NJ CALA COMPREHENSIVE EXAMS LATEST
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔2 years - ✔✔Personal care assistant certification shall be valid for a period of
__________ from the date of issue. At least once every ____________, on a schedule
to be determined by the Department, a certified personal care assistant shall file an
application for renewal of current certification and shall complete an updated criminal
history background check as required by N.J.A.C. 8:43I.
✔✔20 hours - ✔✔In order to be eligible to renew a current certification, the certified
personal care assistant shall complete at least ____________ every two years of
continuing education in assisted living concepts, and related topics, including cognitive
and physical impairment and dementia.
✔✔CMA (Certified Medical Assistant) - ✔✔Certified as a CNA, CHHA, or PCA;
Successfully completion of medication administration training coursed approved by the
Department; Successful completion of a Department of Health and Senior Services
approved standardized examination regarding medication administration for PCAs. An
oral examination shall not substitute for the written component of this examination.
✔✔2 years - ✔✔Medication aide certification shall be valid for a period of ___________
from the date of issue. At least once every __________, on a schedule to be
,determined by the Department, a medication aide shall file an application for renewal of
current certification.
✔✔30 hours - ✔✔In order to be eligible to renew for a current certification, the
medication aide have completed at least _________ of continuing education, seminars,
or in-service training every two year certification period. This includes continuing
education for review of the fundamental principles of medication administration, the
skills and knowledge necessary for the task of medication administration, and topics of
current drug use relevant to the elderly.
✔✔6 Months - ✔✔An applicant for medication aide certification shall sit for the
standardized examination within __________ of successful completion of an approved
medication administration training course.
✔✔Minimum PCA Staffing - ✔✔The facility shall provide on the premises at all times
(per building) the following minimum numbers of employees:
1.) At least one awake PCA in accordance with N.J.A.C. 8:36-9.1(a).
2.) At least one additional employee.
✔✔Dietician Qualifications - ✔✔The dietitian shall possess a bachelor's degree from an
accredited collage or university with a major area of concentration in a nutrition-related
field of study, and one year of full-time professional experience or graduate-level
training in nutrition.
✔✔Provision of Meals - ✔✔The assisted living residence or comprehensive personal
care home shall provide dining services to meet the daily nutritional needs of residents,
directly in the facility.
✔✔Designation of a Food Coordinator - ✔✔The facility shall designate a food service
coordinator who, if not a dietitican, functions with scheduled consultation from a
dietician. When meals are prepared in the facility, the food service coordinator or
designee shall be present in the facility. The food service coordinator shall ensure that
dining services are provided as specified in the dining portion of the health care plan.
✔✔Responsibilities of Dietitians - ✔✔If indicated, according to residents' needs, a
dietitian shall be responsible for providing resident care, including, but not limited to, the
following: 1.) Assessing the nutritional needs of the resident. If indicated, preparing the
dietary portion of the health care plan on the basis of the assessment, providing dietary
services to the resident as specified in the dietary portion of the health plan,
reassessing the resident, and revising the dietary portion of the health care plan. Each
of these activities shall be documented in the resident's record; and 2.) Providing
nutritional counseling and education to residents.
✔✔14 days - ✔✔Written, dated menus shall be planned at least _________ days in
advance for all diets.
, ✔✔7 day - ✔✔The same menu shall not be used more than once in any continuous
__________ period.
✔✔30 days - ✔✔Menus, with changes or substitutes, shall be kept on file in the facility
for at least _____________.
✔✔Supervision of Medication Administration - ✔✔1.) The facility or program shall
document the provision of training (received from the RN or licensed pharmacists, and
documented) to each employee who has been designated to provide resident
supervision of self-administration of medications.
2.) The facility or program shall document any instances where medications are not
taken in accordance with the prescribers orders.
3.) The facility shall keep a record of all prescribed medications for which the resident is
receiving supervision of medication administration.
✔✔OTC (Over the Counter) - ✔✔_____________ solid and liquid dosage forms may be
dispensed in a non unit-of-use or non unit-dose medication distribution system.
✔✔Prescription Liquid Medications - ✔✔______________ conventional bottles or
concentrates may be dispensed in a non unit-of-use, non unit-dose, or conventional
medication distribution system.
✔✔Delegation to CMA. - ✔✔If the appropriate delegation is made, and in accordance
with the facility's policies and procedures and all applicable State and Federal laws and
regulations, the CMA may: i.) Administer medications through the routes of oral,
ophthalmic, otic, inhalant, nasal, rectal, vaginal, topical, and by the percutaneous
endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) (g-tube) tube route of administration; ii.) Administer any
prescription or OTC medication according to regulations; iii.) Administer regularly
scheduled medications, including prescription, OTC, and Schedule II-V medications; iv.)
Administer "PRN" or as needed medication, OTC, and Schedule II-V.
✔✔7 days - ✔✔CMAs can adminster "PRN" or as needed prescription, OTC and
Schedule II-V medications EXCEPT that residents receiving the following medications
shall be assessed by the RN at least once every ______________:
1.) Residents receiving PRN Schedule II narcotic analgesics.
2.) Residents receiving Schedule III-IV narcotic analgesics.
3.) Residents receiving Schedule III-IV central nervous system agents.
✔✔CMAs Cannot - ✔✔1.) Administer any injection other than pre-drawn properly
packaged labeled insulin.
2.) Calculate a medication dosage.
3.) Pre-pour medication for more than one resident at a time.
4.) Contact prescribers for changes in medication, to clarify an order, or contact the
pharmacist for questions regarding a dispensed medication.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS SURE A+
✔✔2 years - ✔✔Personal care assistant certification shall be valid for a period of
__________ from the date of issue. At least once every ____________, on a schedule
to be determined by the Department, a certified personal care assistant shall file an
application for renewal of current certification and shall complete an updated criminal
history background check as required by N.J.A.C. 8:43I.
✔✔20 hours - ✔✔In order to be eligible to renew a current certification, the certified
personal care assistant shall complete at least ____________ every two years of
continuing education in assisted living concepts, and related topics, including cognitive
and physical impairment and dementia.
✔✔CMA (Certified Medical Assistant) - ✔✔Certified as a CNA, CHHA, or PCA;
Successfully completion of medication administration training coursed approved by the
Department; Successful completion of a Department of Health and Senior Services
approved standardized examination regarding medication administration for PCAs. An
oral examination shall not substitute for the written component of this examination.
✔✔2 years - ✔✔Medication aide certification shall be valid for a period of ___________
from the date of issue. At least once every __________, on a schedule to be
,determined by the Department, a medication aide shall file an application for renewal of
current certification.
✔✔30 hours - ✔✔In order to be eligible to renew for a current certification, the
medication aide have completed at least _________ of continuing education, seminars,
or in-service training every two year certification period. This includes continuing
education for review of the fundamental principles of medication administration, the
skills and knowledge necessary for the task of medication administration, and topics of
current drug use relevant to the elderly.
✔✔6 Months - ✔✔An applicant for medication aide certification shall sit for the
standardized examination within __________ of successful completion of an approved
medication administration training course.
✔✔Minimum PCA Staffing - ✔✔The facility shall provide on the premises at all times
(per building) the following minimum numbers of employees:
1.) At least one awake PCA in accordance with N.J.A.C. 8:36-9.1(a).
2.) At least one additional employee.
✔✔Dietician Qualifications - ✔✔The dietitian shall possess a bachelor's degree from an
accredited collage or university with a major area of concentration in a nutrition-related
field of study, and one year of full-time professional experience or graduate-level
training in nutrition.
✔✔Provision of Meals - ✔✔The assisted living residence or comprehensive personal
care home shall provide dining services to meet the daily nutritional needs of residents,
directly in the facility.
✔✔Designation of a Food Coordinator - ✔✔The facility shall designate a food service
coordinator who, if not a dietitican, functions with scheduled consultation from a
dietician. When meals are prepared in the facility, the food service coordinator or
designee shall be present in the facility. The food service coordinator shall ensure that
dining services are provided as specified in the dining portion of the health care plan.
✔✔Responsibilities of Dietitians - ✔✔If indicated, according to residents' needs, a
dietitian shall be responsible for providing resident care, including, but not limited to, the
following: 1.) Assessing the nutritional needs of the resident. If indicated, preparing the
dietary portion of the health care plan on the basis of the assessment, providing dietary
services to the resident as specified in the dietary portion of the health plan,
reassessing the resident, and revising the dietary portion of the health care plan. Each
of these activities shall be documented in the resident's record; and 2.) Providing
nutritional counseling and education to residents.
✔✔14 days - ✔✔Written, dated menus shall be planned at least _________ days in
advance for all diets.
, ✔✔7 day - ✔✔The same menu shall not be used more than once in any continuous
__________ period.
✔✔30 days - ✔✔Menus, with changes or substitutes, shall be kept on file in the facility
for at least _____________.
✔✔Supervision of Medication Administration - ✔✔1.) The facility or program shall
document the provision of training (received from the RN or licensed pharmacists, and
documented) to each employee who has been designated to provide resident
supervision of self-administration of medications.
2.) The facility or program shall document any instances where medications are not
taken in accordance with the prescribers orders.
3.) The facility shall keep a record of all prescribed medications for which the resident is
receiving supervision of medication administration.
✔✔OTC (Over the Counter) - ✔✔_____________ solid and liquid dosage forms may be
dispensed in a non unit-of-use or non unit-dose medication distribution system.
✔✔Prescription Liquid Medications - ✔✔______________ conventional bottles or
concentrates may be dispensed in a non unit-of-use, non unit-dose, or conventional
medication distribution system.
✔✔Delegation to CMA. - ✔✔If the appropriate delegation is made, and in accordance
with the facility's policies and procedures and all applicable State and Federal laws and
regulations, the CMA may: i.) Administer medications through the routes of oral,
ophthalmic, otic, inhalant, nasal, rectal, vaginal, topical, and by the percutaneous
endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) (g-tube) tube route of administration; ii.) Administer any
prescription or OTC medication according to regulations; iii.) Administer regularly
scheduled medications, including prescription, OTC, and Schedule II-V medications; iv.)
Administer "PRN" or as needed medication, OTC, and Schedule II-V.
✔✔7 days - ✔✔CMAs can adminster "PRN" or as needed prescription, OTC and
Schedule II-V medications EXCEPT that residents receiving the following medications
shall be assessed by the RN at least once every ______________:
1.) Residents receiving PRN Schedule II narcotic analgesics.
2.) Residents receiving Schedule III-IV narcotic analgesics.
3.) Residents receiving Schedule III-IV central nervous system agents.
✔✔CMAs Cannot - ✔✔1.) Administer any injection other than pre-drawn properly
packaged labeled insulin.
2.) Calculate a medication dosage.
3.) Pre-pour medication for more than one resident at a time.
4.) Contact prescribers for changes in medication, to clarify an order, or contact the
pharmacist for questions regarding a dispensed medication.
