Hale Makua Opens Only Nurse Aide Competency Testing Site on Maui

Hale Makua Health Services announced that it has become a Prometric testing site for the Nurse Aide Competency Exam, which Nurse Aides are required to pass in order to become State Certified Nurse Aide in Hawaiʻi. Previously, the only testing site on Maui closed its doors on February 9, 2019. Recognizing the need to fill the void, HMHS anticipates holding its first Nurse Aide Competency Exam on March 30, 2019.

HMHS CEO, Wesley Lo, states, “CNAs provide essential care for over 300 residents and clients daily, and are the foundation of the services we provide. With nearly 200 CNAs employed throughout our nursing homes, adult residential care home and adult day health center, ensuring that we are able to provide quality, compassionate care for our frail elders is crucial. And having a pipeline of CNAs is vital to being able to provide around the clock care for the frail elders who rely on us for assistance. Lack of a testing site on Maui would mean that in addition to paying the $200 testing fee, Nurse Aides would be forced cover the cost of travelling to Oahu to take the exam to become a CNA.”

Prometric is the only company contracted with the Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) to develop and administer its NA Competency Exam and to manage the NA Registry. To become a CNA in Hawaiʻi and a member of the Hawaiʻi NA Registry, an individual needs to complete the Hawaiʻi NA Examination Application and send it to Prometric. The application is available online at www.prometric.com/NurseAide/HI. Upon passing both the written and skills parts of the NA Competency Exam, individuals will receive their certificate via mail and their name will be added to the Hawaiʻi Nurse Aide Registry.

HMHS Clinical Educator, Kim Pickering, RN shares, “Our Nurse Aide testing site at Hale Makua Wailuku provides a wonderful resource for Maui residents who’ve completed Hale Makua’s Nurse Aide Training Program with a local testing location, which alleviates one of the barriers preventing some of our students from taking their certification test. Our testing site will also be open to anyone who has applied and been approved by Prometrics to take their certification.”