New Mexico CNA Program Basics
Becoming a certified nursing assistant in the state of New Mexico requires the completion of a state approved CNA training program. All training courses must adhere to the state’s federal guidelines of consuming at least 70 hours for the entire program. The coursework is split into two portions – classroom studies and clinical training. Most training courses in the state of New Mexico are longer than the federally mandated minimum duration. These courses are offered by numerous community colleges throughout the state. Training programs that are held in facilities are administered by employers. The training courses offered by employers are usually free as long as the trainee agrees to work in their facility for a specific period of time after passing the state assessment exam.
New Mexico CNA Training Requirements
- All CNA training programs in New Mexico cover basic nursing, patient care, emergency procedures, and infection control.
- There are a lot of useful related topics included in these intensive healthcare courses.
- If an aspiring nurse aide is being trained in a facility, certain topics such as rehabilitation and dementia may be taught.
- Some nursing facilities have floors or wings designed for rehabilitation or a memory care unit.
- Nurse aides that undergo such training with these additional topics may work exclusively on these areas or floors in certain facilities.
New Mexico CNA Examination Information
- After the training course is completed, the students may sit for the state’s final CNA examination as long as they have fulfilled all areas of the training successfully.
- Like the training itself, the assessment consists of two parts.
- These portions of the assessment focus on what was taught during classroom discussions and during clinical training.
- One portion of the exam is written to rate the student’s knowledge on classroom studies.
- The other portion will rate the student’s manual or clinical skills.
- In order to become certified and be eligible for placement on the state’s nurse aide registry, the examinee must pass both sections of the assessment.
- If a student fails to pass the exam, he or she may challenge the test again.
- Failing the exam 3 times will result in the applicant needing to be retrained before challenging the final assessment again.
New Mexico CNA Certification Reciprocity
- Nurse Aides from other states that are moving to New Mexico may apply for reciprocity as long as their certification is still active and has a good rating in the state where they are transferring from.
- The certification must have no conviction of any abuse or neglect.
- This is a standard requirement in all states in the US that participate in reciprocity.
- After evaluating the CNA’s license or certification and the evaluation went good, the out of state CNA can now be placed on the New Mexico Nurse Aide Registry and work in any facility all over the state.
New Mexico CNA Certification Renewal
- Like in other states, the nursing assistant must renew their license every two years for their registry entry to remain active and to be allowed to continue working as a CNA.
- To be qualified for certification renewal, the CNA must have worked a minimum of 8 hours during the past two years in a for pay setting.
- As long as there is a record of payment received, private care may be considered.
- A renewal form is mailed to the address of the aide or employer and must be completed in full for the renewal to be issued.
