SENATE HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES AND SENIOR CITIZENS COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 5353

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED:  MAY 6, 2021

 

      The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 5353 (1R).

      This bill provides for the certification of temporary nurse aides.  Under the bill, the Commissioner of Health is to issue a nurse aide certification to a temporary nurse aide who has applied to the Department of Health for certification as a nurse aide, in a manner determined by the commissioner, if, within 45 days following the end of the public health emergency declared in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): 

      1)   the temporary nurse aide has successfully completed a training program and competency assessment authorized under a waiver issued by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) due to COVID-19 during the public health emergency declared in response to COVID-19, which may have included an online training component and an online examination;

      2)   if so required by the CMS, the temporary nurse aide has completed any additional training required to satisfy the requirements of 42 C.F.R. s.483.1521 or any other federal law or regulation;

      3)   the temporary nurse aide worked a minimum of 80 hours under the supervision of a licensed professional nurse during the public health emergency declared in response to COVID-19, and the temporary nurse aide’s adequate competency during that period is established by a certification or letter from the director of nursing attesting to the temporary nurse aide’s adequate competency;

      4)   the temporary nurse aide has successfully completed the criminal history record background check required pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1997, c.100 (C.26:2H-83); and

      5)   the temporary nurse aide has successfully completed a State-approved nurse aide written examination in no more than three attempts.

      The bill provides that temporary nurse aides who have not been certified as nurse aides are to be permitted to work as temporary nurse aides for no more than 90 days following the end of the public health emergency declared in response to COVID-19.

      As reported by the committee, Assembly Bill No. 5353(1R) is identical to Senate Bill No. 3421(1R) which was also reported by the committee on this date.