Nursing Home Important Information

About Staffing Roles

Staffing information reported by nursing homes includes the following:

• Registered Nurses (RNs)
• Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs)
• Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs)
• Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs)

Some educational and training requirements are listed below, however, each state may have its own specific requirements.

Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical and Vocational Nurses

By law, RNs must assess nursing home residents' needs. RNs and LPNs/LVNs work together to plan care, implement care and treatment, and evaluate residents' outcomes. Nurses must be licensed in the state and are on site to provide care to residents twenty-four hours per day, seven days a week. Registered nurses (RNs) have between 2 and 6 years of education. Licensed practical and vocational nurses (LPNs/LVNs) generally have 1 year of training.

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs)

Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) provide care to nursing home residents twenty-four hours per day, seven days a week. They work under the direction of a licensed nurse to assist residents with activities of daily living, i.e., eating, grooming, hygiene, dressing, transferring, and toileting. All full time certified nursing assistants (CNAs) must have completed a competency evaluation program or nurse assistant training within 4 months of their permanent employment. They must also pursue continuing education each year.