Tennessee Nurse Aide Registry
Tennessee Department of Health
665 Mainstream Drive, 2nd Floor, Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: (615) 532-5171
Fax: (615) 248-3601
Or the Automated Phone Response System
1-800-778-4504 Nationwide Toll Free
Available 24 hours a day, seven days per week
To be eligible for employment, Certified Nurse Aides in Tennessee must be placed on the Tennessee CNA Registry. Nurse aides listed in the registry have completed a state-approved nurse aide program and passed the state-required competency examination. The Tennessee Nurse Aide Registry is maintained by the Tennessee Department of Health. The CNA competency exam is administered by Headmaster/ D & S Diversified Technologies. Certificates must be renewed every 24 months to maintain an active status on the registry.
Certification for New Nurse Aides in Tennessee
In the state of Tennessee, approved programs for CNAs are 75 hours long. Upon completing all required classes, candidates must proceed to taking the skill test and written/oral test of the competency evaluation. Upon passing both parts of the evaluation, their name will be placed on the TN Nurse Aide Registry and they will be issued a certification card. All details are included in the Headmaster candidate handbook.
- Testing and registry application
- Approved CNA programs
- Online verification of CNA license
- Candidate handbook
- Nursing aides programs information
- CNA testing checklist
Certification by Challenge
In the state of Tennessee, certain individuals can become certified without completing required classes if they challenge the competency exam. Accepted challengers include military-trained individuals, professionals licensed in other nations, as well as nurse students. Approval for testing may be granted on a case-by-case basis.
- Testing and registry application
- Challenging information
- Nationwide Directory of Nurse Aide Registries
Renewal of a Tennessee NA Certificate
In order to maintain an active status with the Tennessee Nurse Aide Registry, CNAs must prove that they have performed a minimum of 8 consecutive hours of paid nurse aide services in the last certification period. Work preferred in private duty, doctors’ offices, or as companion or sitter does not count towards renewal.
Lapsed Tennessee Nurse Aide Certificates
Renewal is not possible for certificates lapsed for a period longer than 24 months. Also, renewal is not possible for CNAs who have failed to perform a minimum of 8 consecutive hours of paid nurse aide services in the last 24-month certification period. In both cases, candidates must re-train and re-test in order to reactivate their status on the Tennessee Nurse Aide Registry.
Certification Transfer to Tennessee
It is possible for out of state CNAs to transfer their certificates to the CNA registry in Tennessee. However, their status on the out of state registry must be current and in good standing.
Online License Verification & Lookup
CNA license lookup and verification of the status of license numbers can be completed on the Tennessee Department of Health’s website.
Instructions for Tennessee CNA license lookups & verifications