The typical role of a CNA/PCA involves the custodial care of patients or residents of various facilities. In fact, the training of the CNA/PCA specifically teaches these skills in classes so this is the bulk of the job. Primary duties include helping people with their Activities of Daily Living, often referred to as ADL's. And these are extremely important tasks to be assisting with. They may seem meaningless to some people but they are of the utmost in importance to the people receiving the care and their families who care about them. These ADL's include basic routines such as bathing, dressing, eating, trips to the rest room, hair care and brushing teeth. Beyond that there are the other activities of the day that people engage in such as games, reading and watching TV. Remembering how important these functions are to the people you care for makes the job a whole lot more fun. And often, the residents of such facilities are such a joy to be around you will look forward to everyday, even with the intense work of the position. Charting will be a very important task at any CNA/PCA job you hold, for written documentation has legal importance should anything happen to one of your patients. In some cases you will also help the nurses with various tasks. The job of a CNA/PCA is demanding but incredibly fulfilling and it offers chances to learn more about the field of nursing and if, perhaps, continuing on in the nursing field with further education might be for you.
A nurse aide candidate must successfully complete the New Jersey curriculum for Nurse Aide in Long Term Care Facilities Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP) or New Jersey Curriculum for Personal Care Assistants (PCA) to work in a long term care facility or Assisted Living Facility, respectively.
The State of 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 and/or a licensed sub-acute unit, Certified Nurse Aides must staff those units.
To become a CNA in New Jersey you must complete the following:
Areas of CNA/PCA Instruction
Please click here for answers to frequently asked questions regarding recertification process, reciprocity of CNA certifications from other states, lost certifications, lapsed certifications, taking the written exam in spanish, taking the competency exam orally in English or Spanish, re-taking of written/oral or skills exams after failing and many other important questions.
☀ Effective November 2010, the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services has made changes to the testing procedures for the CNA and PCA. Please contact me if you have any questions.
You may be able to become a CNA without first completing a nurse aide training course and clinical skills evaluation. You must still take the written or oral competency examination. This applies to the following individuals:
Home health aides work with the elderly, the disabled and the terminally ill. The tasks that they perform include giving medications, meal preparation, feeding patients, checking vital signs and assisting with general errands and chores. Home health aides often work closely with a health care professional such as a nurse. Some common duties of a home health aide include keeping a record of a patient's progress in order to alert a physician or a nurse to any sudden changes. A home health aide is also responsible for some basic health care tasks, such as giving medicine, changing dressing, checking a patient's temperature and pulse rate and helping with artificial limbs or walking aides. Some home health aides who have advanced training may be able to assist patients with ventilators and other medical devices.
Students are issued an official Homemaker- Health Aide certification by the New Jersey Board of Nursing. The Board of Nursing also regulates this certification, which is renewed every two years if the individual is in good standing.
To become a CHHHA in New Jersey you must complete the following:
Areas of CHHA Instruction
The following are facilities which may employ Certified Homemaker-Home Health Aides provided that they are licensed by the State of New Jersey:
I offer instruction in all the nursing educational areas. I also provide refresher courses, individual and group tutoring, tailored lesson plans, NCLEX review courses, guest lecture, clinical and classroom instruction, remediation, retesting in CNA and CHHHA skills, resource in navigating through the State of New Jersey Board of Nursing and New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services.
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