<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gho" article_name="Health Occupations" number="8-6A-08" future_version_removed="true" title_number="8" title_name="Nurses" subtitle_number="6A" subtitle_name="Certification of Nursing Assistants, Dialysis Technicians, and Medication Technicians">
  <level label="a">
    <text>A certificate expires on the 28th day of the birth month of the nursing assistant, dialysis technician, or medication technician, unless the certificate is renewed for a 2–year term as provided in this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>At least 3 months before a certificate expires, the Board shall send a renewal notice to the certificate holder by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>First–class mail to the last known mailing address of the certificate holder; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Electronic means to the last known electronic address of the certificate holder.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A renewal notice shall state:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The date on which the current certificate expires;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The date by which the renewal application must be received by the Board for the renewal to be issued and mailed before the certificate expires; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The amount of the renewal fee.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>If a certificate holder is required to have a criminal history records check before a certificate may be renewed, the Board shall send the certificate holder the documents necessary for initiating the criminal history records check in conjunction with the renewal notice required under paragraph (1) of this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Before a certificate expires, a nursing assistant periodically may renew it for an additional term, if the certificate holder:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Otherwise is entitled to be certified;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Submits to the Board a renewal application on the form that the Board requires;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Pays to the Board a renewal fee set by the Board; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Provides satisfactory evidence of completion of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>16 hours of active nursing assistant practice within the 2–year period immediately preceding the date of expiration; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>If the nursing assistant did not complete 16 hours of active practice as required under item (i) of this item, an approved nursing assistant training program or an approved nursing assistant refresher training program as required in regulations adopted by the Board in accordance with subsection (m) of this section.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>In addition to the requirements in subsection (c)(1), (2), and (3) of this section, a certified medicine aide shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Provide satisfactory evidence of completion of 100 hours of practice as a certified medicine aide in the 2–year period preceding the date of expiration; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Successfully complete a Board–approved medicine aide continuing education program.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>Before a certificate expires, a dialysis technician periodically may renew it for an additional term, if the certificate holder:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Otherwise is entitled to be certified;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Submits to the Board a renewal application on the form that the Board requires;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Pays to the Board a renewal fee set by the Board;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Has completed:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <level label="1">
          <text>16 hours of practice as a dialysis technician in the 2–year period immediately preceding the date of expiration; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>3 hours of continuing education approved by the Board; or</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>A dialysis technician training program approved by the Board; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Has an active national certification listed in § 8–6A–01(c)(2) of this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>Before a certificate expires, a medication technician periodically may renew it for an additional term, if the certificate holder:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Otherwise is entitled to be certified;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Submits to the Board a renewal application on the form that the Board requires;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Pays to the Board a renewal fee set by the Board;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Every 2 years, provides satisfactory evidence of completion of a Board–approved clinical refresher course; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>Provides satisfactory evidence of completion of 100 hours of practice as a certified medication technician within the 2–year period preceding the date of renewal.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>The Board may grant a 30–day extension, beyond a certificate’s expiration date, to a certificate holder so that the certificate holder may renew the certificate before it expires.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <text>The Board shall reinstate the certificate of a certificate holder who has failed to renew the certificate for any reason if the certificate holder meets the applicable renewal requirements of subsections (c) through (f) and (l)(1)(i)2 of this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <text>Subject to subsection (j) of this section, the Board shall renew the certificate of each nursing assistant, dialysis technician, or medication technician who meets the requirements of this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <level label="1">
      <text>Within 60 days after a change has occurred, each certificate holder shall notify the Board in writing of any change in a name or address.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If the certificate holder fails to notify the Board within the time required under this subsection, the Board may impose an administrative penalty of $25 on the certificate holder.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="k">
    <text>The Board shall pay any penalty collected under this section to the General Fund of the State.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="l">
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The Board shall require criminal history records checks in accordance with § 8–303 of this title on:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Selected applicants for certification as a certified nursing assistant, medication technician, or dialysis technician who renew their certificates every 2 years as determined by regulations adopted by the Board; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Each former certified nursing assistant, medication technician, or dialysis technician who files for reinstatement under subsection (h) of this section after failing to renew the certificate for a period of 1 year or more.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>An additional criminal history records check shall be performed every 12 years thereafter.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>On receipt of the criminal history record information of a certificate holder forwarded to the Board in accordance with § 8–303 of this title, in determining whether to initiate disciplinary action against the certificate holder based on the information received, the Board shall consider:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The age at which the crime was committed;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The circumstances surrounding the crime;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>The length of time that has passed since the crime;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>Subsequent work history;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>Employment and character references; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="vi">
        <text>Other evidence that demonstrates whether the certificate holder poses a threat to the public health or safety.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The Board may not renew a certificate without written documentation that the applicant has submitted to a criminal history records check as required under § 8–303 of this title.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="m">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If an individual has been certified by the Board to practice as a nursing assistant, dialysis technician, or medication technician in the State in accordance with the requirements of this subtitle, the individual subsequently may be certified as a nursing assistant, dialysis technician, or medication technician on inactive status.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Board shall place a certificate holder on inactive status and record the inactive status in the Board’s database and on the Board’s website if the certificate holder:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Submits documentation of a medical condition that the Board determines will prevent the certificate holder from practicing as a nursing assistant, dialysis technician, or medication technician; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Completes the biennial application for inactive status and submits documentation of a continuing medical condition.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>A certificate holder on inactive status may apply for reactivation of the certificate if the certificate holder:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Submits documentation satisfactory to the Board that the medical condition for which the inactive status was granted no longer exists; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Meets the renewal requirements of this section.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>If a certificate holder meets the requirements of paragraph (3) of this subsection, the Board shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Record the status of the certificate holder as active in the Board’s database and on the Board’s website; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Reactivate the certificate holder’s certificate to practice as a nursing assistant, dialysis technician, or medication technician in the State.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>The Board may not charge a fee to place the certificate holder on or remove the certificate holder from inactive status under this subsection.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>Inactive status:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>May not be considered a disciplinary action under § 8–6A–10 of this subtitle; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>May not be reported to any certifying entity, employer, or insurance company as a disciplinary action.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="n">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Board shall adopt regulations to specify:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>The circumstances under which a nursing assistant, as a condition of renewal, is required to complete either an approved nursing assistant training program or an approved nursing assistant refresher training program; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The number of didactic instruction hours and clinical training hours the nursing assistant training program or nursing assistant refresher training program must have to be approved.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Regulations adopted under paragraph (1) of this subsection must be consistent with federal law.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
