R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.9-5
Nursing assistants as defined in § 23-17.9-2 who are employed or have had experience as a nursing assistant prior to the enactment of this chapter, and the effective date of the regulations promulgated in relation to this chapter, shall pass the appropriate level of examination administered by the department approved by the director in lieu of the training program. Exempt from the qualifying examination are home health aides/homemakers who have successfully passed the qualifying examination and/or successfully completed an approved home health aide/homemaker program under the provisions of chapter 17.7 of this title and the regulations promulgated in relation to that chapter. Also exempt from the qualifying examination are classes of individuals, regardless of employment setting, who are exempted from examination by federal statute or regulations and these exemptions shall be defined according to rules and regulations promulgated by the department of health. Successful completion of the qualifying examination and the provisions of this section shall be deemed satisfactory for employment as a nursing assistant. Unless exempted by rules and regulations promulgated by the department of health, each application must be submitted with a processing fee as set forth in § 23-1-54 to be paid by the employing facility or agency if the applicant has been continuously employed by the facility for six (6) months prior to the application or by another responsible party as defined in rules and regulations promulgated by the department of health consistent with federal statutory and/or regulatory requirements; but, if the applicant is unemployed, to be submitted by the applicant. If the applicant shall be continuously employed by the same facility for six (6) months after the application, then the fee shall be directly refunded to the applicant by the facility or agency. If federal statutory or regulatory requirements mandate that the certifying agency conduct an examination of manual skills proficiency as a component of the examination process to meet minimal federal compliance, a manual skills proficiency examination may be required by rules and regulations promulgated by the department of health for all applicants not otherwise exempted from the examination requirements. If a manual skills proficiency examination is required to be conducted by the certifying agency as a component of the certifying examination, each application shall be accompanied by a fee as set forth in § 23-1-54 to be paid by the employing facility or agency if the applicant has been continuously employed by the facility for six (6) months prior to the application or by another responsible party as defined in rules and regulations promulgated by the department of health consistent with federal statutory and/or regulatory requirements; but, if the applicant is unemployed, to be submitted by the applicant. If the applicant shall be continuously employed by the same facility for six (6) months after the application, then the fee shall be directly refunded on a pro rata basis between months six (6) and twelve (12) to the applicant by the facility or agency.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17.9-5