CNA Training and Certification Procedure in New Jersey
If you plan to work lawfully as a nurse assistant in the State of New Jersey, then you must be ready to meet the following requirements.
- You must complete a New Jersey approved training program
- You must pass the set competency examination at the end of your training program
- You must also pass a criminal background check
It is to be mentioned that if you have ever undergone similar CNA training in a different state and are migrating to New Jersey, so long as the certification and training program meets the set requirement of New Jersey, you can always apply for reciprocity. The same goes for graduate nurses who have graduated from recognized nursing schools or those who have already acquired licensure to work as nurses, you can petition so that you can skip the New Jersey CNA certification program.
For you to be able to work in a long-term health care facility, you must undertake and complete the NATCEP Program (Nurse Aide in Long Term Care Facilities Training and Competency Evaluation Program), which is made up of a total of 90 training hours, where 50 hours are channeled towards classroom work and the remaining 40 hours are spent in a typical clinical setting, but under maximum supervision by a nurse educator.
If on the other hand you want to work in an assisted living facility, you will be required to take the PCA program (New Jersey Curriculum for Personal Care Assistants) which is made up of a total of 85 hours of training, 69 of which are spent in class work and the remainder 16 are spent in clinical settings, and equally under supervision.
A typical New Jersey CNA training program will equip learners with a wide array of skills to be able to work competently in a typical work environment. The most basic areas include:-
- Emergency care
- Basic nursing care
- Restorative care
- Patient’s rights
- Infection control
Note that the clinical aspects of all New Jersey CNA training programs are done in a state-approved facility under the supervision and guidance of professional clinical educators. Once you successfully complete the program, you will be eligible to sit for the state competency examination, which will give you the opportunity to join the other graduates in the CNAs registry.
There are numerous state-approved training and certification programs across the State of New Jersey, which you can find in technical colleges, community colleges, adult institutes, community centers, professional training centers, among others. To get an updated list of programs and approved institutions, check with the DHSS CNA program list.