Sponsored by:
Senator ROBERT W. SINGER
District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)
Senator VIN GOPAL
District 11 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes reciprocity requirements for out-of-State certified nurse aides and personal care assistants to practice in New Jersey.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee on September 24, 2018, with amendments.
An Act concerning certified nurse aides and personal care assistants and supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. An individual certified as a nurse aide or personal care assistant by another state or territory of the United States may apply to have that certification entered on the registry established and maintained by the Department of Health pursuant to section 3 of P.L.1997, c.100 (C.26:2H-84), provided that:
a. the Department of Health receives documentation from the other state or territory that the applicant holds a current, valid certification as a nurse aide or personal care assistant in the state or territory;
b. the applicant has not been convicted of any crimes and has no documented findings of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of resident property in the other state or territory;
c. the applicant complies with the criminal history record background check requirements set forth under P.L.1997, c.100 (C.26:2H-83 et al.); and
d. (1) 1[the applicant has completed a training and competency evaluation program at least equal to that required in New Jersey] the applicant, based upon the type of certification requested to be entered on the registry, has completed within the preceding 24 months the amount of continuing education hours required by regulation1; or
(2) the applicant has the equivalent of at least 1[five] two1 years of full time employment in the other state or territory as a nurse aide or personal care assistant, as appropriate, and the most recent date of such employment is within the 24 month period immediately preceding the date of the application. The Department of Health may require an individual applying for a certification to be entered on the registry on the basis of work experience pursuant to this paragraph to complete 1[an] a clinical skills1 equivalency examination to verify the individual meets New Jersey’s training and competency requirements.
2. The Commissioner of Health, pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.