CNA License Florida : The Ultimate Guide

Are you interested in becoming a certified nursing assistant with a CNA license Florida?

A CNA is a health care professional who provides basic nursing care to patients under the supervision of a registered nurse (RN) or a licensed practical nurse (LPN).

CNAs work in various settings, such as hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, home health agencies, and hospices.

Becoming a CNA in Florida can be a great career choice for many reasons.

There is a high demand for CNAs in Florida, as the state has a large and growing elderly population needing long-term care.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of CNAs in Florida is expected to grow by 17% from 2019 to 2029. Faster than the average for all occupations.

Becoming a CNA in Florida can be a flexible and rewarding career, as you can choose your work hours, location, and specialty.

You can also enjoy the satisfaction of helping others and making a difference in their lives.

Becoming a CNA in Florida can be a stepping stone to other advanced nursing careers, such as RN or LPN.

You can use your experience and skills as a CNA to pursue further education and training in the nursing field.

If you are ready to start your journey as a CNA in Florida, this article will guide you through the steps of getting a CNA license in Florida.

You will learn about the requirements, the process, the fees, the exam, and the FAQs related to getting a CNA license in Florida.

By the end of this article, you will have a clear idea of what you need to do to become a CNA in Florida.

Requirements

Before you apply for a CNA license in Florida, you need to meet some basic requirements. These include:

• You must be at least 18 years old
• You must have a high school diploma or a GED
• You must pass a background check and a fingerprinting
• You must complete a state-approved training program or challenge the exam

The background check and the fingerprinting are required to ensure that you have no criminal history that would prevent you from working as a CNA in Florida.

You can find a list of disqualifying offenses on the Florida Board of Nursing website.

You can also find a list of approved livescan service providers who can perform the background screening and the fingerprinting for you.

The training program or the exam are required to ensure that you have the necessary knowledge and skills to work as a CNA in Florida.

You can choose to either complete a state-approved training program or challenge the exam without completing a training program. There are advantages and disadvantages to each option.

If you choose to complete a state-approved training program, you will have to attend a minimum of 120 hours of classroom and clinical instruction.

The training program will cover topics such as basic nursing skills, infection control, safety and emergency procedures, communication and interpersonal skills, patient rights and independence, and mental health and social service needs.

The training program will also prepare you for the CNA exam by providing you with practice tests and skills demonstrations.

The advantage of completing a training program is that you will have more confidence and experience when you take the exam.

The disadvantage is that you will have to pay for the training program, which can range from $200 to $1,200 depending on the provider.

If you choose to challenge the exam, you will have to study on your own and register for the exam without completing a training program.

The advantage of challenging the exam is that you will save time and money by skipping the training program.

The disadvantage is that you will have less guidance and practice when you take the exam.

You will also have to meet some additional requirements, such as having a valid CPR card, having a letter of recommendation from a health care employer, or having a certificate from another state or country.

Whether you choose to complete a training program or challenge the exam, you will have to pass the CNA exam in Florida to get your license.

The CNA exam consists of two parts: a written or oral exam and a skills exam.

The written or oral exam tests your knowledge of nursing concepts and principles, while the skills exam tests your ability to perform common nursing tasks.

You will learn more about the CNA exam in Florida in the later section of this article.

To prepare for the CNA exam in Florida, you should study the content outline provided by Prometric, the testing company that administers the exam.

You should also take practice tests and review the skills checklist provided by Prometric.

You can find more study resources and tips on the Florida Board of Nursing website and the Prometric website.

Process

Once you have met the requirements, you can apply for the CNA license in Florida. The process involves the following steps:

• Register with Prometric
• Submit the application
• Schedule the exam
• Get fingerprinted
• Take the exam

The first step is to register with Prometric, the testing company that administers the CNA exam in Florida.

You can register online, by phone, or by mail.

You will need to provide your personal information, such as your name, address, phone number, email, date of birth, and social security number.

You will also need to indicate whether you are challenging the exam or completing a training program, and whether you prefer the written or oral exam.

You will receive a confirmation email or letter from Prometric once you have registered.

The second step is to submit the application for the CNA license in Florida.

You will also need to pay the application fee, which is $50 for challenging the exam and $25 for completing a training program.

You will receive a confirmation email or letter from the Florida Board of Nursing once you have submitted the application.

The third step is to schedule the exam for the CNA license in Florida.

You will need to provide your Prometric ID number, which you received when you registered with Prometric.

Now pay the exam fee, which is $140 for the written exam and $155 for the oral exam.

You will receive a confirmation email or letter from Prometric once you have scheduled the exam.

The fourth step is to get fingerprinted for the background check and the fingerprinting. You can get fingerprinted at any approved LiveScan service provider in Florida.

You will need to provide your personal information, your Prometric ID number, and your ORI number, which is EDOH4420Z for CNAs.

The fingerprinting fee, which is $80.25.

You will receive a confirmation email or letter from the livescan service provider once you have completed the fingerprinting.

The fifth step is to take the exam for the CNA license in Florida.

You will need to bring your confirmation email or letter from Prometric, your valid photo ID, and your valid CPR card to the testing site.

Make sure to wear a scrub suit and closed-toe shoes for the skills exam.

You will have 90 minutes to complete the written or oral exam, and 31 to 40 minutes to complete the skills exam.

You will receive your score report at the end of the exam. You will need to pass both parts of the exam to get your license.

Fees

The fees associated with getting a CNA license in Florida are as follows:

• Application fee: $50 for challenging the exam and $25 for completing a training program
• Exam fee: $140 for the written exam and $155 for the oral exam
• Fingerprinting fee: $80.25
• Renewal fee: $55 every two years

You can pay the fees online, by mail, or in person. You can use a credit card, a debit card, a money order, or a cashier’s check.

You cannot use a personal check or cash. You should make the money order or the cashier’s check payable to the Florida Board of Nursing.

You may be eligible for a fee waiver or a reimbursement if you meet certain criteria.

For example, you may qualify for a fee waiver if you are a low-income applicant who receives public assistance or participates in a federal or state program for the needy.

You may qualify for a reimbursement if you are employed by or have an offer of employment from a nursing facility that participates in the Medicaid program.

You can find more information about the fee waiver and the reimbursement on the Florida Board of Nursing website and the Florida Department of Health website.

Exam

The CNA exam in Florida is designed to measure your knowledge and skills as a CNA.

The exam consists of two parts: a written or oral exam and a skills exam. It is mandatory to pass both parts of the exam to get your license.

The written or oral exam tests your knowledge of nursing concepts and principles.

The exam has 60 multiple-choice questions that cover topics such as basic nursing skills, infection control, safety and emergency procedures, communication and interpersonal skills, patient rights and independence, and mental health and social service needs.

You will have 90 minutes to complete the exam. You can choose to take the exam in English or Spanish.

You can also choose to take the exam orally, which means that you will listen to the questions and the answer choices through headphones and select your answer on the computer.

The oral exam has 16 additional questions that test your reading comprehension and vocabulary skills.

You will have to answer these questions before you start the main exam.

The oral exam is recommended for applicants who have difficulty reading or understanding written English.

The skills exam tests your ability to perform common nursing tasks. The exam has five skills that you will have to demonstrate in front of a nurse evaluator.

The skills are randomly selected from a list of 22 skills, such as hand hygiene, measuring blood pressure, assisting with ambulation, providing denture care, and changing an occupied bed.

You will have 31 to 40 minutes to complete the exam, depending on the skills assigned.

You will have to perform each skill according to the steps and the standards provided by Prometric.

You will also have to interact with a patient actor, who will simulate the role of a patient in a clinical setting.

The scoring of the CNA exam in Florida is based on the number of correct answers and the number of critical steps.

You will need to answer at least 36 out of 60 questions correctly on the written or oral exam to pass.

You will also need to perform all five skills correctly on the skills exam to pass. A skill is considered correct if you complete all the critical steps and at least 80% of the total steps.

A critical step is a step that is essential for the safety and the well-being of the patient. You can find the list of critical steps and the scoring sheet for each skill on the Prometric website.

The retake policy of the CNA exam in Florida allows you to retake the exam up to three times within two years of your initial application.

You will only have to retake the part of the exam that you failed. For example, if you passed the written exam but failed the skills exam, you will only have to retake the skills exam.

You will have to pay the exam fee again for each retake. You will also have to wait at least 30 days before you can retake the exam.

If you fail the exam three times or more than two years have passed since your initial application, you will have to complete a state-approved training program before you can retake the exam.

FAQs

In this section, we will answer some of the most frequently asked questions about getting a CNA license in Florida.

If you have any other questions, you can contact the Florida Board of Nursing or the Prometric for more information.

Final Words

We hope that this article has helped you understand how to get a CNA license in Florida. Becoming a CNA in Florida can be a great career choice for many reasons.

You can enjoy the high demand, the flexible hours, the rewarding career, and the opportunities for advancement in the nursing field.

To get your CNA license in Florida, you will need to meet the requirements, complete the process, pay the fees, and pass the exam.

You will also need to renew your license every two years, update your license if you change your name or address, verify your license if needed, and report any complaint or violation if necessary.

Thank you for reading this article and we hope that you have found it useful and informative. If you have any feedback or questions, please feel free to share them with us.

We wish you all the best in your journey as a CNA in Florida.