Use of Non-Certified Nurse Aides Beyond 4-Month Limit
Penalty
Summary
The facility failed to ensure that nurse aides who had worked more than four months were certified and competent, and that nurse aides who had worked less than four months were appropriately enrolled in training. One nurse aide (NA A) was hired as a nurse aide trainee on 03/01/25, completed the Texas Performance Nurse Aide Program training and skills checkoffs on 03/30/25, and began working regular hours on her hire date. As of 02/08/26, she remained employed and was observed providing resident care, but there was no documentation that she was a Certified Nurse Assistant or listed on the Nurse Aide Registry, despite having worked well beyond four months. Another nurse aide (NA B) was hired as a nurse aide trainee on 08/06/25, completed the Texas Performance Nurse Aide Program training and skills checkoffs on 01/30/26, and her timesheets showed she started working regular hours on 07/13/24. She was also observed providing resident care on 02/08/26, with no proof of CNA certification in her employee record. During an interview, the DON stated that NA A and NA B had completed their classes and competencies but were not yet certified and acknowledged not knowing that nurse aides needed to be certified within 120 days of hire. The facility’s undated policy stated that trained but non-certified nurse aides may work for up to four months while pursuing certification and must be on the path to being listed on the Nurse Aide Registry, but the records did not show that these requirements were met for NA A and NA B.
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