Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) training & certification requirements vary considerably across the U.S. In some states, the requirements go beyond the federal minimum while in other states requirements are nearly identical to the federal standards.

This page displays Arizona CNA Requirements as of February 2023.

To see requirements in other states, visit nursinghome411.org/cna-reqs.

Arizona CNA Requirements

  • Eligibility/Screening Requirements
    • 16 years old.
    • Criminal background check.
    • Submit proof of legal presence in the US prior to competency examination.
  • Education & Training Requirement
    • Individuals must complete a state approved nurse aide training and competency evaluation program.
    • Individuals who do not pass the examination within 24 months of the training must retake the training program before testing again.
  • Testing Requirement
    • Individuals must pass both a written and skills test.
  • Renewal & In-Service Requirements
    • In-Service requirements are the same as federal requirements.
    • A CNA must have worked as a nursing assistant (or doing nursing assistant tasks) a minimum of 8 hours in the last 2 years to remain on the CNA Registry or to convert from LNA to CNA at renewal.
  • Hours
    • 120 hours total
      • Minimum of 40 didactic hours
      • Minimum of 20 skills lab hours
      • Minimum of 40 instructor supervised clinical hours, including a minimum of 40 hours in Long-Term Care
    • Curriculum
      • Competency: Functions as a member of the health team within the health care facility and/or community.
        • 1 Identifies essential functions of the health care facility and states the differences between acute, long-term, assisted living, home care and hospice.
        • 2 Explains the essential duties of the nursing team within a care facility.
          • Identifies the essential function of the RN.
          • Identifies the essential function of the LPN.
          • Identifies the essential function of the nurse assistant.
          • Discuss the elements of a functioning team.
          • Works with other members of the team e.g., physician, dietician, dietary technician, physical therapist, nurse practitioner, speech therapist, and social worker
        • 3 Explains the nursing assistant role as outlined in the different regulatory and professional guidelines.
          • Including:
            • Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA)
            • Arizona State Board of Nursing prescribed requirements for certification
            • Arizona State Board of Nursing prescribed requirements for recertification
            • Standards of conduct (R4- 19-814)
            • Ethics in the workplace
            • Informed consent
            • Advanced Directives/ do not resuscitate
          • 4 Describes the delegation process.
            • Responsibility and accountability in delegation
            • Factors affecting delegation
            • 5 Rights of delegation
            • Accepting and refusing delegation
          • 5 Demonstrates professional work habits and time management skills.
          • 6 Demonstrates appropriate stress relieving techniques.
        • 0 Competency: Demonstrates ethical and legal behavior that maintains resident’s rights.
          • 1 Demonstrates ethical and legal behavior by maintaining the standards set forth for the health care professions.
            • Explains the functions, roles responsibilities and legal limits of nursing assistant/practice.
            • Discuss the regulatory boards, state and federal statutes, rules and regulations, standards and legal and advisory opinions that affect the practice of the nursing assistant.
            • Explains state certification and renewal requirements for NAs – include criminal conduct.
            • Identifies the standards of conduct that the nurse assistant must maintain in their daily care of residents.
            • Demonstrates professional behaviors.
            • Accurately utilizes vocabulary words/terms related to ethical/legal behavior and resident rights.
          • 2 Interprets, explains, and applies the Resident’s Bill of Rights.
          • 3 Provides for resident privacy.
            • Describes the resident’s right to privacy.
            • Explains how the nursing assistant can help the resident maintain the right to privacy.
          • 4 Maintains resident confidentiality.
            • Describes the resident’s right to confidentiality.
            • Identifies how the nursing assistant can protect the resident’s right to confidentiality.
          • 5 Promotes the resident’s right to make personal choices to accommodate their needs.
            • Describes the resident’s right to personal choice.
            • Offers choices when caring for residents.
          • 6 Gives assistance in resolving grievances and disputes.
            • Describes the resident’s right to voice disputes and grievances.
            • Explains the role of the nursing assistant when residents voice concerns, complaints or questions about treatment or care.
          • 7 Maintains care and security of resident’s personal possessions.
            • Describes the resident’s right related to the care and security of personal possessions.
            • Explains the role of the nursing assistant in safeguarding resident’s personal possessions.
          • 8 Promotes the resident’s right to be free from abuse, mistreatment, and neglect.
            • Explains the role of the nursing assistant in protecting the resident from abuse, mistreatment, and neglect.
            • Describes types of elderly abuse.
            • Identifies signs of abuse.
          • 9 Reports any instance of abuse, mistreatment, or neglect to the appropriate supervisor.
            • Discuss the legal requirement and consequences for failure to report abuse, mistreatment, or neglect.
            • Reviews appropriate methods and chain of command to report instances of abuse, mistreatment, or neglect.
          • 10 Utilizes interventions that minimize the need for restraints.
            • Identifies ethical and legal issues in the use of restraints.
            • Describes the resident’s right to be free of restraints.
            • Identifies the role of the nursing assistant in helping to keep the resident free from restraint.
            • Provides for resident’s basic needs and re -applies restraints as appropriate.
            • Observes and reports resident’s status while in protective devices.
          • 11 Promotes resident independence.
            • Describes the resident’s right related to self-determination, self-care, and independence.
            • Identifies actions nursing assistants may take to promote resident independence.
          • 12 Assists residents to participate in activities.
            • Describes the resident’s right to participate in family and group activities.
            • Provides for activities of daily living and restorative activities for clients.
          • 0 Competency: Assists in identifying the mental health and social service needs of residents.
            • 1 Discuss basic human needs of the individual.
              • Identifies basic human needs throughout the lifespan, including physical, sociocultural, social service and mental health needs.
              • Identifies the developmental tasks associated with the aging process.
              • Describes mental status and behavior changes.
              • Identifies the role of the elderly in the home and community, including cultural and religious aspects.
            • 2 Explains how cultural and spiritual attitudes may influence psychological responses.
              • Identifies ways to accommodate cultural and spiritual differences.
              • Identifies the nursing assistant’s role in respecting cultural and spiritual differences.
            • 3 Identifies sources of stress common to residents.
              • Defines stress.
              • Explains the difference between mental health and mental illness.
              • Identifies nursing assistant’s responsibility of reporting signs and symptoms of stress and/or inappropriate coping mechanisms to supervisor.
            • 4 Provides appropriate care for residents with mental health problems.
            • 5 Modifies own behavior in response to resident behavior.
              • Identifies the nursing assistant’s role in maintaining a respectful attitude for the person who displays difficult behavior.
              • Identifies at least three effective approaches to managing difficult behavior of residents.
            • 6 Describes ways that residents may be expressing their normal sexuality.
              • Identifies common myths related to sexuality.
              • Identifies nursing assistant’s responsibility of reporting inappropriate expressions of sexuality to supervisor.
            • 7 Facilitates the resident’s expression of needs and provides supportive communication.
              • Assists and encourages residents to be independent in the activities of daily living.
              • Modifies care to accommodate resident values, customs, preferences, or habits.
              • Utilizes resident’s family as a source of resident emotional and/or spiritual support.
            • 0 Competency: Demonstrates effective communication.
              • 1 Uses verbal and nonverbal communication to accurately present information.
                • Uses appropriate medical terminology and abbreviations.
                • Communicates with members of the healthcare team.
                • Communicates with residents and family.
              • 2 Responds effectively to resident’s behavior in a positive non-threatening way.
                • Identifies communication guidelines.
                • Identifies barriers to communication.
              • 3 Observes and describes resident’s physical and emotional condition changes.
                • Identifies subjective observations.
                • Identifies objective observations.
                • Identifies emergencies.
              • 4 Demonstrates communication skills with the resident who has sensory deficits.
                • Demonstrates effective communication with hearing impaired resident.
                • Demonstrates effective communication with the visually impaired resident.
                • Demonstrates effective communication with the aphasic resident.
                • Demonstrates effective communication with the cognitively impaired resident.
                • Communicating with the comatose resident.
                • Demonstrates effective communication with the physically aggressive resident.
                • Demonstrates effective communication with the verbally aggressive resident.
              • 0 Competency: Maintains a safe environment for the resident and others.
                • 1 Identifies ways to promote safety and handle nonmedical emergencies.
                  • Explains safety and risk management principles and concepts.
                  • Adheres to safety policies and plans of the facility.
                  • Describes how to use safety equipment.
                • 2 Identifies environmental safety hazards and methods used to prevent accidents.
                  • Identifies environmental safety hazards.
                  • Identifies common measures and principles to prevent accidents.
                  • Identifies the common types of injuries occurring in health care facilities.
                  • Utilizes measures to identify risk factors and prevent falls.
                  • Identifies the common causes of accidents related to the older adult.
                  • Describes age related safety measures.
                  • Identifies nursing assistant’s responsibility of reporting potential situations to the supervisor.
                • 3 Identifies safety measures to prevent workplace violence.
                  • Identifies common measures to prevent workplace violence.
                  • Identifies nursing assistant’s responsibility of reporting potential situations for violence in the workplace.
                • 0 Competency: Demonstrates general principles of infection control.
                  • 1 Describes measures that promote infection prevention and control.
                    • Explains the key infection control concepts and terms.
                    • Explains the chain of infection.
                    • Defines the infectious process and identifies modes of transmission.
                    • Identifies signs and symptoms of infection.
                    • Describes common aseptic practices.
                    • Describes nosocomial infections and persons at risk.
                  • 2 Describes and adheres to CDC guidelines for Standard Precautions and for Transmission Based Precautions.
                  • 3 Describes and adheres to OSHA guidelines.
                • 0 Competency: Provides basic emergency care.
                  • 1 Applies principles of basic emergency care in resident care.
                    • Identifies the goals of emergency care and first aid.
                    • Describes signs of medical emergencies.
                  • 2 Demonstrates knowledge of basic first-aid principles.
                  • 3 Responds to emergency situations.
                  • 4 Identifies specific types of emergencies, responds and reports according to recognized standards of care.
                • 0 Competency: Applies the principles of basic nutrition to resident care.
                  • 1 Identifies principles of nutrition.
                    • Identifies the six basic essential nutrient groups and their use in the body.
                    • Identifies and describes the basic food groups (Food Pyramid).
                    • Describes physiologic need for nutrients.
                    • Describes examples of serving sizes.
                  • 2 Recognizes personal, cultural, religious, and medical conditions leading to variations in the diet.
                  • 3 Describes contributory factors and remedies to address age related dietary problems.
                    • Gives examples of age related factors that influence adequate dietary intake.
                    • Describe situational factors that influence/interfere with adequate intake.
                    • Provides care to assist in meeting dietary needs of residents.
                  • 4 Provides and restricts fluids as ordered.
                    • Identifies need for adequate hydration.
                    • Lists sources for fluid intake.
                    • Explains the importance of and calculates accurate intake and output and food consumption.
                    • Lists sources of fluid output.
                  • 5 Demonstrates care for residents who have an inability to obtain adequate nutrition or fluid independently.
                    • Provides food and fluids to residents.
                    • Provides adequate nutrition for cognitively impaired residents.
                    • Observes and records food and fluid intake as ordered.
                  • 6 Identifies therapeutic diets.
                    • Identifies types of food consistencies.
                    • Identifies the conditions for which therapeutic diets are prescribed.
                    • Identifies alternate feeding methods.
                  • 0 Competency: Provides the resident with personal care and grooming.
                    • 1 Provides for and adheres to the principles of daily hygiene and grooming.
                    • 2 Assists resident in personal care and grooming needs.
                      • Bathes resident with consideration for resident need and setting according to plan of care.
                      • Gives skin care including back rub.
                      • Provides for resident’s elimination, toileting, perineal, and ostomy care needs.
                      • Gives mouth/denture care.
                      • Gives hair care/shampoo.
                      • Gives fingernail/toenail care.
                      • Gives foot care.
                      • Demonstrates shaving a resident.
                      • Demonstrates changing a gown/dressing a resident comfortably.
                      • Gives a.m./p.m. care.
                      • Cares for resident with prosthetic and orthotic devices.
                    • 3 Reports and documents personal care and grooming tasks, observations, and resident response.
                  • 0 Competency: Measures vital signs.
                    • 1 Identifies normal vital signs values and age-related variations.
                    • 2 Measures and records body temperature.
                      • Identifies purpose of taking a temperature.
                      • Lists factors that affect body temperature.
                      • Demonstrates taking an oral, rectal, and tympanic temperature.
                      • Accurately records temperature using appropriate units of measurement.
                      • Identifies and reports abnormal findings.
                    • 3 Measures and records pulse (radial, apical).
                      • Identifies purpose of obtaining a pulse.
                      • Lists factors that affect pulse rate.
                      • Accurately counts a radial pulse.
                      • Accurately counts an apical pulse.
                      • Accurately records pulse rate.
                      • Identifies and reports abnormal findings.
                    • 4 Measures and Records Respirations.
                      • Identifies purpose of obtaining a respiratory rate.
                      • Lists factors affecting respiratory rate.
                      • Accurately counts respiratory rate.
                      • Records respiratory rate.
                      • Identifies and reports abnormal respiratory rate.
                    • 5 Measures and records blood pressure.
                      • Identifies the purpose of taking a blood pressure.
                      • Lists factors influencing blood pressure.
                      • Demonstrates use of a stethoscope.
                      • Demonstrates use of a sphygmomanometer.
                      • Obtains a blood pressure.
                      • Recognizes precautions and contraindications to taking a blood pressure.
                      • Demonstrates technique for taking an orthostatic blood pressure.
                      • Records systolic and diastolic pressure.
                      • Reports abnormal blood pressure values.
                    • 6 Measures and records height and weight.
                      • Identifies purpose of measuring height and weight.
                      • Lists factors affecting height and weight.
                      • Describes a variety of scales and height measurement tools.
                      • Demonstrates measuring a resident’s weight using a balanced scale.
                      • Demonstrates taking a resident’s height using a measure bar.
                      • Discusses methods of obtaining height and weight in bedridden residents.
                      • Records height and weight.
                      • Reports abnormal weight.
                    • 0 Demonstrates safe transfers, positioning and turning of residents using effective body mechanics.
                      • 1 Demonstrates safe body mechanics.
                        • Identifies principles of body mechanics.
                        • Employs safe body mechanics when caring for residents.
                        • Identifies improper body mechanics.
                      • 2. Identifies the effects of limited mobility.
                      • 3 Assists residents in positioning and turning.
                        • Demonstrates the different body positions used for positioning residents.
                        • Demonstrates turning techniques.
                        • Demonstrates use of assistive devices when positioning a resident.
                      • 4 Assists the resident to transfer from bed to chair/gurney/stretcher/geri chair.
                        • Demonstrates different transfer techniques.
                        • Demonstrates use of assistive devices in transferring residents.
                      • 5 Assists residents to ambulate.
                        • Identifies functional limitation inhibiting ambulation.
                        • Identifies safety considerations in ambulating a resident.
                        • Identifies the care of the resident who has fallen.
                        • Demonstrates the use of assistive devices in ambulation such as crutches, walker, cane, and wheelchair.
                      • 6 Demonstrates passive and active range of motion.
                        • States principles of and rationale for passive/active range of motion.
                        • Identifies key terms to describe joint movements.
                        • Safely applies range of motion principles when performing range of motion exercises on major joints, extremities.
                        • Provides care for resident when continuous passive range of position device is in use.
                      • 7 Removes and applies oxygen devices during transfers with supervision without changing oxygen settings.
                        • Identifies oxygen sources and methods of delivery.
                        • Incorporates safety measures in caring for residents with oxygen.
                        • Utilizes principles of safe oxygen handling with removal and application of oxygen delivery devices.
                      • 0 Competency: Cares for cognitively impaired residents.
                        • 1 Addresses the unique needs and behaviors of individuals with dementia (Alzheimer’s & others) and delirium.
                          • Identifies types of cognitive impairment.
                          • Describes the effects of cognitive impairment on ADLs.
                          • Identifies the common diseases that cause dementia.
                          • Identifies illness/health issues that cause delirium.
                          • Lists environmental factors that may contribute to dementia, delirium, etc.
                          • Lists unique needs of individuals with cognitive impairment.
                          • Communicates effectively with cognitively impaired residents.
                        • 2 Respond appropriately to the behavior of cognitively impaired residents.
                          • Identifies and explains the unique behaviors demonstrated by individuals with cognitive impairment.
                          • Utilizes interventions to reduce the effects of cognitive impairments.
                        • 3 Reports behaviors and resident responses.
                      • 0 Competency: Identifies the function, structure, common health problems and normal aging changes of each of the following systems.
                        • 1 Describes major body systems and organs.
                          • Defines key anatomical terms.
                          • Identifies the four types of tissues.
                        • 2 Identifies the function, structure, common health problems and normal aging changes of the respiratory systems.
                          • Identifies the structure & function of each component of the respiratory system.
                          • Describes the age related changes of the respiratory system.
                          • Describes common health problems involving the respiratory system.
                          • Identifies signs and symptoms that the nursing assistant should observe for and report.
                          • Measures and records oxygen saturation using the pulse oximeter.
                        • 3 Identifies the function, structure and common health problems and normal aging changes of the circulatory system.
                          • Identifies the structure & function of each component of the circulatory system.
                          • Describes the age related changes of the circulatory system.
                          • Describes common health problems involving the circulatory system.
                          • Identifies signs and symptoms that the nursing assistant should observe for and report.
                        • 4 Identifies the function, structure and common health problems, and normal aging changes of the urinary system.
                          • Identifies the structure & function of each component of the urinary system.
                          • Describes the age related changes of the urinary system.
                          • Describes common health problems involving the urinary system.
                          • Identifies signs and symptoms that the nursing assistant should observe for and report.
                        • 5 Identifies the function, common health problems and normal aging changes of the endocrine system.
                          • Identifies the structure & function of each component of the endocrine system.
                          • Describes the age related changes of the endocrine system.
                          • Describes common health problems involving the endocrine system.
                          • Identifies signs and symptoms that the nursing assistant should observe for and report.
                        • 6 Identifies the function, structure, common health problems and normal aging changes of the integumentary system.
                          • Identifies the structure & function of each component of the integumentary system.
                          • Describes the age related changes of the integumentary system.
                          • Describes common health problems involving the integumentary system.
                          • Identifies signs and symptoms that the nursing assistant should observe for and report.
                        • 7 Identifies the function, structure and common health problems and normal aging changes of the nervous system.
                          • Identifies the structure & function of each component of the nervous system.
                          • Describes the age related changes of the nervous system.
                          • Describes common health problems involving the nervous system.
                          • Identifies signs and symptoms that the nursing assistant should observe for and report.
                        • 8 Identifies the function, structure and common health problems and normal aging changes of the sensory system.
                          • Identifies the structure & function of each organ of the sensory system.
                          • Describes the age related changes of the sensory system.
                          • Describes common health problems involving the sensory system.
                          • Identifies signs and symptoms that the nursing assistant should observe for and report.
                        • 9 Identifies the function, structure and common health problems and normal aging changes of the gastrointestinal system.
                          • Identifies the structure & function of each organ of the gastrointestinal system.
                          • Describes the age related changes of the gastrointestinal system.
                          • Describes common health problems involving the gastrointestinal system.
                          • Identifies signs and symptoms that the nursing assistant should observe for and report.
                        • 10 Identifies the function, structure and common health problems and normal aging changes of the musculoskeletal system.
                          • Identify the structure & function of each component of the musculoskeletal system.
                          • Describes the age related changes of the musculoskeletal system.
                          • Describes common health problems involving the musculoskeletal system.
                          • Identifies signs and symptoms that the nursing assistant should observe for and report.
                        • 11 Reproductive System.
                          • Identify the structure & function of each component of the reproductive system.
                          • Describes the age related changes of the reproductive system.
                          • Describes common health problems involving the reproductive system.
                          • Identifies signs and symptoms that the nursing assistant should observe for and report.
                        • 0 Competency: Provides for comfort and rest.
                          • 1 Gathers data to identify resident’s level of comfort (or level of pain).
                            • Identifies nursing assistant scope of practice with observation and discussion of level of comfort.
                            • Identifies purpose of observing level of comfort at each resident contact.
                            • Discuss barriers to resident comfort.
                            • Lists types of pain and factors which indicate altered level of comfort.
                            • Lists non-verbal expressions of altered level of comfort.
                            • Identifies various scales to measure level of comfort (or pain).
                            • Identifies the role of the nursing assistant in nonpharmacological measures which enhance comfort.
                            • Reports and documents resident’s level of comfort.
                          • 0 Competency: Assists with diagnostic tests.
                            • 1 Demonstrate procedures for acquiring different types of specimens.
                              • Identifies the types of specimens a nursing assistant may collect.
                              • Collects, labels, and sends specimens for analysis.
                              • Tests specimen if ordered.
                              • Identifies pre and post resident care for collection of specimens.
                            • 2 Documents and reports information to nurse.
                          • 1 Assists with pre-operative care.
                            • Defines preoperative period.
                            • Identifies measures to psychologically prepare a resident for surgery.
                            • Identifies measures to physically prepare a resident for surgery.
                          • 2 Assists with post-operative care.
                            • Defines the post -operative period.
                            • Identifies measures to prepare the resident’s room.
                            • Provides nursing assistant care for residents after surgery.
                            • Identifies common complications of surgery.
                            • Reports findings in a timely manner.
                          • 3 Assists with care of residents with special needs.
                            • Observes and reports the condition of resident’s dressings/wounds with drainage.
                            • Demonstrates care of resident with gravity drains.
                            • Demonstrates care of resident/ resident with surgical evacuators.
                            • Demonstrates care of resident with sump drains.
                            • Applies flexible abdominal binders.
                            • Applies ace and non -sterile dressings.
                            • Applies anti -embolism stockings and devices.
                            • Applies immobilizing devices.
                            • Demonstrates care of resident with feeding tube.
                            • Demonstrates care of resident receiving infusion therapy.
                            • Demonstrates care of resident on a ventilator.
                          • 0 Competency: Assists in Admission/Transfer/Discharge of the resident.
                            • 1 Demonstrates the procedures for admitting a resident to the unit.
                            • 2 Demonstrates the procedures for transferring a resident from the unit.
                            • 3 Demonstrates the procedures for discharging a resident.
                          • 0 Competency: Provides care for residents and family when death is imminent.
                            • 1 Identifies and recognizes principles of caring for dying residents and their family members.
                              • Recognizes common attitudes and beliefs about death and dying.
                              • Identifies the stages of the dying process.
                            • 2 Assists in care of dying resident and their family members considering spiritual and cultural beliefs.
                              • Recognizes cultural and spiritual influences.
                              • Employs measures to maintain resident dignity.
                              • Identifies nursing assistant measures when resident is receiving hospice care.
                              • Recognizes impact of resident death on self and others.
                              • Adheres to legal-ethical standards when providing end of life care.
                            • 3 Provides care for residents when death is imminent.
                              • Identifies signs of impending death.
                              • Recognizes and adheres to advance directives.
                              • Observes, records and reports cessation of vital signs in accordance with advance directives.
                            • 4 Provides postmortem care adhering to cultural practices and facility policy.
                              • Identifies cultural practices in caring for the dead.
                              • Provides personal care for resident after death.
                              • Assists in facilitating organ donation.
                            • 5 Prepares body for removal from unit.