(a) The facility shall assure that personal care staff and those who directly supervise them in facilities without heavy care residents successfully complete a 25-hour training program, including competency evaluation, approved by the Department according to Rule .0502 of this Section. For the purposes of this Subchapter, heavy care residents are those for whom the facility is providing personal care tasks listed in Paragraph (i) of this Rule. Directly supervise means being on duty in the facility to oversee or direct the performance of staff duties.
(b) The facility shall assure that staff who perform or directly supervise staff who perform personal care tasks listed in Paragraph (i) of this Rule in facilities with heavy care residents successfully complete an 80-hour training program, including competency evaluation, approved by the Department according to Rule .0502 of this Section and comparable to the State-approved Nurse Aide I training.
(c) The facility shall assure that training specified in Paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Rule is successfully completed six months after hiring for staff hired after July 1, 2000. Staff hired prior to July 1, 2000, shall have completed at least a 20-hour training program for the performance or supervision of tasks listed in Paragraph (i) of this Rule or a 75-hour training program for the performance or supervision of tasks listed in Paragraph (j) of this Rule. The 20 and 75-hour training shall meet all the requirements of this Rule except for the interpersonal skills and behavioral interventions listed in Paragraph (j) of this Rule, within six months after hiring.
(d) The Department shall have the authority to extend the six-month time frame specified in Paragraph (c) of this Rule up to six additional months for a maximum allowance of 12 months for completion of training upon submittal of documentation to the Department by the facility showing good cause for not meeting the six-month time frame.
(e) Exemptions from the training requirements of this Rule are as follows:
(1) The Department shall exempt staff from the 25-hour training requirement upon successful completion of a competency evaluation approved by the Department according to Rule .0502 of this Section if staff have been employed to perform or directly supervise personal care tasks listed in Paragraph (h) and the interpersonal skills and behavioral interventions listed in Paragraph (j) of this Rule in a comparable long-term care setting for a total of at least 12 months during the three years prior to January 1, 1996, or the date they are hired, whichever is later.
(2) The Department shall exempt staff from the 80-hour training requirement upon successful completion of a 15-hour refresher training and competency evaluation program or a competency evaluation program approved by the Department according to Rule .0502 of this Section if staff have been employed to perform or directly supervise personal care tasks listed in Paragraph (i) and the interpersonal skills and behavioral interventions listed in Paragraph (j) of this Rule in a comparable long-term care setting for a total of at least 12 months during the three years prior to January 1, 1996, or the date they are hired, whichever is later.
(3) The Department shall exempt staff from the 25 and 80-hour training and competency evaluation who are or have been licensed health professionals or Certified Nursing Assistants.
(f) The facility shall maintain documentation of the training and competency evaluations of staff required by the rules of this Subchapter. The documentation shall be filed in an orderly manner and made available for review by representatives of the Department.
(g) The facility shall assure that staff who perform or directly supervise staff who perform personal care tasks listed in Paragraphs (h) and (i), and the interpersonal skills and behavioral interventions listed in Paragraph (j) of this Rule receive on-the-job training and supervision as necessary for the performance of individual job assignments prior to meeting the training and competency requirements of this Rule.
(h) For the purposes of this Rule, personal care tasks which require a 25-hour training program include, but are not limited to the following:
(1) assist residents with toileting and maintaining bowel and bladder continence;
(2) assist residents with mobility and transferring;
(3) provide care for normal, unbroken skin;
(4) assist with personal hygiene to include mouth care, hair and scalp grooming, care of fingernails, and bathing in shower, tub, bed basin;
(5) trim hair;
(6) shave resident;
(7) provide basic first aid;
(8) assist residents with dressing;
(9) assist with feeding residents with special conditions but no swallowing difficulties;
(10) assist and encourage physical activity;
(11) take and record temperature, pulse, respiration, routine height and weight;
(12) trim toenails for residents without diabetes or peripheral vascular disease;
(13) perineal care;
(14) apply condom catheters;
(15) turn and position;
(16) collect urine or fecal specimens;
(17) take and record blood pressure if a registered nurse has determined and documented staff to be competent to perform this task;
(18) apply and remove or assist with applying and removing prosthetic devices for stable residents if a registered nurse, licensed physical therapist or licensed occupational therapist has determined and documented staff to be competent to perform the task; and
(19) apply or assist with applying ace bandages, TED’s and binders for stable residents if a registered nurse has determined and documented staff to be competent to perform the task.
(i) For the purposes of this Rule, personal care tasks which require a 80-hour training program are as follows:
(1) assist with feeding residents with swallowing difficulty;
(2) assist with gait training using assistive devices;
(3) assist with or perform range of motion exercises;
(4) empty and record drainage of catheter bag;
(5) administer enemas;
(6) bowel and bladder retraining to regain continence;
(7) test urine or fecal specimens;
(8) use of physical or mechanical devices attached to or adjacent to the resident which restrict movement or access to one’s own body used to restrict movement or enable or enhance functional abilities;
(9) non-sterile dressing procedures;
(10) force and restrict fluids;
(11) apply prescribed heat therapy;
(12) care for non-infected pressure ulcers; and
(13) vaginal douches.
(j) For purposes of this Rule, the interpersonal skills and behavioral interventions include, but are not limited to the following:
(1) recognition of residents’ usual patterns of responding to other people;
(2) individualization of appropriate interpersonal interactions with residents;
(3) interpersonal distress and behavior problems;
(4) knowledge of and use of techniques, as alternatives to the use of restraints, to decrease residents’ intrapersonal and interpersonal distress and behavior problems; and
(5) knowledge of procedures for obtaining consultation and assistance regarding safe, humane management of residents’ behavioral problems.