• New York State has regulations in place for CNAsnurse chris image by John Keith from Fotolia.com
  
  Placing your loved one in an assisted living facility or nursing home is never easy. One of the chief concerns is the level of treatment, because you don't want a loved one to be abused, neglected or exploited. The people providing the care for residents of a facility or home often are the certified nursing assistants (CNA), who perform diverse assisted services. Working in a nursing home is not the only employment opportunity for CNAs, but it is a major one. The state of New York has established regulations and requirements for CNAs.
  
  

Certification

• To become a CNA in New York state you must complete a state-approved training program, which is offered at community colleges and other facilities throughout the state. As of 2006, the program required the completion of 100 hours of combined classroom work and clinical training. Topics include bloodborne pathogens, activities of daily living (ADL) assistance and taking vital signs.
  
  After completing the training program, a CNA candidate must pass the New York state Nurse Aide Competency Examination, which has two parts, a clinical-skills test and a written test. Both are administered by Prometric Testing Services. To take the test, a candidate submits an application and the required fees, and Prometric will inform the prospective CNA of a place and time to take the examination.
  
  There are other methods of becoming a CNA, but this is the most common.
  
  

Registry Number

• After passing the exam, a CNA is issued a registry number. This number is kept on file by the New York Department of Health and is available to the general public to access information on the CNA, including any honors, abuse convictions or neglect charges.
  
  

Pre-Employment Screening

• All nursing-home applicants must undergo a background check and drug screening. Information gathered will be entered into the nurse registry. Federal and state laws prohibit a home from hiring anybody with a conviction for abuse, neglect or exploitation.
  
  

Scope of Authority

• The limits of a CNA's authority are outlined during the training program. A CNA may perform tasks such as taking vital signs and providing assistance with meals, bathing and personal hygiene. CNAs cannot diagnose illnesses, prescribe medications or perform advanced medical procedures such as surgery assistance, all of which require higher levels of certifications. A CNA who performs duties outside her scope of authority may have her certification revoked and the information entered into the nurse registry.