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New Jersey

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CNA Classes in New Jersey

Located on the eastern seaboard, New Jersey has a larger than average percentage of affluent residents and a rich history. One of the most familiar cities is Newark, which houses a popular East Coast airport. It also is the home of several professional teams, two of which play at the MetLife Stadium. Although New Jersey is small in size, it is the most densely populated state with just under 9 million residents. Many individuals commute to New York but appreciate living here. CNAs here can expect competitive pay and plenty of job options at the 77 hospitals or 52,000 nursing homes.

About New Jersey

– Capital: Trenton
– Minimum Wage: $8.59
– Number of Hospitals: 77
– Number of Nursing Homes: 52,417

Population

– Total Population: 8,938,175
– Population (ages 45-64): 2,493,400
– Population (ages 65+): 1,313,503
– Population (ages 85+): 194,960

Top Unversities

– Princeton University
– Rutgers University, New Brunswick
– College of New Jersey

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in New Jersey

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CNA Program Requirements

Taking the Test

Applicants by Endorsement

Renewing & Expired Certification

Contacts & Additional Resources

Students wishing to apply to a CNA course in New Jersey must be at least 18 years old and hold a high school diploma or equivalent. Students must undergo federal and state background and criminal checks as well as have a set of fingerprints on file. Students must also prove that they are up-to-date on all of their immunizations, that they have had a physical from a doctor and that they have had a negative tuberculosis screening in the past six months. Finally, students need to hold a current CPR certification card to apply for CNA training. Some training programs have students complete a simple evaluation prior to enrollment to test English and math skills.

New Jersey has established a Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP) that is governed by the New Jersey Department of Health. The NATCEP has instituted training procedures that include at least 90 total hours of training of which 40 must be performing clinical skills in healthcare facilities and 50 must be spent learning CNA theory in the classroom. Training programs for Personal Care Assistants include 85 hours of which 16 must be clinical.

Other individuals who meet CNA training requirements are student nurses who have completed a Fundamentals of Nursing class within the past year, graduate nurses who are waiting to take their boards and foreign registered nurses. Home health aides may also be able to skip CNA training and take the competency examination if they have taken a long-term care class.

Following training, New Jersey applicants must complete both skills and knowledge tests before being placed on the state’s CNA registry. Before this, the state requires a full criminal check, which may take up to 12 weeks to complete. However, following this, there is not much of a wait before being able to test. Typically, one’s instructor will set up the skills test, which consists of demonstrating hand washing as well as performing four other randomly selected skills, which are listed in the PSI Exams manual.

Next, after successfully completing the skills section, students will apply to PSI to take the knowledge section. This section can be completed in writing or may be performed orally per the applicant’s wishes. It consists of 70 multiple-choice questions, which must be completed in two hours or less. The test is offered in six New Jersey cities, but applicants should be willing to take the test at a location further from them should particular locations fill. Both parts of the examination cost $76. Candidates who have passed the criminal check will find out if they have passed on site. Those who fail can retake each section up to two additional times.

CNAs who will be working in an acute care hospital will not need to be certified. However, CNAs who choose to work in a long-term care facility, an Alzheimer’s unit or another licensed sub-acute facility will need to take and pass this examination to become certified.

New Jersey practices reciprocity to allow CNAs from other states who are in good standing with their registries to transfer their certifications to New Jersey. They must have no complaints of abuse, neglect or maltreatment of patients against their names and will need to have a complete criminal check and fingerprinting via live scan performed. Individuals will need to fill out an application for reciprocity and submit it to PSI. They will need to prove that they have completed a program and evaluation in their previous state that was at least equal or greater than what is required by New Jersey law. The reciprocity process is free.

CNAs who work in acute care hospitals will not need to worry about renewing their certifications because by state law they are not required to hold one. However, New Jersey CNAs working in licensed sub-acute settings must renew their certifications every two years to stay on the state’s registry. CNAs can expect to get a renewal notice from PSI approximately a month and half before their certificates expire. Renewal requires having worked for pay at least seven hours in a licensed facility in the state within the past two years. Individuals will also need to undergo a criminal check and live scan fingerprinting every two years. Individuals will receive a notice reminding them to undergo a new criminal check approximately four months before expiration. Renewal is free.

Links
NJ Department of Health
New Jersey Board of Nursing
New Jersey Nurses Aide Registry
New Jersey License Verification

Contacts

Certification Program
New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH)
PO Box 358
Trenton, NJ 08625-0358

Phone: (609) 633-9051
Fax: (609) 633-9087
Email: [email protected]
Include the words “Nurse Aide” in the subject line

Employment Information for NJ

Average Salary for CNAs in NJ

New Jersey offers an average annual income per capita of $36,027. CNAs make an average of $28,190 per year with a mean hourly wage of $13.56. Nurse aides who work in acute care settings may receive higher wages as well as more extensive medical and dental benefits than other CNAs. However, the primary determinant of wage is years of experience and skill sets.

Job Outlook in NJ

Because New Jersey has over 50,000 nursing homes, there are numerous CNA jobs here. Currently, 51,710 people work as nursing assistants in the state, and more jobs are projected to open up as the state’s population ages. CNAs here experience great job security because 2,493,400 residents are between the ages of 45 and 65 and are projected to need skilled health care within the next decade or two. New Jersey nursing assistants have a broad range of choices as to what types of patients they will care for and where they will work.

Employment Opportunities

Top Hospitals in NJ
Hospital NameAddressCityStateZipPhoneWebsite
Hackensack University Medical Center30 Prospect AvenueHackensackNJ07601551-996-2000Website
Morristown Medical Center100 Madison AvenueMorristownNJ07960973-971-5000Website
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital1 Robert Wood Johnson PlaceNew BrunswickNJ08901732-828-3000Website
Atlanticare Regional Medical Center1925 Pacific AvenueAtlantic CityNJ08401609-441-8994Website
Jersey Shore University Medical Center1945 Route 33NeptuneNJ07754732-775-5500Website
St. Peter'S University Hospital254 Easton AvenueNew BrunswickNJ08901732-745-8600Website
University Medical Center Of Princeton At PlainsboroOne Plainsboro RoadPlainsboroNJ08536609-853-7000Website
Overlook Medical Center99 Beauvoir AvenueSummitNJ07901908-522-2000Website
Holy Name Medical Center718 Teaneck RoadTeaneckNJ07666201-833-3000Website
Riverview Medical Center1 Riverview PlazaRed BankNJ07701732-741-2700Website
South Jersey Healthcare Regional Medical Center1505 West Sherman AvenueVinelandNJ08360856-641-8000Website
Valley Hospital223 North Van Dien AvenueRidgewoodNJ07450201-447-8000Website
Capital Health Regional Medical Center750 Brunswick AvenueTrentonNJ08638609-394-6000Website
University Hospital150 Bergen StreetNewarkNJ07103973-972-4300Website
Acuity Specialty Hospital Of New Jersey1925 Pacific Avenue, 7th FloorAtlantic CityNJ08401609-441-2122Website
Ancora Psychiatric Hospital301 Spring Garden RoadHammontonNJ08037609-561-1700Website
Bacharach Institute For Rehabilitation61 West Jimmie Leeds RoadPomonaNJ08240609-652-7000Website
Barnabas Health Behavioral Health Center1691 Highway 9Toms RiverNJ08755732-914-1688Website
Bayonne Medical Center29th Street & Avenue EBayonneNJ07002201-858-5000Website
Bayshore Community Hospital727 North Beers StreetHolmdelNJ07733732-739-5900Website

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