CNA/DSW Registry

Emergency Declaration: Temporary Waiver of Reciprocity

If an emergency has been declared in Louisiana, a CNA may work in the affected area for up to 30 days,  after current certification in their home state has been verified. Providers may use the Directory of State Registries to contact the appropriate out-of-state Registry for verification. If the aide wishes to work more than 30 days, they must apply for reciprocity with the Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry. 

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) mandates that each state maintain a registry of Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), for the purpose of tracking current certification status and any findings of abuse, neglect and/or misappropriation that has been placed. The state of Louisiana also mandates that findings of abuse, neglect, and/or misappropriation placed against Direct Service Workers (DSWs) are maintained and tracked in the registry. The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) - Health Standards Section manages the Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry and the Direct Service Worker Registry.  Most providers licensed by the LDH require that employers check BOTH registries to verify employment eligibility.

Nurse aides will be automatically recertified at midnight on the date a certification is due to expire if the required work history is reported to the Nurse Aide Registry before the certification period ends. If the work history is not reported for the 24-month period prior to expiration, the certification will expire and the nurse aide's status will be changed to "not certified." Aides who are not certified because the work history has not been reported should contact the provider where the work was performed and ask them to send verification to the registry. Nurse aides who are not certified because they do not have the required work history may be eligible to test for recertification.