CareAcademy’s Pennsylvania Direct Care Worker Competency Exam, CAREPADCWEX, will help PA home care agencies streamline initial and annual training for well-qualified direct care workers.
The competency exam is made up of 48 questions that assess the care worker’s knowledge across all required subject areas listed under Pa. Code §611.55. Agencies implementing the competency exam can use this helpful policy document developed by CareAcademy (Pennsylvania Competency Exam Policy.pdf), which outlines the purpose of the exam, roles, parameters and CareAcademy’s recommendation for usage.
The exam offers a unique feature for questions answered incorrectly by the caregiver. It provides question-level feedback that specifies which CareAcademy class covers the relevant subject matter. The caregiver can then refer back to that particular class to review the correct information that can help them successfully answer the question when they retake the exam. Once caregivers successfully pass the exam with a score of 80% or higher, they are eligible to provide services to clients. This may generate positive savings and efficiencies for PA home care agencies and help qualified DCWs begin serving clients sooner. CareAcademy strongly recommends direct care workers demonstrate competency in all required subject areas before providing relevant services to clients.
We’ve ensured that this new exam is accessible in all CareAcademy training packages so that PA home care agencies are equipped with this essential, state-specific content.
For more information on Pennsylvania training requirements, check out our dedicated web page. CareAcademy’s in-house compliance team has compiled the following information to better understand the state’s training expectations: acceptable caregiver naming conventions and the number of hours to meet the initial onboarding and annual training requirements for various direct care worker roles. The page also shares important information on Pennsylvania licensing authorities and lists which CareAcademy classes meet the state’s initial and annual requirements for DCWs, PCAs, HHAs and CNAs. For CareAcademy’s complete list of state-specific classes, check out our full class list.
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