired license from any state or U.S. territory; or
(ii) two years for any CNA with a Utah certificate that has been expired for fewer than 24 months.
(c) If the candidate does not pass either portion, the candidate shall complete another NATCEP.
(5) An individual may seek reciprocity from the UNAR if the individual provides the certification demonstrating that the individual is currently certified in another state with no findings in that state's abuse registry or on the UNAR abuse registry.
(6) An individual with an expired certification from another state shall complete a NATCEP in Utah.
(7) A CNA with a Utah certificate that has been expired for fewer than six months and who had met each requirement before the expiration date may pay a late fee and have the certification reinstated as active for the remainder of the original 24-month renewal time frame.

Notes

Utah Admin. Code R432-45-3
Amended by Utah State Bulletin Number 2019-22, effective 10/17/2019 Amended by Utah State Bulletin Number 2025-10, effective 5/8/2025

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