How do I challenge the State of NJ to be able to take the CNA test?

Question

I have been a CNA in a hospital setting in Florida for three years. When speaking to the Department of Health of NJ, I was told that I needed to take the 90 hours course again and pay $1800 for this course. How do I challenge the State of NJ in allowing me to take CNA test because I have been a CNA in Florida for three years.

Comments

I just recently took the CNA exam in California and passed. I am moving to New Jersey. My question is how can I transfer my California CNA certificate to New Jersey? Can somebody help me?

Answer 1

Unfortunately New Jersey does not reciprocate with the following states: Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia.

You may contact the New Jersey Department of Health Certification Program by email at ltc@doh.nj.gov to verify this information. To help them respond to your inquiry, please include:

• your specific request,
• your name and mailing address, including zip code,
• your daytime phone number including area code,
• your e-mail address,
• the word "NATCEP" in the subject line.

You may take the examination without completing a nurse aide training course and clinical skills evaluation if you qualify as one of the following:

• You are a student, graduate nurse, or foreign licensed nurse who submits evidence of successful completion of a course in the fundamentals of nursing; OR
• You can submit evidence of successfully completing a course in the fundamentals of nursing within the 12 months immediately preceding your application to take the competency examination. This category includes:
  • You are certified in another state and listed on that state's nurse aide registry, but do not meet the requirements for equivalency.
  • You have training and experience as a nurse aide in a military service.
  • You are certified as homemaker-home health aide by the New Jersey Board of Nursing, and successfully completed the Long-Term Care Module of the Core Curriculum for Unlicensed Assistive Personnel. The clinical skills evaluation is still required in this case.
  • You have successfully completed the Core Curriculum for Unlicensed Assistive Personnel approved by the New Jersey State Department of Health and Senior Services and the New Jersey Board of Nursing, and the Long‐Term Care Module of the Core Curriculum for Unlicensed Assistive Personnel approved by the New Jersey State Department of Health and Senior Services. The clinical skills evaluation is still required in this case.

Also, please note that New Jersey does not require nurse aides to be certified to work in an acute care hospital, however, if a hospital has a licensed long term care unit or a licensed sub-acute unit, certified nurse aides must staff those units.