CNA Regulatory Changes
Following the adoption of new rules that became effective September 8, 2025, the SD Board of Nursing (SDBON) is now the sole agency responsible for regulating certified nurse aides (CNA). Because the SDBON, the SD Department of Health's (DOH) division of Licensure and Accreditation, and the SD Healthcare Association (SDHCA) shared regulatory responsiblities over the years, the SDBON is transitioning into the new rules over several months.
CNA Registration Knowledge Exam
As required by the state, the Board issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to allow all intersted national nurse aide test vendors to apply to offer the Board's required knowledge exam for CNA registration. The test vendor selected by the Board's RFP evaluation team was Headmaster LLP. Headmaster has been providing the state's CNA knowledge exam for many years and with the changes in the rules, their testing platform and website services will be transitioning from SDHCA's website to the Board's website in 2026.