Alaska Nursing Assistant / Nurse Aide Guide
Is a License or Certification needed: To get licensed and work as a nursing assistant or nurse aide in Alaska, you need to complete a state certified nursing assistant program and pass the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) exam.
Who Grants Certification: The Alaska Board of Nursing grants certification to Alaska nursing assistants and nurse aides.
The Qualifications to become Certified: Detailed qualifications for becoming a Nurse Aide in Alaska can be found here. They include:
- Proof of successfully completing a state certified, 140 hour, program for nurse aides, consisting of 60 hours classroom and 80 hours clinical skills experience minimum; or
- a current unencumbered (no violations) license from another state
- Successful completion of the competency evaluation
How to Apply to get Certification and to Take the Exam: Use this application to apply for certification by examination. You must submit this application, notarized and signed, along with the required documents.
Use this application to apply for certification by endorsement.
Test Content: The NNAAP test has two parts, a Skills Evaluation and a Written (or oral) part. Both parts must be passed to be listed on the Alaska Nurse Aide Registry. The written section is 70 questions in length, 60 are multiple choice and 10 are reading comprehension questions. Take two pencils with you. You will have two full hours to complete the exam. (The oral exam if given in place of the written exam is 160 questions in length.) The Skills Evaluation will be a 25 minute time period given to complete 5 randomly selected nurse aide skills. Content topics include:
- Activities of Daily Living – Hygiene, Dressing and Grooming, Nutrition and Hydration, Elimination, Rest/Comfort/Sleep
- Basic Nursing Skills - Infection Control, Safety/Emergency, Therapeutic/Technical Procedures, Data Collection and Reporting
- Restorative Skills – Prevention, Self-care/Independence
- Psychosocial Care Skills – Emotional and Mental Health Needs
- Spiritual and Cultural Needs
- Communication
- Client Rights
- Legal and Ethical Behavior
- Member of the Health Care Team
See the Candidate Handbook for more details.
Certification Renewal and Continuing Education Requirements: In order to keep your certification up to date, you need to work at least 24 hours, paid, not volunteer hours in a home health agency, hospital, hospice agency, nursing home or mental health facility within a two year period. In order to recertify by examination, you must not allow your certification to lapse.
Contact
Nurse Aide Registry
550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 1500
Anchorage, AK 99501
Phone: 907-269-8169
