Nursing Home Administrators Board Nursing Home Administrator Licensure

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Nursing Home Administrators Board

Nursing Home Administrator Licensure

What Is Required to Become a Nursing Home Administrator?

Administrator-in-Training Program

Endorsement / Reciprocity

Preceptor Requirements

What Is Required to Become a Nursing Home Administrator?

The following requirements apply to individuals who are not licensed in a recognized jurisdiction or who are not able to reinstate an expired administrator license.

Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited school of higher education
No felony convictions
Complete the Administrator-In-Training (AIT) program (960 hours)
Pass the national and state nursing home administrator examinations

If you have a post-graduate degree in management and have at least 10 years of experience in health care management as defined in OAR 853-010-0010(11), you may be licensed without completing an AIT program or taking the examination. The license issued shall be specific to the facility for which the governing body made the request pursuant to OAR 853-010-0017.

Please contact the Oregon Health Licensing Agency (OHLA) at (503) 378-8667 or ohla.info@state.or.us for more information.

Note: Refer to the Endorsement / Reciprocity section if you are a licensed nursing home administrator in a recognized jurisdiction or if you have held a license that can be reinstated.


Administrator-in-Training Program

*How long is an Administrator-In-Training program?* The AIT program consists of a minimum completion of 960 hours of training. Most AITs complete it within six months, but it can be extended out over a longer period. This would certainly be the case if you are employed in a position in the nursing facility (e.g., activity director, nurse, admissions coordinator, etc.). AIT programs consisting of fewer than 2.5 days per week require prior approval. *Is there a specific bachelor’s degree requirement?* No, the bachlelor's degree can be in any field. There are two universities in Oregon that specialize in health care administration degrees: Oregon State University (OSU) and Concordia University. OSU’s degree has a long-term care track. *Do I need a degree before I start the AIT program?* No, however, you need to have the degree before applying for the examination. Sometimes students register for an AIT program for the summer, go to school, and then finish the AIT program the following summer. *What are my options if my AIT program is interrupted?* The hours earned in your AIT program will be counted so long as you resume your program within six months of the interruption. You will need to begin accumulating the hours over again if you exceed the six-month deadline.


Endorsement / Reciprocity

If I am licensed in another state, what are the steps to gain licensure in Oregon? Complete and submit an endorsement application and pay the application fee. Provide an official college transcript verifying your bachelor’s degree (degree requirement waived if the administrator was licensed in a recognized jurisdiction prior to January 1, 1983). Forward the Reciprocity Questionnaire/License Verification Form to your current licensure state(s)requesting verification of your license history. Submit two letters of reference from present and prior employers or if self-employed from person(s) that you have contracted with. Once approved, applicant must pass the state nursing home administrator examination. Upon contact, OHLA will forward a copy of the state administrator examination study guide. Endorsement applications are reviewed at Nursing Home Administrator Board meetings typically scheduled on the second Wednesday in the months of January, April, July and October. Application, fee and supporting documents must be received 30 days prior to the scheduled meeting to qualify for review. *Is there a temporary license if I secure employment prior to approval?* Yes, it is called a Provisional License. A provisional license is issued to you for a specific nursing facility, so you will need to have an offer of employment before completing the application. The nursing home owner also has to complete a section of the application and sign it. *I am a licensed Oregon administrator and have accepted an administrator position in another state. What do I need to do?* Contact the regulatory entity in the state where you will be relocating for specific instructions. If you need contact information, you may either call/e-mail OHLA or access individual state contact information via a link on the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards Web site. You will likely need to provide verifications from all states in which you are/were licensed, even if your license in a state is not currently active. Contact the states where you need verifications to find out if a fee is required. There is license verification fee that must be forwarded to OHLA along with the state’s verification form from where you are relocating.


Preceptor Requirements

*What are the requirements to be a preceptor?* Preceptor candidates are required to: Hold a current Oregon nursing home administrator license free of disciplinary action within the prior five years Have been licensed for a minimum of three years Precept at least once every five years Preceptor training is offered by the Oregon Health Care Association (OHCA) located in Tigard, Oregon. Preceptor training is currently held two times a year or on an as-needed basis and lasts approximately six hours. For more information or to register for preceptor training, contact OHCA at (503) 726-5260.


National Examination

*Important Note:* Interested persons are encouraged to download the latest version of the Information for Candidates Handbook located on the National Association of Boards of Nursing Home Administrators (NAB) Web site at www.nabweb.info. *What is the purpose of the national licensing examination for nursing home administrators?* The purpose of the licensing examination is to protect the public by ensuring that entry-level nursing home administrators have mastered a specific body of knowledge and can demonstrate the skills and abilities essential to competent practice within the profession. *What subject matter areas are covered on the national examination?* The examination covers the five subject areas listed below. These areas as well as the percentage of questions per area are determined using a job analysis study. The goal of the study is to determine the daily tasks of the administrator. 1. Resident Care and Quality of Life (35%) 2. Human Resources (15%) 3. Finance (14%) 4. Physical Environment and Atmosphere (13%) 5. Leadership & Management (23%) Each subject matter area contains several tasks, which are listed below along with the knowledge and skills needed in order to perform the tasks. *How many questions are on the examination?* There are a total of 150 questions on the examination, which are categorized as follows: 1. Resident Care and Quality of Life (52 questions) 2. Human Resources (23 questions) 3. Finance (21 questions) 4. Physical Environment and Atmosphere (19 questions) 5. Leadership & Management (35 questions) *Is there a time limit on the national examination?* Yes. The time limit for completing the examination is three hours. *What are the dates of the national examination?* There is no specific date because the examination is computer-based. Once you have completed the AIT program and your application is approved, you may register online to take your national examination. When your eligibility has been confirmed by OHLA, the Professional Examination Service will send you an "Authorization-to-Test" letter. You have 60 days from the date of the “authorization” letter to schedule and attempt your examination at a Prometric Center near you (Prometric sites and contact information will be included with the letter). Failure to schedule and take the examination within 60 days of notification will result in forfeiture of all fees. *I have applied to take the national examination in Oregon but am going to be out of state for several weeks and don’t want to miss the 60-day deadline.* If you know ahead of time that you will be out of state, you can arrange to take your examination in another state so long as your application has been approved by Professional Examination Service (PES). When you receive your “Authorization-to-Test” letter from PES it will contain a list of the Prometric sites and phone numbers. Call the toll-free number (888-680-5327) to schedule a date and time for your examination in the state where you will be located. *If I fail the NAB examination, how soon can I retake it?* Candidates may take the national examination up to four times in any 12-month period. However, candidates who wish to retake the examination will be required to reapply through the online system, and resubmit all required fees to NAB.


State Examination

*What is the purpose of the state licensing examination for nursing home administrators?* The purpose of the state xamination is to demonstrate an applicant's proficiency in the practice and knowledge of applicable rules of health and safety with the state of Oregon. *When can I take the state examination?* Once your application has been reviewed and approved, you may contact OHLA to schedule a date and time to take your exam. Applications are approved at quarterly board meetings typically occurring on the second Wednesday in the months of January, April, July and October. *What subject matter is covered on the state examination?* The examination is comprised of 50 multiple-choice questions based on the state regulations for Oregon Nursing Home Facilities, which serves as the “Study Guide” for the state examination. Examination candidates are provided a copy of the regulations/study-guide prior to examination and will be tested solely on the material that is provided. *What is the passing score for the state examination?* You will need to answer at least 42 of the 50 questions correctly (a minimum score of 84 percent) to pass the examination. *Is there a time limit on the state examination?* The state examination is not a timed exam; however, it generally takes about an hour to complete. What are the dates of the state examination? The state examination is a written examination that is offered on an as-needed basis. You may arrange to take your state examination by contacting OHLA at 503-378-8667 or ohla.info@state.or.us. How soon can I retake the state examination if I fail? There is no restriction on when you may retake the state examination. If you fail the state examination, you may elect to retake another version of the examination the same day, provided there is adequate time and available staff.

For More Information

Click here to go to the Fees page.

Click here to go to the Forms page.


Continuing Education

*When do I have to start accumulating continuing education (CE) hours?* When your initial license is issued, a letter will be included explaining your CE requirements and the timeframe for accruing CE credits. Your CE requirement begins on the issuance date of the license and is pro-rated depending on the date you entered the license period. *How do I find out about continuing education (CE) opportunities?* If you are working as an administrator, your facility likely belongs to an association such as Oregon Health Care Association or the Oregon Alliance of Senior & Health Services. Both associations offer excellent opportunities annually to earn CE credits. Additionally, OHLA posts approved CE opportunities. Select the Continuing Education link to find more information on continuing education offerings.

Page updated: February 10, 2010

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