Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) training & certification requirements vary considerably across the U.S. In some states, the requirements go beyond the federal minimum while in other states requirements are nearly identical to the federal standards.

This page displays New Hampshire CNA Requirements as of February 2023.

To see requirements in other states, visit nursinghome411.org/cna-reqs.

New Hampshire CNA Requirements

  • Eligibility/Screening Requirements
    • Document the ability to read, comprehend, write, and communicate in English, relative to job-related assignments;
    • Not have been convicted of a crime constituting any of the following unless such conviction was annulled by a court of competent jurisdiction:
      • (1) Murder or manslaughter;
      • (2) Robbery;
      • (3) Felonious theft;
      • (4) Felonious assault;
      • (5) Sexual crime involving a child;
      • (6) Kidnapping; and
      • (7) Endangering the welfare of a child or incompetent person.
    • Education & Training Requirement
      • Individuals must complete a state approved nurse aide training and competency evaluation program.
    • Testing Requirement
      • Individuals must pass both a written and skills test.
    • Renewal & In-Service Requirements
      • 24 hours of in-service in the preceding 2 years.
      • For renewal, a minimum of 200 hours of nursing assistant related activities under the supervision of a licensed nurse within the 2 years immediately prior to the date of application or successful completion of nursing assistant competency testing within 2 years prior to date of application.
  • Hours
    • The program shall consist of a minimum of 100 hours of instruction. Of this time, there shall be 40 hours of theory and 60 hours of concurrent clinical experience.
  • Curriculum
    • Content shall include the following information:
      • (1) Pathological, physical, psychological, social, cultural, and religious influences related to the life cycle and the aging process;
      • (2) End of life issues; and
      • (3) Legal, ethical, and moral issues involved when providing nursing-related activities.
    • Prior to direct care with care-recipients, students shall receive 16 hours of instruction including the following:
      • (1) Orientation to the role;
      • (2) Holistic approach to care throughout the lifespan;
      • (3) Communication skills;
      • (4) Safety and emergency procedures including the Heimlich Maneuver; and
      • (5) Protection of care-recipients’ rights, dignity, and their confidentiality.
    • Theoretical and clinical experiences shall include assisting care-recipients with nursing-related activities in the following areas:
      • (1) Personal hygiene including bathing, grooming, dressing;
      • (2) Ambulation, and movement including range of motion, turning, positioning, transferring;
      • (3) Nutrition and elimination including feeding and hydration, toileting, bowel and bladder training;
      • (4) Environmental and personal safety involving housekeeping concerns, adaptive devices, special clothing;
      • (5) Emotional support including appropriate responses and techniques used with the cognitively impaired and demented, the aging process, identification of resources, preservation of dignity, assuring freedom from fear and reprisal;
      • (6) Comfort, rest, and activities including privacy, physical and occupational skills; and
      • (7) Emergency situations including appropriateness of action or non-action, fire drills, security of the environment, resources available.