CNA Classes in West Virginia (Top Schools)

In West Virginia, the Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification (OHFLAC) manages the Certified Nurse Aides (CNAs).

To be a CNA here, you must have:

• Completed the state-approved nurse aide training program (NATP)
• Passed the West Virginia Nurse Aide Competency Exam (WV NACE)

Taking on a CNA Training Program in West Virginia

The first step in becoming a CNA is to enroll in an approved NATP.

Doing so allows you to learn a state-standard nurse aide education.

In the program, you’ll spend a minimum of 120 hours of training, with at least 55 hours of supervised clinical practice.

This can take you four to six weeks to complete NATP.

And once you do, you’ll gain basic knowledge and demonstrable skills to provide nursing care to residents.

Below you’ll find some of the CNA training facilities approved by OHFLAC.

Evaluating a CNA Candidate

After training, you’ll be evaluated through the WV NACE administered by Professional Healthcare Development (PHD).

Let’s take a closer look at everything that you should know about this exam.

CNA Candidates Eligible for WV NACE

Certain individuals have the eligibility to sit for the state’s competency exam.

Let’s explore each eligible candidate and see which one you belong to.

New Nurse Aide

You have:

• Completed the approved NATP in the last 24 months
• Not registered in the WV Nurse Aide Registry (NAR)

CNA with Lapsed Certification

You’re a WV CNA who allowed your certification to lapse within the last five years but still maintains good standing in NAR.

To take the exam, you must:

• Participate in an in-service on abuse, neglect, and resident’s rights
• Complete a 16-hour refresher course

Nursing Student

You’re an RN/LPN student who completed the following:

• Nursing fundamentals course
• At least 32 hours of clinical experience in a WV-certified nursing facility

Before you can take the exam, you must first obtain permission to test from NAR.

You can do this either by:

• Online application at https://ohflac.wvdhhr.org/Apps/Forms/RNLPNChallenge
• Contacting NAR at this address:

Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification
Nursing Assistant Registry
WV Department of Health and Human Resources
408 Leon Sullivan Way
Charleston, WV 25301-1713
Phone: (304) 558-0050
Fax: (304) 558-1442

The West Virginia NACE

Once you’ve determined your eligibility, you can take the state’s competency exam.

This exam consists of two tests: a written (or oral) test and a skills test.

You need to pass both tests within 24 months of NATP completion to successfully complete WV NACE.

Important Note:

PHD requires that you submit the application, fees, and other documents at least two weeks before your desired test date.

That way, you can receive your admission ticket a week before your scheduled test date.

If you haven’t received the admission ticket, please do contact PHD.

Professional Healthcare Development, LLC
P.O. Box 399
Ona, WV 25545
Phone: (304) 733-6145
Fax: (304) 733-6146
E-mail: info@profhd.com

Written (Oral) Test

Here are some important details you should know about this test:

• It consists of 100 multiple-choice questions to be completed in two hours.
• The written test will primarily be computer-based unless technical difficulties occur.
  • If a technical difficulty does happen, a pencil-and-paper test will be given.
• Your admission ticket contains computer log-on instructions.
• Listen carefully to the instruction from the Evaluator on how to answer the tests.
• You can opt for an oral test upon request.
  • Request must be sent to PHD two weeks before your test date with explanations why you’re taking an oral test.
• Oral test is only available as a pencil-and-paper test, consisting of
  • 100 multiple-choice questions
  • A flow sheet of things that you might encounter in a long-term care facility
• In the oral test, a reader designated by the testing site will read each question to you twice.

Skills Test

Here are some important details about this test:

• The evaluation will simulate an actual caregiving situation and be evaluated by an Evaluator.
• You will perform five nurse aide skills in 50 minutes.
• Each skill represents a task that’s broken into a series of steps.
• You must demonstrate each step correctly to pass a skill.
• You must perform all five skills to pass the test.

Exam and Related Fees

You or your employer will pay PHD the following exam fees, whichever is applicable:

• Written and skills tests – $120
• Oral and skills tests – $160
• Written test only – $55
• Oral test only – $90
• Skills test only – $70
• Nurse Aide Test Completion Certificate – $10
• Request for a duplicate score – $20

If this is your initial exam, you must pay for both written/oral and skills tests.

Exam Results

Shortly after the tests, you will receive the preliminary test results at the testing site.

Your official results will be available within one business day.

If you pass both tests, you’ll become a CNA in Long Term Care Aide whose name is on NAR.

You can verify your entry to NAR by visiting https://ohflac.wvdhhr.org/Apps/Lookup/NALookup.

Also, it’s considered best practice to print a copy of your registry for your personal records.

However, if you don’t pass one or both tests, you have to reach out to your NATP instructor for retest instructions.

You have three attempts within the eligibility period to pass your failed test/s.

Otherwise, you’ll have to retrain in NATP to retake WV NACE.

Certification by Reciprocity

If you’re an out-of-state CNA with active NAR status, you can apply for reciprocity online at https://ohflac.wvdhhr.org/Apps/Forms/NAReciprocity.

Then, OHFLAC will review your application and verify your status.

If they approve, you’ll become a CNA in West Virginia.

For more information on the reciprocity application, reach out to OHFLAC-NAR.

Potential Salary

In West Virginia, a CNA can expect to earn an average salary of around $28,000 a year.

This can increase depending on several factors, such as:

• Education
• Skill level
• Work experience
• Workplace location

In the table below, you’ll find the salary information offered across the state.