Program Requirements and Resources

A person or institution desiring to offer a new nurse aide training program (NATP) must submit an Initial Application for approval by the Board prior to enrolling students.

Requirements

A NATP applicant that is not affiliated with a nursing facility, or a comparable nursing practice setting, must have on file an agreement with a clinical facility. The agreement must describe how the NATP will provide training in the facility and how students will be directly supervised by a licensed nurse when performing client/resident care.
A NATP must have a Board-approved RN Program Director (PD). The PD must be actively licensed as an RN and have a minimum of one year of licensed clinical RN experience. Review the duties and qualifications of the PD to identify an RN who can best serve in the role of the PD.

Prior to starting the NATP, a student must be screened for findings and convictions of emotional and psychological abuse, neglect, exploitation, or physical abuse.

Approved Teaching Resources & Skills Checklists

All NATPs must use Board-approved teaching resource(s). The Curriculum Guides, linked below, are designed to ensure that all required theory and skills content is taught and that students are evaluated on the ability to perform all of the commonly performed nurse aide skills.

Approved Curriculums

The skills checklists are identified on the Curriculum Guides for each of the approved curriculums:

Curriculum Guide for Hartman's Nurse Assistant Care: Long-Term Care (2026); 6th Ed.: Text and Workbook
- Avera Education Staffing Solutions (AESS) online course uses Hartman's Curriculum Guide, text, and workbook.
- WeCare online course uses Hartman's Curriculum Guide, text, and workbook.
Curriculum Guide for American Health Care Association's (AHCA) How to be a Nurse Assistant (2022); 8th Ed.

Sample Schedules

Sample Schedules provide a guideline for instructors on including all theory content, skills, and supervised practical training into a student's schedule. All students must complete supervised practical training in a skills lab and skilled facility or comparable nursing practice setting.

Skills

Skills checklists are in Hartman's Workbook. The Curriculum Guides identify the required checklists and associated page numbers.

Skills lab instructors must provide time for students to practice and demonstrate the ability to safely perform all commly performed skills.

Commonly performed skills include: handwashing, PPE use, obstructed airway, moving up in bed, log rolling, positioning on side, use of a transfer belt, transferring from bed to a wheelchair, assisting with ambulation with cane and crutches, obtaining a blood pressure, obtaining a pulse and respiration, obtaining a weight, completing a bed bath, oral care, oral care for an unconscious resident, denture care, foot care, dressing and assisting resident with weak side, applying elastic stockings, output measurement and documentation, use of bedpan, emptying a urinary drainage bag, urinary (Foley) catheter care, measuring and documenting input, feeding a resident, and hydration.

The Curriculum Guides identify the required skills and checklists that must be domonstrated by students for the commonly performed skills.

Skills Demonstration and Evaluation for CNA Registry

A student must complete a CNA Skills Evaluation to be eligible for registration as a CNA. The Board developed a pool of twenty-two skills from the list of commonly performed skills. Each student is randomly assigned four skills. An RN Skills Evaluator must use the Board's Skills Evaluation Checklist Forms. The evaluation my be conducted during the NATP's skills lab or at the end of the 75-hour NATP. The checklist forms are similar to the skills checklists in the Hartman's Workbook.

Review the Board's Initial CNA Registration requirements steps.