SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

SENATE, No. 2679

 

with committee amendments

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED:  SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

 

      The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No. 2679, as amended.

      This bill establishes requirements for out-of-State nurse aide and personal care assistant certifications to be recognized in New Jersey. 

      Under the bill, as amended, an individual may apply to have an out-of-State certification entered on the State registry of certified nurse aides and personal care assistants if: (1) the Department of Health receives documentation from the other state or U.S. territory that the applicant holds a current, valid certification as a nurse aide or personal care assistant in the state or territory; (2) 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; (3) the applicant successfully completes a criminal history record background check; and (4) 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 regulation.

      An applicant requesting that an out-of-State certification be entered on the New Jersey registry on the basis of work experience will be required to have the equivalent of at least two years of full time professional employment in the other state or territory, with the last date of such employment falling within the 24 month period immediately preceding the date of the application.  In addition, the Department of Health may require an individual requesting certification on the basis of work experience to complete a clinical equivalency examination to verify the individual meets New Jersey’s training and competency requirements.

      Although current regulations provide, under N.J.A.C.8:39-43.9, reciprocity for nurse aides who are certified to practice in other states, the regulations do not currently allow reciprocity on the basis of work experience or expressly provide reciprocity for personal care assistants.

      The committee amended the bill to: 1) replace a training and competency evaluation program requirement with a continuing education requirement; 2) decrease the number of years of work experience for the consideration of out-of-State certification from five to two years; and 3) clarify that the Department of Health may require certain applicants to complete a clinical skills equivalency examination.