The Nurse Aide Registry

Announcement

We do not process faxed or incomplete forms. All completed forms must be emailed to the registry at obraregistry@dshs.wa.gov. Please be sure to include a return email address in order to receive OBRA confirmation.


The purpose of the Washington Nurse Aide - NA Registry is to maintain a database of individuals who meet the federal requirements to provide caregiving to residents residing in skilled nursing facilities in Washington State. The Registry also informs nursing home staff, through an inquiry process, of persons who are ineligible to work in a skilled nursing home due to findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property.

For each Nursing Assistant Certified - NAC the registry contains:

  • Basic identifying information;
  • Care giving work history;
  • Eligibility status for working in a nursing facility;
  • Findings of abuse, neglect or misappropriation of property;

The Nurse Aide Registry contains information about more than 22,600 individuals involved in care giving as Nursing Assistants- Certified in Washington and other states. The registry also contains identifying information for persons who are ineligible to work as caregivers.

A nursing assistant’s name is added to the registry by:

  • Completing NAC training and passing both written and skills exams;
  • Being inter-state endorsed to Washington from another state;
  • Becoming ineligible to work in a nursing facility due to state disciplinary action or findings of abuse or neglect in Washington or another state.

Once a nursing assistant candidate passes the written and skills exam, Washington’s testing contractor (Pearson Vue) provides the Registry with test results for downloading into the registry. This download enters the individual’s identification information and their NA exam results into the Washington Nurse Aide Registry.

Inquiry process for skilled nursing facility staff

The Nurse Aide Registry inquiry process enables skilled nursing facilities to check the Registry status of each prospective NAC employee during the hiring process. This check fulfills a Federal regulation [42 CFR 483.35 (4) (i)(ii)] that says that nursing facilities must inquire of the Nurse Aide Registry before employing any NAC.

Screening for persons with State substantiated findings of abuse, neglect or misappropriation of property

The second purpose of this process is to provide nursing facility staff an opportunity to update the NAC’s care giving work history on the registry. Emailing or mailing an inquiry form (DSHS 16-193) to the registry initiates inquiries.

Nurse Aide Registry staff check the Registry database for each person listed on the inquiry form. When care giving work history information is included with the inquiry the individual's Registry work status is updated. Registry status results are then emailed back to the inquiring HR usually within 24 to 48 hours of receipt. The Nurse Aide Registry Inquiry Form (16-193) is available on the Internet and may be printed from the following web address:

https://www.dshs.wa.gov/office-of-the-secretary/forms

Instructions for Nursing Homes Completing an OBRA Inquiry Request Form