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Administrator-In-Training (AIT) Program
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Article Content
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| Required Prior to Taking Examinations |
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Candidates for licensure by examination are required to complete the Administrator-In-Training (AIT) program prior to taking the state and national examinations. Candidates are encouraged to view the Initial License requirements prior to applying for the AIT program to ensure they meet the requirements for licensure.
The AIT program consists of a minimum of 960 training hours, which takes roughly six months to complete on a full-time basis. In some cases, the AIT program may be completed on a part-time basis with no fewer than 20 hours per week. The training program must be completed in a nursing home environment and under the guidance of a certified preceptor (licensed administrator who has met the requirements to become certified as a preceptor).
Listed below are links to AIT program information and an application to register for the program. If you need to locate a preceptor, you can begin the process by contacting companies operating in Oregon to inquire about their AIT programs and any training opportunities. Some companies provide salary or other compensation to AITs and others do not.
When you contact a company, be prepared to inquire about the company's salary/compensation policy for AITs. The Locating Training Opportunities link in the AIT packet information below will provide a partial list of these companies. You may also contact the individual facilities with certified preceptors.
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| AIT Application Packet |
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A list of facilities with preceptors is provided under the Nursing Homes and Preceptors section on this page or you may contact the Oregon Health Licensing Agency (OHLA) at 503-378-8667 or ohla.info@state.or.us to request an AIT packet that includes a list of Oregon facilities with certified preceptors.
Upon receipt of your AIT application, training plan, and fee, OHLA will forward information regarding your midway and final interview dates, state and national examinations, and your reporting schedule and forms. OHLA will correspond with you regularly as you progress through your program.
Midway through your training, OHLA will schedule a meeting with you to discuss the progress of your training. Following your interview, OHLA will forward a list of training recommendations to your preceptor and a copy will be provided to you.
A final interview will be scheduled toward the end of your training to discuss your follow-up on board recommendations from your mid-way interview. The Nursing Home Adminstrators Board will determine your eligibility to sit for the state and national examinations at your final interview and may elect to require additional training, if warranted.
A complete AIT application packet consists of the following documents, or you may contact OHLA to request an AIT application packet.
AIT Application Packet (PDF)
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| AIT Application Packet (Word) |
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| AIT Program Tool Kit |
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Tools For Measuring Your Success
The Nursing Home Administrators Board has developed the AIT Program Tool Kit to assist you in the development, orientation, and monitoring of your training program.
The kit includes the AIT Inventory of Knowledge tool, AIT Orientation Program tool, Midway Recommendation Checklist tool, Training Report Log tool, and Ancillary AIT Report tool. You are not required to use most of these tools; however, they are strongly recommended.
AIT Inventory of Knowledge Tool
The AIT Inventory of Knowledge Tool is a comprehensive assessment of your existing experience and knowledge. It is a tool to assist you and your preceptor in the development of your training plan/program.
AIT Orientation Program Tool
The AIT Orientation Program Tool is provided to your preceptor. Preceptors should use this tool to orient their trainees to the nursing facility, environment, staff, and synergy of departments working toward a common goal.
Midway Recommendation Checklist Tool
The board will question you about the progress of your program during your midway interview. The rotations and areas they are most interested in are reflected in the Midway Recommendation Checklist. You are asked to use this tool to identify the areas that you have completed and are working on in order to assist the board with the progress of your program. You are required to complete and remit this form at your midway interview point.
Training Report Log Tool
The Training Report Log Tool is an electronic template that will assist you in preparing your training reports. The template is designed in a format preferred by the board and will streamline and simplify your reports, while providing you the opportunity to express your experiences and observations on the areas covered during your training.
Ancillary AIT Report Tool
The AIT Report Tool is a quarterly snapshot of the progress in your program. Utilizing this tool will demonstrate the progress you have made at each report period. If you incorporate this tool into your program, the board would like to receive a copy of the form with your quarterly reports. This tool will help you, your preceptor, and the board quickly determine the progress of your program.
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| Midway Interview |
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The board personally interviews AITs at the midway point of their training. At that time, trainees are encouraged to ask questions and express concerns on the progress of their training program.
The midway interview gives the board an opportunity to evaluate an AIT's progress in their training program and to suggest changes and provide recommendations for the remainder of the program.
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Overnight Stay Recommendation: A Resident's Perspective
The board encourages preceptors and companies to support their recommendation for trainees to spend a night in the facility from the perspective of a resident.
Preceptors are encouraged to support and facilitate this process from admission to discharge. The board suggests the trainee be assigned a condition (stroke, Alzheimer’s, hip replacement, etc.) and that meals and assistance should be addressed appropriately according to their assigned condition.
Enlighten and involve your staff or place the trainee in another facility for the night, away from the staff that they are most familiar with. This will provide a greater appreciation of the residents’ perspective coming into an unfamiliar environment.
Encourage your AIT to journal their experience and to share their perspective with you and the board. You will be surprised at what you both will learn from this experience!
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| State and National Examinations |
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The following information relates to your state and national examinations. You may register to take your examinations only when you have satisfied your AIT program requirements and completed your final interview with the board. You will be notified in writing of your exam eligibility and provided a timeframe to attempt your state and national examinations.
State Examination
The State Examination Study Guide provided below is comprised of the Oregon Department of Human Services' Nursing Facility Regulations on which you will be tested. Examination answers are taken verbatim from these regulations, so you will need to know the information well.
You will schedule and complete your state examination at OHLA in Salem. The state examination consists of 50 multiple-choice questions and requires a minimum passing score of 84 percent. Each question is worth two points, thus you can answer no more than eight questions incorrectly.
National Examination
The national examination, administered by the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB), ensures that administrators have mastered a specific body of
knowledge and can demonstrate the skills and abilities essential to competent practice within the profession.
You must apply online for your NAB examination. However, do not apply to take your national examination until you are notified of your approval by OHLA. NAB exams are offered in Oregon at Prometric Test Centers located in Eugene, Milwaukie, Portland, and Salem. The NAB examination consists of 150 multiple choice questions; the passing score is a scale score of 113.
NAB offers candidates for licensure many resources to assist in preparing for the national licensure examination. The national examination information handbook is free and available for download on the NAB Web site under the Examinations page.
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| Reporting Program Interruptions and Changes |
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Trainees and preceptors are reminded to notify OHLA immediately of changes to a training program to ensure that interviews and report periods are adjusted accordingly.
The following changes should be reported promptly:
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Program interruption
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Program resumption
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Change in facility and/or preceptor
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Change in status from full- to part-time or vice versa
Program Change Report Form
Please also notify OHLA of changes to your mailing address and contact information.
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| Nursing Homes and Preceptors |
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