NJBIA this week submitted comments to the state Department of Health in support of revisions to rules governing the approval of nurse aides in long-term care facility training programs.
NJBIA Vice President of Government Affairs Alexis Bailey submitted to NJDOH’s Office of Legal and Regulatory Compliance the need to loosen requirements for nurse aide instructors.
“Under the current regulatory framework, New Jersey’s nurse aide instructor requirements are more stringent than the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ standards,” Bailey wrote. “This makes the operation of nurse aide training programs particularly difficult in our state with no added value or benefit to our nursing homes, training programs or nurse aide candidates.
“Additionally, this has led to schools across the state having more applicants than available seats for CNA training programs due to the difficulty they currently face finding certified instructors.”
The rule proposal change was offered by NJDOH following a petition submitted in 2021 to the agency by NJBIA, the New Jersey Hospital Association, the Health Care Association of NJ, LeadingAge New Jersey and Delaware, the New Jersey Council of County Colleges and the New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools.
“The current rule proposal will remove these challenges while still maintaining high quality instruction for nurse aide candidates by bringing New Jersey in line with CMS standards,” Bailey added. “We greatly appreciate the Department streamlining this process and enhancing the pipeline for certified nurse aide instructors in New Jersey.
“This measure will be extremely helpful in combatting some of the workforce challenges employers in direct care are currently experiencing and expand access to care for New Jerseyans.”
To see Bailey’s letter to NJDOH, click here.
