CNA Certification in Mississippi

Mississippi is a state where becoming a certified nurse assistant is an exciting challenge that offers competitive salaries and growth. In fact, Hattiesburg alone has a listed 1,180 jobs for the certified nurse assistant position while a larger city like Jackson, has 4,370 jobs. Both are fairly good numbers when compared to the remainder of states in the U.S. Mississippi also has been affected by the nation wide shortage of nurse faculty and instructors because of the elderly population’s rapid and continuous increase.

Another reason for the shortage of qualified nurse aides is a direct result of stricter federal and state laws that enforce how a person becomes qualified to work in a nursing care facility in Mississippi. Each state has a set federal regulations they must follow, and there are additional state regulation which outlines CNA certification of a student. The regulations require CNA training in Mississippi to occur within a program that has been cleared through the state’s Department of Health. Regulations further require that an exam testing for nurse competency be taken by the person wanting to get certified. Additional requirements are outlined within each training program and test facility. All requirements must be met before the person is recognized on the Mississippi Nurse Aide Registry.

CNA classes in Mississippi follow the federal guidelines by providing no less than 75 hours of coursework. Sixteen of these hours are made up of monitored, active experience. Courses can be longer according to the facility, but they cannot be less than the federally set minimum.

Once the nurse aide has received documentation of a passing grade from a qualified training program instructor, they will be able to apply for the exam. Often, you can take the licensing test at the institution where you got trained, but you may need to seek out an alternate location from the Nurse Aide Registry, which is listed below for your convenience. Fees associated with the exam average around $89 dollars the first time you take the exam.

The CNA certification exam is a two part test, and one is a written assessment and the second part involves several demonstrations of skills. The written section is sixty multiple choice  questions and ten questions are geared to test your reading comprehension skills. YOu must pass both sections in order to pass the exam and get your name listed on the Mississippi Nurse Aide Registry. From that point, the certification is valid for 24 months and will have to be renewed every 2 years along with proof of employment for a minimum of 8 hours annually and a $25 fee.

Job growth for the certified nurse is great as it is predicted to be accelerating beyond the national average with a phenomenal 28% in just a few years.  This is partially due to the expected amount of nurse aides that will quit their jobs to further their career in the health field, as a high percentage of nurse aides go on to be registered nurses. The annual median CNA salary for this state’s workers is $19,750.

For Additional Information regarding CNA Certification in Mississippi please contact:

Mississippi Nurse Aide Registry
Mississippi Department of Health Facilities Licensure & Certification
570 East Woodrow Wilson Osborne Building
Suite 200
Jackson, MS 39216
Phone: (601) 576-7300
The Online Certified Nurse Aide Registry is managed by Promissor.
Phone: (888) 204-6213