This post was written by Morgan Brown, an undergraduate student majoring in both psychology and gerontology.
How do you become a licensed long-term care administrator in Missouri? Type “How to become a long-term care administrator in Missouri?” into Google and the first link that pops up is the Board of Nursing Administrators – Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services.2 The website has a thorough description of what the Board of Nursing Home Administrators does and two links to the two different types of administration licenses.3
There are two different kinds of long-term care licensures in the state of Missouri through the Department of Health & Senior Services.3 The first being a Nursing Home Administration License (NHA) and the second being a Residential Care Facility Administration License (RCAL).3 Both licensures require one to be at least 21 years of age, of good moral character, have a high school education or equivalent, and has not been convicted of a crime.5,7
Nursing Home Administration License
A licensed NHA can administrate a residential care, intermediate care, assisted living, or licensed skilled nursing facility.5 To receive an NHA license, you must have the following:
Experience:
- At least three years of experience in health-care administration OR;
Education:
- An associate degree in health-care administration with at least 21 semester hours of course work directly in health-care administration OR;
- Baccalaureate or Master’s degree in one of the following: Health-care administration; Gerontology (including a long-term care practicum, internship, or both); Nursing (BSN or diploma nurse) OR;
- Experience AND education in one of the following areas: Associate degree and two years of experience in a health-care facility OR; Baccalaureate degree and one year of experience in a health-care facility OR; Master’s degree or beyond and one year of experience in a health-care facility.5
Residential Care Facility Administration License
A licensed RCAL administrates only at an assisted living facility or at a licensed residential care facility.7 To receive a RCAL license, you must have the following:
- Experience and/or education from an accredited educational institution in one of the following areas:
- Experience: A minimum of two years in health care or aging-related experience including management responsibility and supervision of 2 staff members OR;
- Associate degree and one year in health care or aging-related experience including six months of management responsibilities and supervision of at least two staff persons OR;
- Baccalaureate degree or beyond and six months in health care or aging-related experience including management responsibilities and supervision of at least two staff persons.7
Cross Over
For both licensures, you must take the specified NHA or RCAL exam which is a computer-based exam that is administered at a PSI Technology Center through the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB).4 Through the Frequently Asked Questions link, one can find where to find the specific study materials (States, Regulations, and Resources page), how to find out if they’re qualified to take the exams, where to find more information about the exams, and where exactly one can take their exam.4
You must also fill out, for both of these licenses, the application form, check over the reciprocity applicant checklist, send in the $150 application fee before their application can be reviewed, and they suggest to mail in the application six weeks before the board meeting date to ensure that the application can be reviewed on time.5,7 Luckily, at the top of both of the NHA License and the RCAL License pages, these requirements are all listed with links to an adobe file that you can download.5,7
Wrapping Up
Yes, there is an extensive list of requirements for each of these licenses but we in the Gerontology field must protect and adequately serve the older adult population to ensure a wonderful quality of life. For further information, visit the Board of Nursing Home Administrators website: http://health.mo.gov/information/boards/bnha/.
References
- Phillips, personal communication, October 30, 2017.
- https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=1HDyWcSBNcvKmQH0sJuwBg& q=how+to+become+a+long+term+care+administrator+in+Missouri&oq=ho w+to+become+a+long+term+care+administrator+in+Missouri&gs_l=psy-3…514.7660.0.7931.57.45.0.0.0.0.247.5059.3j30j3.36.0….0…1.1.64.psy- ab..21.35.4905.0..0j35i39k1j0i131k1j0i67k1j0i20i264k1j0i22i30k1j33i22i29i30k1.0.27l48jg50Uo
- Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services. “Board of nursing home” Retrieved on Oct. 26, 2017 from http://health.mo.gov/information/boards/bnha/
- Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services. “Frequently Asked Questions.” Retrieved on Oct. 30, 2017 from https://mohealth.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/topics/138535-board-of- nursing-home-administrators
- Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services. “NHA license.” Retrieved on Oct. 26, 2017 from health.mo.gov/information/boards/bnha/nhalicense.php.
- Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services. “NHA license renewal.” Retrieved on Oct. 26, 2017 from mo.gov/information/boards/bnha/nhalicenserenewal.php.
- Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services. “RCAL license.” Retrieved on 26, 2017 from health.mo.gov/information/boards/bnha/nhalicense.php.
- Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services. “RCAL license renewal.” Retrieved on Oct. 26, 2017 from mo.gov/information/boards/bnha/nhalicenserenewal.php.