Clean Needle Technique Course: FAQs
Q. What is the Clean Needle Technique course?
A. The Clean Needle Technique (CNT) course is a one-day program that includes a lecture, a demonstration, and written and practical examinations. This course was originally developed in 1985 by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) as part of a program of certification of professional competence to practice acupuncture safely and effectively. In 1990, the NCCAOM transferred the responsibility for administering the CNT course to the CCAOM. Over the years, the CCAOM has continued to develop and improve the rigorous, state-of-the-art CNT course, which contains both theoretical and practical components.
Q. Who should take the CNT course?
A. The CNT course is designed for the following categories of individuals:
(1) currently enrolled AOM students whose program of study requires them to take the CNT course; (2) AOM students or graduates who wish to receive NCCAOM certification; (3) AOM graduates or practitioners whose state licensing board requires completion of the CNT course.
Q. Why should I take the CNT course?
A. National certification in the field of acupuncture requires an applicant to have successfully completed the CCAOM CNT course. Although needling technique and safety is a required course at accredited acupuncture schools in the United States, the NCCAOM as well as most state licensing boards recognize that independent verification of CNT competency by those wishing to practice acupuncture is essential in the interest of public safety. The content of the CNT course provides a uniform standard of practice for acupuncture in the United States. This course does not, however, replace other coursework in techniques, risk management, clinical safety or the standard of the Occupational Safety and Health Act or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Q. Why is it important to maintain national standards in the area of CNT?
A. It is essential that competency in safe needling technique by those wishing to practice acupuncture in the United States be verified to ensure the safety and health of patients, as well as practitioners and members of the public. Confidence in the safety of acupuncture by consumers, regulators, and third party payers is also a necessity in order to foster the general acceptance of acupuncture as a treatment option in the United States.
Q. When and where are CNT courses offered?
A. The CCAOM currently offers over 60 CNT courses annually in various locations throughout the United States and in Canada. The courses are offered only on weekends for the maximum convenience of applicants. Although the majority of courses are offered at AOM colleges, courses may be offered at other locations on request. This website contains a complete list of CNT course dates (http://www.ccaom.org/cntschedule.asp) as well as the application form (http://www.ccaom.org/cntapp.asp).
Q. Can I sign up for the CNT course through my school?
A. The only way to register for the CNT course is by completing the application form, found on this website (http://www.ccaom.org/cntapp.asp), and submitting it directly to the CCAOM national office either by fax or by mail.
Q. How do I know whether or not my CNT application has been accepted?
A. The CCAOM does not send individual acceptance notices upon receipt of an application unless applicants send a self-addressed stamped envelope along with their application form. Rather, acceptance letters are sent out to all applicants for each course as a group, one month before the course date. The reason for this time lag is that a minimum number of applicants must be registered for each course before that course becomes viable. Applicants who wish to know if their application has been received are welcome to call the CCAOM national office.
Q. Why am I asked to provide my social security number on the CNT application form?
A. This information is used solely as an identifier for purposes of verification of completion of the CNT course to the NCCAOM. If an applicant does not wish to provide this information, or if an applicant does not possess a social security number, a birth date is acceptable.
Q. Where can I get the Clean Needle Technique Manual?
A. The CCAOM does not provide applicants with the Clean Needle Technique Manual. Some of the larger AOM schools may carry it in their bookstore; otherwise applicants can purchase the latest edition of the manual by phone from Bookmasters (1-800-247-6553), or on-line from Amazon.com.
Q. Why do I need the current edition of the Clean Needle Technique Manual?
A. Changes in statistics and/or standards of practice may necessitate the periodic publication of a new version of the manual.
Q. Will I have to re-take the CNT course at some time in the future?
A. At present, the CCAOM is unaware of any state board requirement to re-take the CNT course once an applicant has successfully completed it. The NCCAOM currently requires that applicants have passed the CNT course within the past six years before they actually receive NCCAOM certification. However, there is no guarantee that these agencies and boards will not change this requirement in the future.
Q. Do I have to take the CNT course before I take the NCCAOM exam?
A. The NCCAOM does not currently require applicants to take the CNT course before they sit for the national exam. However, applicants cannot receive NCCAOM certification until they have documented successful completion of the CNT course.
Q. How do I notify the NCCAOM that I have passed the CNT course?
A. Applicants who are taking the CNT course for purposes of NCCAOM certification must request that the CCAOM send verification directly to the NCCAOM on their behalf by completing the appropriate form found on this website (http://www.ccaom.org/cntcert.asp) and submitting it to the CCAOM national office along with a $10 payment.
Q. How do I notify my state licensing board that I have passed the CNT course?
A. Some state boards will accept a copy of the CNT certificate directly from the applicant; others require that verification come through the NCCAOM along with the rest of the applicant’s NCCAOM documentation; yet other boards require that verification come directly from the CCAOM national office. Applicants should contact their state licensing board to find out which method of verification is required.
Q. When will I receive my CNT certificate of completion?
A. Certificates typically take from 6 to 8 weeks to arrive after course completion; however, an early certificate service is available, whereby applicants can receive their certificate within 1 to 2 weeks after course completion. Since this requires the expedited processing of an individual certificate, a written request must be submitted to the CCAOM national office along with a $10 fee.
Q. How long does the CCAOM maintain CNT records?
A. Records are permanently maintained for all individuals who have taken the CCAOM CNT course. Verification of successful completion of the course is available upon request from the CCAOM national office.
Q. How do I know that my records are kept confidential?
A. All paper records involving social security information, credit card numbers, etc., are kept under lock and key on-site at the CCAOM national office. In addition, social security numbers are kept in a secure database, for the sole purpose of use as an identifier of applicants to the NCCAOM. Credit card information is not kept in the database but in paper form only, under lock and key.