Aspirants, who are aiming to become a Certified Nursing Assistant in New Mexico, are needed to meet and follow the specified requirements of the state. Candidates must take the training program accredited and approved by the AZBN (Nursing Board of Arizona). This is followed by the competency examination and registration in the state’s CNA registry.
Eligibility Requirements
Every CNA aspirant must meet the following specified guidelines of the nursing board to enrol in the training course:
- Minimum age of aspirants must not be less than 16 years;
- They must have Diploma of High School or proof of the equivalent GED;
- They must undergo a complete health examination, including drug screening, TB testing and proof of immunizations;
- They must not have any criminal history. They need to provide the documents of criminal background check that involves felonies and CNA registry objections as well.
How to Apply
Candidates with needed qualifications and experience can avoid the CNA training. Following candidates can take the exam without taking the training program and appear in the state’s registry:
- Graduate nurses who are not licensed but have completed the New Mexico’s approved nursing course ;
- Reciprocity candidates, who got current CNA certification and registered in other state’s registry, can apply for reciprocity to the DOH.
- Military trained nurses who possess DOH approved letter can apply for the examination directly to appear on the state’s registry;
- Lapsed CNAs of other states (i.e. listed on the registries of other states and their license is expired for the last 2 years), can appeal an approval letter to the DOH.
- Lapsed CNAs of New Mexico with the expired credentials (expired for not more than 2 years) can also appear for the exam without taking the training program of the state; or
- Nurse students can earn the credentials of the certified nursing aide if they have completed the nursing program in the last 2 years.
Others who are in need of the CNA training program, can access the website of DOH to get hand on the required information. All the state approved training programs need minimum 100 hours for clinical work and another 75 hours for classroom lectures. It takes roughly 13 weeks to complete the training. It is only after completing the mandatory hours of training course, aspirants can apply for the competency examination.
The exam is divided into the two portions- one is the written test and other is the practical test to check the nursing skills. Written test is held in only one language that is English. Instead of the written test, candidates with testing problems can give the oral exam. After receiving an authorization letter, candidates book the examination with Prometric.
Fees
- The price of taking the exam varies depending upon the manner it is taken. It usually costs over $ 1000. Employed candidates are liberated from the training and exam expenses as under the Federal Laws, employers bear the certification related expenses of employees.
- Testing fees are as follows:
- Both Practical and Written : $ 105
- Both Practical and Written orally: $ 115.50
- Written Retest: $ 38.85
- Oral retesting: $ 49.35
- Skill retesting: $ 66.15
Certificate Renewal
Validity of the CNA credentials lasts for 2 years. The certificate of only those candidates is renewed who have completed the minimum 8 hours of paid employment under a registered or licensed nurse during the recent 2 years certification period.
Must Know Facts
- During the course of two years of the termination of training program, candidates are supposed to take, and qualify the competency exam in the din order to appear on the state’s registry and work as a certified nursing aide in New Mexico.
- Candidates become eligible to take the nursing aide training and exam only after seeking the approval from the state’s Nursing Board. For this, they must fill the required applications.