Illinois health care employers are required to obtain access to the the Health Care Worker Registry’s Web application. The health care employer must indicate employment dates and termination dates of the CNAs hired and separated from employment, respectively. If the CNA continues to work at that facility, the health care employer must provide verification no less than annually. The health care employer enters these dates directly into the registry’s Web application. This employment information is what keeps the CNA active on the registry, however, this applies only to Illinois employers.
The rules state that when an Illinois certified nurse aide has not provided nursing or nursing-related services for pay, for a period of twenty-four consecutive months, his or her certification is lost. Recertification is possible by passing both the manual skills and the written competency test. You should call the registry’s help desk at 217-785-5133 or email them at DPH.HCWR@Illinois.gov to see if there is a way to restore your status on the registry based on your work. My experience with them has been positive when I needed help.