The nursing aide programs in Selmer, Tennessee that are shown on this page have all the information that you will need to become certified to work in this state. Schools listed have been vetted and approved by the TN Department of Health and meet testing requirements.

McNairy County Health Care Center
Highway 64 Bypass,
Selmer, TN 38375
(731) 658-7649

A CNA certificate is required if a person wishes to work as a nurse aide in Tennessee. The state requires a person to complete a certified CNA program before taking on the competency evaluation exams. Many of the programs require the candidate to pass the national background check before they can accept them.

Certified Nurse Aide programs are found throughout the entire state. The training is composed of 75 hours of classroom instructions and clinical training in a nursing facility while under the supervision of a qualified clinical instructor. Approved programs are required by the state’s Department of Health to include at least 25 different nursing skills in their training curriculum. At the end of the program, the candidate will receive a certificate of completion, which will be required when applying for the exams. Military-trained medics or corpsmen, nursing graduates or students can also apply by providing a copy of their transcripts or diploma.

The competency exam consists of a written test and a practical skills evaluation. For those who have difficulty in reading English, they can request to take an oral exam instead of the written test. Candidates must pass all the tests to get into the NAR. To pass the first part of the exam, candidates must get at least a 75% average.  As for the skills evaluation, they must perform all 5 nursing skills with 80% competency.

Another way of getting into the NAR is by applying for reciprocity. To apply, applicants must have a valid certificate and be in good standing with the state they come from. Applicants must not have any records of patient abuse, neglect, or theft. Applicants coming from Florida and North Carolina must undergo training and examination in Tennessee to get into the NAR. Those coming from Georgia will no longer be required to retrain but must still challenge and pass the competency exam.

Once your name is entered on the NAR, your certificate will be sent to your address within 4-6 weeks. Your certificate will remain valid so long as your name is found in the NAR. Inclusion on the registry means you are eligible to work as a nursing assistant for twenty-four months. To keep it there, you must find work as a paid nurse aide for at least 8 hours in a nursing facility that is approved by the Division of Health Care Facilities.

If you are already a nursing graduate or a medic that was trained in the military, then you will only need to apply for the exams directly and do not need to undergo retraining. If you finished a CNA program in most other states you can apply for reciprocity and may be able to challenge the exam without having to retake a training class.

Selmer is a town that is in McNairy County. It was named after Selma, Alabama. This town serves as the seat of government for this county. It became the county seat around 1890 right after Purdy. According to the last census, their total population had reached up to a total of 4,541 people with a population density of 464.5/sq mile. The total area of this town was estimated to be about 9.8 sq miles, where all of it is land. Major roads that are accessible to get to this town include U.S. Routes 64 and 45.

Examples of health care providers and centers that are located in the area include Volunteer Health Care, Professional Health Care Service Inc., Trinity Medical Clinic, Quinco Mental Health Centers, Mcnairy Health Care Center, Take Care Clinic at select Walgreens, and many more. photo attribution: westconn