South Carolina Nursing Assistant / Nurse Aide Guide
Is a License or Certification needed: To get certified and work as a nursing assistant or nurse aide in South Carolina, you need to complete a nursing assistant program and pass the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) exam.
Who Grants Certification: The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services grants certification to South Carolina Nurse Aides.
The Qualifications to become Certified: The qualifications necessary for receiving a Nurse Aide License in the state of South Carolina include:
- Complete a state-approved nurses aide training program within the past 24 months consisting of a 100 hours that includes 40 hours of clinical practice; and
- Pass the South Carolina NNAAP examination
How to Apply for Certification and to take the Exam: In order to apply for nurse aide licensure in South Carolina, you will need to apply to take the SCNNAAP Exam.
You can apply to register for the SC Nurse Aide Licensing Exam here.
If you need additional help registering for the exam, please contact customer service at 866-751-5809 between 8AM - 8PM (M-F) or email pearsonvuecustomerservice@pearson.com.
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 South Carolina 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: To renew your license, click on this link.
Only 8 hours of employment during the past 24 months are required, although this must be paid employment, not volunteer work, and in a nursing environment such as a nursing home, home health setting or a hospital.
Contact
SC Nurse Aide Registry
SC Department of Health and Human Services
Division of Community and Facility Services
PO Box 8206
1801 Main Street
Columbia, SC 29202
Phone: 803-898-2587
Registry Managed by Pearson VUE
PO Box 13785
Philadelphia, PA 19101-3785
Phone: 800-475-8290
