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 Tennessee CNA Requirements as of February 2023.
To see requirements in other states, visit nursinghome411.org/cna-reqs.
Tennessee CNA Requirements
- Education & Training Requirement
- Individuals must complete a state approved nurse aide training and competency evaluation program.
- Testing Requirement
- Individuals must pass both a written and skills test.
- Individuals who fail any portion of the test three (3) consecutive times shall repeat training prior to taking the test again.
- Renewal & In-Service Requirements
- In-service requirements are the same as federal.
- Renewal requires 8 hours of nursing or nursing-related duties every 24 months.
- Hours
- 75 Hours
- Curriculum
- Same as federal.
- For Alzheimer’s Units: In addition to the classroom instruction required in the nurse aide training program, each nurse aide assigned to the unit shall have forty (40) hours of classroom instruction which shall include but not be limited to the following subject areas:
- (a) Basic facts about the causes, progression and management of Alzheimer’s Disease and related disorders;
- (b) Dealing with dysfunctional behavior and catastrophic reactions in the resident;
- (c) Identifying and alleviating safety risks to the resident;
- (d) Providing assistance in the activities of daily living for the resident; and,
- (e) Communicating with families and other persons interested in the resident.
- Tennessee Rules
- TN CNA Requirements
- Code Ann. § 68-11-209