National examination examinations

(a) "NAB Examination(s)" refers to the required examination(s) for a particular license type. Prior to July 2017, NAB conducted only two examinations - one for the NHA and one for the RCAL license types. Many administrators will have single scores from those exams on file. After this date, the examinations were broken into two (2) parts consisting of a "Core" examination and a "Line of Service" or "LOS" module exam, with three (3) different LOS exams possible - the existing NHA and RCAL with HCBS (Home and Community Based Services) being the third LOS "module" added. The "Core" examination items are those items that according to NAB's periodic professional practice analysis have been determined to be "core" to all lines of service as an administrator where the LOS exams or modules are specific to those lines of service. NAB's HSE credential, for example, would require that one will have passed all four (4) of these exams (the "Core" and all three LOS exams). Other licenses may require the Core and a corresponding LOS exam be passed, but viewed as a single exam requirement. It is also possible to simply have a requirement for the Core exam wherein the LOS exams available may not be viewed as wholly compatible with the license/certification type. When one 35 speaks of the NAB Exam, they would typically be referring to the "whole" requirement for an exam or series of exams for the specified license type or credential which explains why it's possible to be referenced in singular or plural. The NAB Core examination consists of questions related to the Domains of Practice and is relevant to all licensed administrators. It is required for all long-term care administrator applicants. (b) An individual applying for an initial license must receive a passing score on the applicable exam, either the Nursing Home Administrator ("NHA") examination (Core and NHA module) or the Residential Care/Assisted living ("RC/AL") exam (Core and RCAL module), administered by the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB) (neither is applicable to Residential Care or Adult Day Care administrator applicants). The Board may waive this requirement if the applicant provides evidence that he has successfully passed the appropriate NAB examination at a previous time. The NAB's RC/AL (Residential Care/Assisted living) exam does not meet the requirements for a nursing home administrator license. An applicant showing proper evidence of having the HSE credential shall be considered to have shown evidence that he passed both the NHA and RCAL exams as well as the HCBS exam. An applicant who tested prior to the implementation of the Core and LOS modules shall be considered to have passed the Core as well as either the NHA or RCAL module (or both) depending on the test(s) taken and passed. The Line of Service module examination is required for certain license types and contains questions related to the Domains of Practice specific to a line of service. (c) An applicant for licensure by endorsement who has previously passed the required NAB examination will not be required to retake the examination if the applicant provides evidence of a passing score. HSE applicants as well as reciprocity applicants who provide evidence of a previous passing score and meet all other reciprocity requirements will be exempt from taking NAB tests prior to the issuance of a license. (d) An individual applying for a provisional license shall not be required to pass the applicable NAB examination to be provisionally licensed. Provisional license applicants will not be required to pass the NAB examination before becoming provisionally licensed, if all other provisional licensure requirements are met. (e) Fees for all national examinations shall be in an amount prescribed by and are due are prescribed by and payable to the NAB or its authorized designee.