State Tested Nurse Aide (STNA) (Ohio Only)

Nursing assistants are referred to as State-Tested Nurse Aides (STNAs) in Ohio only. STNAs perform the same duties and complete the same training as Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) in other states.

Completion Time: About 6 hours if taking both the knowledge exam and skills test on-site at the same time

Cost: 

• Written knowledge exam: $26

• Audio version of knowledge exam: $36

• Skills test: $78

In Ohio, STNAs are trained through a 75-hour program, including classroom and clinical experience, and must pass a state exam to become licensed. 

Training Requirements:

• Complete a 75-hour Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP) approved by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). 

• NATCEP includes at least 59 hours of classroom and skills training and at least 16 hours of supervised resident care in a long-term care facility. 

• Upon completion, you receive a Certificate of Completion and are eligible to register for the state nurse aide test. You must take this test within 2 years of completing your program or you must complete another ODH-approved training program.

State Exam:

After completing the NATCEP, you must pass the state nurse aide test to be added to the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry. Some training programs host and pre-schedule in-facility test dates. Contact the D&S Diversified Technologies (D&SDT)/Headmaster if you need to schedule your own test or a retest.

The state nurse aide exam consists of a written knowledge test and a skills exam. Candidates must earn 70% or better to pass the written knowledge exam. The written knowledge exam has 79 multiple-choice questions in the following categories:

• 9 - Basic Nursing Skills

• 6 - Care Impaired 

• 6 - Communication

• 5 - Data Collection

• 5 - Disease Process

• 7 - Infection Control

• 7 - Mental Health

• 5 - Older Adult Growth & Development

• 9 - Personal Care

• 5 - Residential Rights

• 7 - Role and Responsibility

• 8 - Safety

The skills test will include 3 or 4 randomly selected tasks with scenarios attached. Candidates must complete all tasks in no more than 35 minutes. Candidates must correctly perform all the bolded key steps and 80% of the non-key steps on each task to pass this component.

After you complete both the Knowledge Exam and Skill Test components of the competency exam, the D&SDT scoring team officially scores and double-checks it.  You’ll receive your official test results in your online TestMaster Universe (TMU) record after 6:00 PM (EST) the business day after taking your test. Successful candidates are placed on the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry and receive their passed results letter and laminated STNA card in the mail.

Candidates have 3 attempts to pass the knowledge exam and the skills test within 2 years of finishing their training course. Those who don’t pass both components within these limitations must retake an ODH-approved training program before they’re eligible to attempt the exam again.

In Ohio, STNAs are trained through a 75-hour program, including classroom and clinical experience, and must pass a state exam to become licensed. 

Training Requirements:

• Complete a 75-hour NATCEP-approved by the Ohio Department of Health. 

• The program includes at least 59 hours of classroom and skills training and at least 16 hours of supervised resident care in a long-term care facility. 

• Upon completion, you receive a Certificate of Completion and are eligible to register for the state nurse aide test. 

State Exam:

After completing the NATCEP, you must pass the state nurse aide test to be added to the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry. 

Ohio Nurse Aide Registry:

The registry lists all STNAs in Ohio and maintains records of nurse aides with a finding of abuse, neglect or misappropriated property against them. 

To continue to be listed on the Nurse Aide Registry, STNAs must provide at least 7.5 consecutive hours or 8 hours in a 48-hour period of nursing and nursing-related services for pay during the 24-month period immediately following the date they were placed on the registry or the most recent date of verified work. Questions regarding renewal should be directed to (800) 582-5908.

Nothing listed

• Ohio State Tested Nurse Aide Candidate Handbook

• FAQs on Ohio’s Nurse Aides

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