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Idaho

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CNA Programs in Idaho

People who have never visited Idaho think of it as the state that provides much of the nation’s potato crops. However, residents know Idaho as one of the most beautiful states with plenty of forested areas and mountainous regions. Lolo National Forest intersects the Northeastern part of the state while the Sawtooth National Forest take up a good deal of the central part of the state. Idaho is a great place for outdoor living, such as hiking, biking and fishing. The largest city, Boise, is also the state’s capital and has the most populous area as well as many of the state’s 40 hospitals and 5,930 nursing homes where CNAs are often employed.

About Idaho

– Capital: Boise
– Minimum Wage: $7.25
– Number of Hospitals: 40
– Number of Nursing Homes: 5,930

Population

– Total Population: 1,634,464
– Population (ages 45-64): 398,806
– Population (ages 65+): 233,376
– Population (ages 85+): 27,349

Top Colleges & Unversities

– College of Idaho
– University of Idaho
– Brigham Young University-Idaho

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in Idaho

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CNA Training Requirements

Taking the Test (Procedure)

Out-of-State Applicants

Renewing & Expired Certification

Applications & Forms

Contacts & Additional Resources

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare oversees the state’s CNA training programs and testing requirements. They approve programs at a variety of community colleges, vocational schools and long-term care facilities and ensure that students complete the required work before being approved to test. The Department mandates that students attend at least 120 hours of training, of which 40 hours must be spent practicing hands-on skills in a local health care environment.

Some CNA candidates can request to waive training and instead challenge the state’s competency examination. For example, nursing students who have completed at least one semester of nursing school with a basic nursing class can challenge the examination. Foreign nurses and graduate nurses may also request a waiver. However, medics, EMTs and medical assistants will be required to train first.

Idaho follows the minimum federal requirements for training prerequisites. Students must be at least 16 years old but do not have to hold a high school diploma or a driver’s license. They must undergo federal and state background checks after having fingerprints taken. They will need to submit a photo ID as well as two additional photos to the state and prove that they are eligible to work. They must be physically healthy, up-to-date on immunizations and negative for tuberculosis screenings within the past six months. They will need to be able to be on their feet for long hours and lift, push and pull 40 pounds at minimum.

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare has Prometric administer their CNA competency evaluation, much as many other states do. However, Prometric tests only CNA theory here. Skills are tested differently in Idaho than they are in most other states. Idaho uses a state-specific skills examination that must be passed within six months of completing training and within three attempts. Once this section is successfully completed, students can move on to the Prometric examination.

The Prometric examination must be successfully passed within three attempts and within 12 months for students to avoid retraining. The knowledge test is completed on a computer and has 60 multiple-choice questions that must be answered in 90 minutes or less. Students who do not speak English as a first language or who have another disability may request to take the oral version of this test when they apply. Prometric provides a practice test in its candidate bulletin to give students an idea of what to expect.

The cost for the written examination is $29 plus additional site fees or $39 plus additional site costs for the oral examination. Students will find out their scores while at the testing center because of the computerized format. To test, students should bring two forms of identification, their social security numbers and proof that they completed the skills evaluation and should arrive at least 30 minutes early. Students who need to reschedule their examinations should do so before the fifth business day before the test.

Nurses or physicians moving to Idaho from another state can be automatically added to the Nurse Aide Registry without additional training or testing. However, CNAs moving here must apply for reciprocity to have their names added to the Registry. CNAs will need to prove that they have active status on their prior states’ Registries and will be given deemed status without having to retrain or retest. Out-of-state CNAs with lapsed licenses will need to retest but will not be required to take another training program. Any individuals who have been accused of patient abuse or neglect will not be eligible for reciprocity. Reciprocity forms are located in the Prometric CNA Bulletin or on the Department of Health and Welfare Website. Reciprocity is free.

Idaho CNAs must renew their certifications every two years. Renewal notices will be mailed to CNAs approximately 45 days before expiration. To be eligible to renew, CNAs must not be listed on the abuse registry and must have worked at least one full day as a CNA for pay within the past 24 months. CNAs will have to fill out a renewal form and sign it to have an active status for the next two years. CNAs who miss the expiration date may have less than two years on their new certifications. Those who allow their certifications to lapse by not working the required hours will have to retake both the skills and the written examinations to be returned to active status. Renewal costs $40.

Links
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare
Idaho Board of Nursing
Verify your Idaho CNA License

Contacts
Prometric
ID Nurse Aide
7941 Corporate Dr.
Nottingham MD 21236
Phone: 888.843.2341

Employment Information for Idaho

Average Salary for CNAs in ID

Idaho CNAs make slightly more than the income per capita in Idaho, which is $22,568. CNAs can expect to make $22,830 per year or $10.98 per hour on average. With the lower cost of living in Idaho, this is a healthy wage for most. However, CNAs who choose to further their nursing education will find that they can make steadily more as their experience, education and skills set increase.

Job Outlook in ID

Idaho has well over 7,000 job opportunities for CNAs as of 2014. As the 399,000 residents between the ages of 45 and 65 continue to age, CNAs can expect even more job openings in a variety of health care facilities. Today, CNAs care mainly for the 233,000 individuals over the age of 65.

Employment Opportunities

Top Hospitals in Idaho
Hospital NameAddressCityStateZipPhoneWebsite
Kootenai Medical Center2003 Kootenai Health WayCoeur D'AleneID83814208-666-2000Website
St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center1055 North Curtis RoadBoiseID83706208-367-2121Website
St. Luke'S Regional Medical Center190 East Bannock StreetBoiseID83712208-381-2222Website
Portneuf Medical Center777 Hospital WayPocatelloID83201208-239-1000Website
Bear Lake Memorial Hospital164 South Fifth StreetMontpelierID83254208-847-1630Website
Benewah Community Hospital229 South Seventh StreetSaint MariesID83861208-245-5551Website
Bingham Memorial Hospital98 Poplar StreetBlackfootID83221208-785-4100Website
Boise Veterans Affairs Medical Center500 West Fort StreetBoiseID83702208-422-1000Website
Bonner General Hospital520 North Third AvenueSandpointID83864208-263-1441Website
Boundary Community Hospital6640 Kaniksu StreetBonners FerryID83805208-267-3141Website
Caribou Memorial Hospital And Living Center300 South Third WestSoda SpringsID83276208-547-3341Website
Cascade Medical Center402 Old State HighwayCascadeID83611208-382-4242Website
Cassia Regional Medical Center1501 Hiland AvenueBurleyID83318208-678-4444Website
Clearwater Valley Hospital And Clinics301 CedarOrofinoID83544208-476-4555Website
Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center3100 Channing WayIdaho FallsID83404208-529-6111Website
Franklin County Medical Center44 North First East StreetPrestonID83263208-852-0137Website
Gritman Medical Center700 South Main StreetMoscowID83843208-882-4511Website
Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Hospital600 North Robbins RoadBoiseID83702208-489-4444Website
Intermountain Hospital303 North Allumbaugh StreetBoiseID83704208-377-8400Website
Lost Rivers Medical Center551 Highland DriveArcoID83213208-527-8206Website

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