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General Information on the NAB and MN State Examinations

NAB Exams

You must have an active application for licensure on file with the state licensing board to be eligible to take the NAB exams. Information about how to apply for the NAB exam will be sent after BELTSS receives your NHA application. Registration for the NAB exam, which is computer-based, is online, so an email address is required. Once approval is granted by the Minnesota Board, authorization is officially emailed to you by PSI, with an authorization number and directions to contact a PSI site to schedule your exam.

Applicants for licensure in Minnesota will be required to take and pass the NAB Core and Line of Services exam-NHA. The fee for the exam may be found on the ww.nabweb.org in the NAB Exam Candidate Handbook. This website will also provide locations nearest to you.

Candidates should use the instructions found at www.nabweb.org. Testing is modified and available on a limited basis and at limited testing centers during this time.

NAB Exam Score Transfers

While an exam score will automatically be reported to the jurisdiction for which the exam was taken, a request will need to be made using one of the methods below to transfer your scores to additional states. If candidates are applying for licensure in another state, they can submit a request for a score transfer from NAB. Please visit NAB website for more information on how to transfer your NAB scores.

NOTE : Prior to 1988, NAB did not administer the national licensing exam for long term care administrators and therefore cannot guarantee a complete record of your score.

State NHA Exams

Minnesota requires all applicants for licensure to pass an online NHA exam. Applicants will have one hour and 35 minutes to complete the 35 multiple-choice open book exam testing candidate ability to research and interpret Minnesota Statutes and Rules about the operation of a Minnesota nursing home. Examinees will use the board-provided statutes and rules for the examination.

You must have an active application for Minnesota licensure on file with the board to be eligible to take the state exam. A state exam application will be sent to applicants after applying for the NHA license. Once the exam application and fee has been processed, you will have 14 days to sit for the online exam.

The fee for the NHA State Exam is $100 (check or money order made payable to BELTSS) and must be submitted with the State exam application by mail only.

For applicants who are also pursuing the ALD license, BELTSS offer a single exam testing the applicant on both the NHA and ALD MN Rules and Statutes. The exam is a 50-question exam and applicants have two hours to complete the exam. The fee is $100, and for some ALD applicants it may be included in the type of application submitted. Refer to the ALD application Exam tab.

Individuals preparing to take the State Exam are encouraged to review each reference at least twice and become acquainted with the index in both the MN Rules and Statutes. The objective of the open reference State exam is for the applicant to become familiar with the State Rules and Statutes and feel comfortable referencing the material from the provided texts. Applicants are encouraged to use Control F in searching for ‘key words” within those references.

Proctor Information

To qualify as a proctor an individual must be a licensed already for the type of exam the applicant is taking. For NHA applicants, a proctor must be an HSE or NHA licensee.

The licensed individual must be active and in good standing.

Examination attempts and score expiration.

Applicants should know and read the Minnesota Administrative Rules governing exams.

Minn.R. 6400.6100 Subp.4. Examination attempts and score expiration

A. If an applicant does not pass the NAB or state examination on the second attempt, the applicant must submit to the board a study plan and wait six months from the date of the examination attempt to sit for the examination a third time. If an applicant does not pass the NAB or state examination on the third attempt, the applicant must submit a revised study plan and wait one year from the date of the third examination attempt to sit for the examination a fourth time. The applicant may also be required to reapply to comply with subpart 3.

B. Examination scores expire two years after the date the examination was taken if the applicant has not become fully licensed within two years.

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